Finding Utopia

Chapter 20: A Leap Of Faith

A few days have passed since the friends made their wishes. Some haven't gotten their wishes yet and are starting to doubt the place actually grants wishes. 

Luz took a pregnancy test that came out positive, but she decided to tell everyone the good news after they all gathered again - including Aliaan-, she wants it to be this huge surprise for him and everyone to celebrate.

Thiyya went on many dating app dates and still met no one compatible, she even scheduled many dates on the same day, went to speed dating events...etc. She began to lose hope, especially after she not hearing from the others.

Maanaa found a small bracelet on her bed as soon as she came back, she didn't leave her room except to eat or use the bathroom for days. She figured out how to use the bracelet after a day, and she went to Aaraa and back to Earth without anyone noticing. But after testing the device she decided to work on replicating it so that she can show the others the final product, at first she only made another one for Xeelai but then she figured the others could use them too and decided to make one for each.

Xeelai naturally was very worried, he tried to talk to Maanaa but she asked him to not disturb her as she is busy and to wait. At first, he thought his wish didn't come true, but after she told him not to disturb her, doubt crept into his mind and he started thinking that maybe that's how she feels about him, as someone that disturbs her and possibly someone she wants to avoid, he plunged into a period of sadness but still had a bit of hope and decided to trust her and wait.

Aliaan noticed that Luz was in a great mood, he couldn't tell why, part of him was happy she was doing so much better after all that's happened but the other part knew Luz can be very rash and irresponsible, so he had a bad feeling about it but no matter how many times he asked, she never gave him a satisfying answer.

Marco decided to take a leap of faith and post a video of himself by a lake with the sunset in the background, his hair down, and him playing his electric keyboard and singing with his raspy voice. It was a song he wrote after crying his heart out, the lyrics were about him finally letting someone he loved go and deciding to focus on himself, it was emotionally packed, raw, and beautifully written musically and lyrically. And although he has never posted anything before, the video started getting tens of views in just a few minutes.

Ziri decides to call Thiyya, he asks her to meet at a coffee shop she likes. He realized that if he doesn't do it now, he will keep procrastinating forever. He takes a shower, puts on some expensive cologne he got as a gift from his mom, dresses in new clothes, styles his hair in a man bun, and finally leaves for the coffee shop but of course, because he was so nervous and excited he got there half an hour before the time they agreed on.

He sits there knowing they're supposed to meet much later but still hoping she would come anytime he looked out the window. His hands are sweating profusely, and every time he sees a woman getting in or passing by that bares an insignificant resemblance to Thiyya, his chest tightens, and starts he sweating even more.

40 minutes pass before Thiyya finally arrives, but surprisingly, he felt a sense of relief this time, he took a deep breath and greeted her.

Thiyya: " Sorry I was late, a dog kept following me, it was cute so I stopped to play with it for a bit till its hot owner came, and guess what? he gave me his number and Instagram and said he'd text me afterward, by the way, you know him, we both follow him"

Thiyya leans in to show him his pictures, she starts scrolling and showing him his gym pics, complimenting his body and his style. She suddenly stops because she notices Ziri was awfully silent, she turns back to him and notices his eyes were teary and before she could utter a single word...

Ziri: " I love you, I have always loved you but I couldn't bring myself to tell you because I didn't want to lose you, you are my best friend before you were my love, but I can't do this anymore, it drives me crazy and every time you talk like this about some guy and every time  you date someone, I feel horrible inside, I don't think any of them deserve you, especially not this asshole, he already has a fiancée" * tears start running down his cheeks*

Thiyya freezes, goosebumps rushing throughout her body, and her eyes start tingling, she never realized it, all this time, all those years, he was always beside her, he has become like a part of her, how could she not notice? She looks at him up and down, and asks herself: " How could I not notice? He's dressed like a model, his hair is in a hot man bun, and he even smells great, how did I not notice all of this? I should've known something was up. I'm such an idiot, I couldn't notice his feelings for me all these years, he was always there for me, defending me, protecting me, I just thought he never looked at me as a woman, I even tried hard to forget my initial crush for him".

Ziri: " Thiyya! Are you mad at me?"

Thiyya *surprised*:" What? how did you come to that conclusion? I'm just confused, and also kind of mad at myself for not noticing"

Ziri: " Really?"

Thiyya: " I'm so sorry!"

Ziri: " Don't ever be, I'm the coward for not telling you all this time!"

The two sit in silence but not an awkward silence for a few minutes sipping their coffee and observing strangers on the streets, they feel a sense of warm calmness and peacefulness.

Thiyya: " So... what should we do now?"

Ziri *blushing*: " Would you like to go out with me?" *hurriedly* " No pressure, I mean we could just try going on dates and see where it takes us, you don't have to say yes just because it's me, no pressure at all, I've prepared myself for the worst-case scenario"

Thiyya: " And what was the worst-case scenario?"

Ziri: " You laughing at me, calling me ridiculous, leaving and ghosting me forever..."

Thiyya * laughing out ould*: " Uuuh! How could I, did you forget you're precious to me too? you are my best friend and I love you, it might take me some time to adjust to this new situation, but let's do this, I seriously cannot think of a better man to date!"

Ziri blushes so hard his ears go all red, he gets super excited like a puppy and leans in for a hug, both of them hug each other tightly and then decide to take a walk in the park and talk some more while holding hands. 

Thiyya feels shy too, she never realized how strong and veiny his hands and arms were in comparison with his beautiful face that could pass for a woman's, she starts feeling a new sense of warmth towards him, a sense of peace and comfort she's never felt with anyone, she feels safe with a man not just a friend for the first time in her life.

Maya realized that she doesn't know how to teleport, even if she is able to, she tried squeezing her body and her eyes, meditation, and breathing techniques but to no avail, so she started searching online, she even tried the deep web and ended up finding the weirdest stuff, like how to summon a demon that will teleport you by offering disgusting things and doing eerie rituals.

She got exhausted from all the searching that led her nowhere and as she lays down, she hears something outside her window that she already sealed and changed the glass so no one can see what was on the inside, she sees a silhouette of a man wearing a cap and a black mask and recognizes him instantly, it was her stalker, he found out where she lives again as she's expected him to, thankfully she has already taken all necessary precautions to protect herself from anyone breaking and entering, but the problem is that she has to go out.

She sighs deeply, closes her eyes, and pictures herself on her favorite beach, laying down on the sand, she suddenly feels a cold breeze.

Maya *sniffing*: " This feels so real, it really smells like the ocean"

Maya feels alarming goosebumps and opens her eyes, she is on the beach, it wasn't her imagination, she finally teleported.

Tears of joy start running down her face, her nose all red and runny, she gets up and starts running and jumping and letting out screams of happiness.

Maya *screams*: " I teleported! I am finally freeeeeee!"