It was as if he'd just woken up to this realization. As if it hit him randomly in the morning while he was wiping away the sleep from his eyes. It was another terrible night, another horrible fight with his parents that left him unstable, scared and most of all restless. Over the years Tao began to be dependant on Iman and the strength he felt while laying in her arms because honestly after that arguement he was unable to sleep alone in his room. He tried calling her, texting her but knowing his best friend she was probably charging her phone and turned the volume completely down. Slowly, quietly Tao raised himself out of his bed, threw the rope ladder out of his window and continued with his escape. At the age of 14, the impossible happened. Both sets of parents eventually found out about their innocent sleep-overs and decided amongst themselves that they were at an age where sleeping in the same bed, let alone holding each other was forbidden. Therefore Tao was no longer allowed to come over at night to be held by Iman and she was advised, no ordered to not allow him the right to be in her bed. Nevertheless, it was easier said than done. Neither one of them could stop the other from holding each other nor could they so easily end something that, at the time, took 7 years to forge. So as Tao walked across the street at 2 in the morning he anticipated the light breathing of Iman's lungs, the soft beating of her heart and most importantly the warmth he felt when she held him in her arms.

Iman's POV

"Wake up hun its already five in the morning. You need to hurry up and get home before your parents realize that your gone." Iman whispered softly into Tao's ear. She could hear her parents slowly awakening in the room adjacent from hers. She didn't want to get him into trouble yet she didn't want Tao to leave either. Slowly he opened his eyes with a smile on his face as he reached his arms out to grab her, pull her closer to him. Forcing Iman to fall back onto the bed and in the most comfortable position. "Thanks so much for letting me in. I couldn't sleep peacefully without you." Tao said with sleep assisting his voice in making it sound extra deep and his words extra meaningful.

Tao's POV

"Thanks so much for letting me in. I couldn't sleep peacefully without you." I said this with the upmost sincerity but I was frightened because when Iman faced me she smiled and it was different. Her smile made something in my stomach turn, I couldn't breath and my heart felt like it was shaking. I was stuck in this position unable to move until we heard footsteps. "Crap, yeah get out the bed now! Hurry and get across the street, we'll talk more at work okay." Iman said rushing to remove the blankets that sheilded us from the damp cool breeze of the morning air. As I was walking to the sliding doors that led to the backyard from her room I felt her arms around my waist, with her lips pressed to my cheek as she whispered a small good morning. At that moment, for me at least, it was already decided, I felt like I was falling in love and I couldn't stop it.

Work today was the usual, busy, hot and somewhat crowded. With children out of school and the adults attempting to rid themselves of the heat, the ice cream shop has been occupied more and more each day. Some people would be fatiged or at least aggravated but all Iman could see this as was a blessing from God since every penny she earned went to her college expenses. A group of high schoolers approached the register when Iman was walking by, as I was taking their orders they had the nerve to glance at her. Being the nice person she is, Iman smiled, waved and said hello. Anger rose quickly and consumed me quickly. My face dropped as one of the guys asked what her name was and why she had such dark skin. "I am from the United States. Iman is my middle name and the name I go by while living here in China." With a glow unlike any other, from all of this sudden attention she excused herself after the explanation and began to fill the orders for the special sundaes. I was asked by the guy, "Hey do you know anything about her? She's beautiful and I would like it if maybe you could give her my number please?" The guy said this in a shy and confused manner, by the look in my eyes I could tell he was uncomfortable but like any other guy that tries to appraoch Iman, he was just simply too enthralled by her looks to think of anything or anyone else. She had that effect on the men and boys that were lucky enough to meet her. She was magnetic and untouchable. This left people laying in her wake hoping that maybe they could be the ones that had a chance to feel her love.

Iman's POV

Things like this happened every once in awhile. A guy sees me, tries to talk to me, I answer but then instinctively run or make myself busy. Leaving Tao in the midst of the conversation to attempt to pick up the pieces. Its not that I don't like the attention, but I get frighetned, I get extremely shy and I don't like getting too invloved with someone else. I wouldn't know what to do with my friendship with Tao and most importantly I don't know if I want anyone getting in the middle of us. Of this friendship we have? If we can ever call it that from this moment on.

Tao's POV

The rest of the day went like a normal busy afternoon but I couldn't shake the anger I felt from earlier, from that guy that asked me to give Iman his number. As the paper lay crumbled within my pocket I approach Iman mopping the floors in the front of the shop. "Here." I say roughly as I throw the piece of paper with a scribled name and number written on it. Worst of all I knew how she felt towards that stranger, he was her type and trying to deny it would bring no positive progress to my anger. I began to stomp away as she yelled, "Seriously what was that for?! Did I upset you or something today?" Iman was aggravated at Tao's sudden burst of anger but even worse the way he was treating her. Within this friendship it can be counted on one hand how many times they fought but it would take an entire army to count the amount of times each had the others back. Loyalty, trust, understanding and most importantly love were the factors that kept this friendship going strong. "Don't act like you don't ing know. I saw how you were looking at that guy earlier Iman. Don't try to lie to me!" Tao was fumming unable to hold his words or even think clearly. He felt like he was going too far but was also unable to stop. Like how arguements with his parents would go he would be so emotionally involved that it was difficult to understand the things around him. Iman's arms provided not only the answer but also the medicine to treat such conditions. Livid Iman responded back with anger as well as hurt evident in her voice, "Don't you dare curse at me! You have no right to act like this over a simple guy, a number, a stranger that I may not even contact. Go back to the kitchem and clean, maybe cool off because I really don't want to deal with this side of you Tao." As she was walking away, I whispered for her to stay. As Iman looked up at me I could see tears forming in her eyes, I've never seen her in this state before. Even when she got into arguements with her parents I never, not once saw tears form in her eyes. My temper was too much, cursing at her because I couldn't explain my heart wasn't fair. The only thoughts left in my mind were that I had to say something, I had to confess how I was feeling. How I maybe felt this entire time..

Iman's POV

I was surprised by Tao's anger. I have seen it displayed to other people but rarely was I a victim of his cruel words, deathly stare and arrogance that stood beside him during moments like this. I turned around to face him after he whispered, asking me to stay. I stood there trying my hardest not to cry, not feel like maybe I did something that would upset him like this. As I stood there he came close and I felt this strong feeling at the pit of my stomach that kept me standing there. I was afraid of his temper but even more worried about the words he was going to say next.

Tao's POV

Facing one another I pulled Iman close. Slowly she drifted into my arms. While I held her face I slowly put my fingers through her hair, this was it, there would be no other moment as perfect as this. "I am so sorry Iman for acting like that. I just..." the words got caught in my throat as that same feeling from earlier crept back into my system, only spreading to my entire body. It felt amazing but I also felt the most vulnerable. "...I was jealous because I didn't want you to like him or him further pursue you. Its umm its because I am....in love with you." I gazed into her eyes, the same ones I have had the gift of looking into since we first met at age seven. But this time things were different, I wanted to make them different and take things further than what they were. No longer was I satisfied with just being her closest friend but now I needed her in my life as a lover. I needed her to, from this point on, always be by my side guiding and loving me. I closed the space between the two of us, slowly grazing my lips with hers. I gained approval and a bit of confidence when I heard a passionate sigh escape from her lips, with this I dove into the love she'd given me even deeper. I made the kiss grander, held her tighter and closer to the point where you couldn't tell where she ended and I began. At this moment I wasn't quite certain about her feelings but the way she was guiding my lips and heart I felt like everything would be more than okay.

Iman's POV

His lips were like the ice cream we sold, tasted sweet and melted into my own with the pleasure that followed after. I couldn't hold back anymore, how close he held me, the way his lips felt led to the moan that begged for more. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't come to grips with what was going on. I was left speechless as I demanded the pleasure of being the lead. Slowly I slipped my tongue into his mouth, while out lining his lips, with this came a moan that honestly desperatelty asked me to stop yet wanted more. Closer and closer we got until we were in speratable unable to tell who was who. To his dismay I let him go, slowly kissed his neck until I got to his collarbones than looked into his eyes attempting to figure out how I could've been blind to his love that's been growing since our first encounter at seven. I smiled at him and felt scared, I probably looked scared as well as I attempted to convey my feelings into words that could be said aloud. "Do you promise?" Was all I could muster up that allowed my vulnerability to show.

Tao's POV

Surprised I saw how vulnerable she was. How she was allowing me entry to her beautiful heart to make my home. I wanted to say so many other things but I didn't want to plunge into all of this at once, little by little was always a more comfortable way of handling things. It was the way she preferred. "I promise, that I will take care of you and not leave you behind. I'm in love with you and only you Iman. No one else can penetrate these feelings I have for you." I glided my right hand on her cheek to have her body lose control and lean into my grasp. "I'm so scared Tao." she whispered with a tear falling out of her eye. Looking up at me she said, "I trust you." I felt myself starting to get emotional, I stared into the face of the one who knew me best and from that moment forward I never looked back. With the words surprising me at how beautiful they souded escaping her full lips, "I love you."