Sometimes life gives you lemons, sometimes it even gives you apple cider vinegar and yet, sometimes life is a little generous and it gives you chocolates.

Millions of emotions swirl inside you like a sea of joy.

Contentment. Satisfaction. Assurance. Happiness

But there's one emotion that overpowers all.
Love.
Love for yourself
Love for someone special

It is in these moments that you realize that life is not fun because of the fun parts, it is fun because you conquer the bad parts.
It is fun because you earn the good parts by battling yourself.
For the greatest battle that man has been fighting since its creation is the battle with himself.
Adam fought it.
Eve fought it.
Some people lose and they learn.
Some people win and they learn too.

The real scary moment is when your adversity looks you in the eye, daring you to even lift a finger so it can fight back with all its might.

But the greatest moment is when you wink at your adversity.

You put forward a peace offering. You raise the white flag which has the words "Bitch, I own you" written all over it.
You know that your adversity hasn't left you but you know that you own it.

That is where I am today, I carry my adversity with me. It's still sitting on my shoulder like a demon but I know that I own my adversity and I can mold it the way I want to. I can either mold it into a blessing or a curse.
I chose curse first, but now I'm sure I want it to be a blessing.

So dear adversity, stay on my shoulder and sit tight because you're going to see yourself vanishing, bit by bit and then all at once. 

I pin my hijab in place and fish my drawer to look for something and I smile when I finally find it.

I slip the bracelet on my wrist, straightening my scarf once more, I head out of the room.
I look up and catch myself before I bump into Mason.
Just looking at him now gives me this weird feeling.

It's strange really, I was going to get married to a guy and I never felt this and I haven't even confessed my love to him and he's making me feel like a teenager.

"Um...h-hi" Mason starts the conversation, not really focusing on what he's saying

"Hi!" I reply a bit too cheerfully, bouncing on my heels

"Aren't we all rainbows and sunshine today?" He laughs and I scratch my forehead
"Well-" I fidget but then notice that he's not even paying attention to anything I'm saying.

He's just staring at me, his gaze moving up and down my figure, making me feel hot all over.
Why won't he stop staring?
"Um.....Mason.." I wave my hand in front of his face.
It takes him a few moments to phase out of his little bubble

"Were you saying something?" He asks, knitting his eyebrows together.

"No. You, however, were staring. A lot" I snicker

"Yeah well...." he rubs the back of his neck
I'm making him uncomfortable again! Amna truly is back!

"Well, you look really gorgeous. Like beautiful" he says. I stop and stare at myself.
Is he serious?

"Mason, all I did was put on a hijab. I'm still in my pajamas" I reply, chortling.

"And...." he tries to search for something to praise so he can justify his staring.
I try to hold back my laughter

"You're wearing the bracelet I gave you" his eyes meet mine and he whispers.
Suddenly, it's not funny
It's just his eyes. Stop being so mushy

"Mhmm" is all I manage to say.

"Amna, there is something I wanted to ask you last night but I didn't because you were pretty-"

"-disturbed" I complete his sentence and he nods

"Why did you never talk to me during all of it? Did you not think of me as your best friend?" He asks. I sigh and rub my temple because he actually looks hurt

"Look, Jamaal was the insecure type. He didn't even want me talking to my cousins, let alone you. The day he told me that I couldn't talk to you, we fought and it stayed like that for a week. There were so many nights that I wanted to call you and talk to you but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I felt horrible. I cried so many nights because I missed you" I pause, sniffing.
"I don't know if you'll understand but getting engaged at a 'normal' age made me feel normal. And that is all I ever wanted" I don't realize I'm crying until he hands me a tissue. I laugh and wipe my tears

"I understand" he says and I smile

"I have to go" he adds

"Yeah, okay. Go" I reply.

He leaves but then turns around, walking closer to me, his green eyes boring into mine

Green. New beginnings
I take a step backwards.

"By the way, I find you beautiful even in your pajamas" he winks and leaves

I stand back in horror and amazement, my cheeks turning crimson.
Did he just....?

-----------------------

I enter the lounge and immediately hear a loud gasp and a plate hitting the ground
"Gee" I chuckle.

Kim and Rose immediately come up and hug me, squeezing my lungs.

"I-can't-b..breathe" I choke out

"Sorry" they nervously chuckle and release me

"Oh my god we want to hear everything! There was something, right?" Kim says and I nod

"I'm sure Mason was there. Ooh did you guys kiss?" Rose squeals.

Me and Kim give Rose our best "seriously?" look and it takes her a minute to realize it

"Oh yeah. Got it. You can take it off, by the way. It's just us girls now" she smiles nervously, looking a lot like Joey Tribbiani realizing the most obvious things.
So, I undo my hijab and sit down and begin my tale.

I tell them every single detail and they listen attentively for an hour.

"Oh my god" Kim comments

"I think I need some water" Rose says

"But we're both glad" Kim smiles and Rose joins in too.

"Enough about me. We need to talk missy" I turn towards Rose and she whines

"Oh no no. I'm leaving" she gets up but I put my foot in front of her, trapping her.
She whines again but then sits back down

"I'm confused" Kim looks at us like we're aliens

"She's been talking to Alex again" I explain

"She what!? Are you mad?" Kim exclaims and Rose shrinks back into her seat, still scowling to hide her embarrassment

"Well" she scratches her head
"I was at a party this other night and he was there too because you know he's 'Alex'. I got really drunk" she pauses and sinks farther in her seat as she receives glares from both me and Kim.

Even China is aware that Rose has a tendency of doing tremendously stupid things while she's drunk.

"Stop it. So we started talking and he sounded sorry and we messed around a little bit. The next morning I got a text from him that he wanted to take me out again. I agreed and we went to dinner. Throughout the whole thing, he kept talking like it was my fault that he decided to end our relationship based on his belief that this was just a 'fling' while I was so involved. I wanted to order something else and he cut me in front of the waiter and ordered the cheaper thing because he's a fudging miser. Even the waiters were giving me apologetic smiles" she pauses to take a sip of her water
"And now I'm deep in my stupid freaking feelings again. He keeps shutting me down and I just keep getting hurt over him. I hate him and I hate the fact that I fell in love with the jerk" she wiped a tear off her cheek and Kim offers her some chocolate which she gladly accepts.

"I know what you feel, honey, I do. But you need to press those feelings deep down. Look into your future, is this what you really want? I know it's hard. It's so freaking hard but you can only do it when you know you have to. I also know that he probably feels like the one and you feel that by some chance, he's going to fall in love with you too. I'm so sorry but that's never going to happen, that's the harsh truth and the sooner you accept that, the better. He doesn't deserve you and I know you know that. You can do it, both of us believe in you and we'll help you" I hug her and she hugs me back

"Yes we will. I can even set you up with the cute guy in my English class if you want" Kim offers and Rose just laughs

"You know what kind of guy you deserve? What kind of guy every girl deserves?" I ask

"What kind?" Rose sniffs

"You deserve someone who knows what you're worth. Someone who respects you no matter what. Someone who makes you feel like the sun rises and sets for you. Someone who lifts you up when you're down. Someone who makes you feel like your flaws are a part of you. Someone who makes even the aftermath of walking on a beach beautiful. Someone who is your best friend. And most importantly, someone who makes you actually and truly happy" I say,  my rambling still not over but I'm just too tired

"Someone like Mason?" Rose asks

I open my mouth to say no but the words don't come out because I know she's right

"Someone like Mason" I admit and they both beam

"Did you finally admit your feelings?" Kim asks, smiling.
I nod and grin

"I don't know if it's anything serious or if it's just something. All I know is that I love him and I'm sure that whether it's meant to be or not, Allah will help me. This hope inside my mind is too tenacious. I want to keep it that way" I smile contently, for the first time in what feels like centuries.

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Hello y'all! So did you like it all.
I hope you weren't as disappointed with the truth as I was with PLL's A.D reveal.
Also, as I have mentioned before, everyone go checkout my new story
"Dear Diary"
I have only uploaded the prologue but I'm planning on uploading the first chapter in a couple of days too. So go check it out :)
Votes and comments are a real motivation!