The school program buzzed with life, the chatter and laughter of students filling the air like a celebratory melody. Everyone seemed to be brimming with excitement—except Nuha. She stood by the corner, her arms crossed, a faint unease evident in her posture. Her eyes darted around, yet her mind was elsewhere, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts she couldn't quite escape.
Lina: Nuha!"
[Lina's voice rang out as she approached, her confidence exuding effortlessly. She was stunning in her dress, drawing admiring glances from every direction].
Lina: (Lina smirked as she reached Nuha) "Why are you looking so stunning today?"
Nuha: (Nuha raised a brow, a faint smile tugging at her lips) "Can I not?"
Lina: (teasingly)"Yes, you can, but not more than me."
Nuha: "Haha, good one."
[Before the conversation could delve deeper, Hana joined them, her energy as vibrant as her outfit].
Hana: "Hi, my beautiful girls! You're both so stunning today. I swear, nobody's giving you the evil eye. May it stay that way!"
[In the past few months, Hana, Haya, Lina, and Nuha had grown closer—a tight-knit group. But over time, Hana and Lina's bond had deepened, leaving Nuha feeling more like an outsider looking in].
Hana leaned closer to Nuha, lowering her voice.
Hana: "Look at that son of a bitch, Rayan. He's still checking you out."
[Nuha's heart pounded at the mention of his name, betraying the calm she tried to exude. Hana was bad-mouthing Rayan, but Nuha barely heard it. Her mind had already drifted, spiraling into memories of that cold, sunny day months ago—the day everything changed].
Flashback:
The air was crisp, with a golden hue bathing the school grounds. But for Nuha, the sunshine did little to chase away the storm brewing inside her. Rayan was standing there, his hands in his pockets, his gaze steady as it met hers. For a moment, time seemed to freeze. The noise of the school faded into the background, leaving only the two of them in a suspended silence.
[What does he want to say?(narrating in her head)
Her heart raced as she took a step closer. And then another. They were finally face-to-face].
Rayan: (his voice steady, but there's something unreadable in his eyes as he opens his mouth) "Nuha…"
[His voice is calm, too calm, and it makes her feel like a knot is tightening in her chest. Something in the way he stands—like he's here because he has to be, not because he wants to. That thought makes her blood run cold].
Nuha: (nervously, forcing a casual tone) "You fine… right?"
Rayan: (shrugging slightly, his words short, clipped) "Yeah, all good."
[All good? Then why does it feel like everything between them is falling apart in slow motion? Nuha's heart thudded in her chest as she looked at him, her pulse rising with every second. She hadn't seen him like this, not ever. What had happened?].
Nuha: (trying to mask her unease, giving a quick smile) "Thank God."
[An awkward silence hangs thick between them. Nuha shifts her weight from foot to foot, her mind spiraling. What do I even say? Should I just walk away? Why does everything feel wrong right now?].
Rayan: (his gaze flicking to hers for a moment, before looking away, breaking the silence with his flat tone) "So… you wanted to talk?"
[Talk? She never even asked to talk to him. Hana must have told him—Hana, who promised to handle this, to come up with something. She never wanted to be here, but here she was, in front of him, feeling like a fool].
Nuha: (feeling a rush of anger, but pushing it down, her voice tight) "Don't you want to talk?"
Rayan: (his shrug too indifferent, too distant) "It's not like I wanted to, but... it's fine. I can talk."
[What? He didn't even want to talk to me? Then why are we standing here? Nuha's mind screamed. Why am I letting him treat me like this? Her thoughts burned with frustration. Why didn't I just walk away?].
Rayan: (pausing, his eyes now briefly meeting hers, a strange softness in his expression) "Look... I don't want any serious dating right now. But you're really nice. I've noticed you. You're... beautiful. It's just... I'm the problem."
[Beautiful? He noticed me? Her heart skipped a beat, but the words felt wrong, too wrong. He was so detached, like the words didn't match the person she'd once known. He said it was him, but why does it feel like he's lying to me? What was he really trying to say?].
Nuha: (her voice barely a whisper, frustration choking her) "Oh... okay. But..."
[But what? Her mind spirals—Why is he acting like this now? Wasn't he the one who used to look at me like I mattered? What about all those stolen glances, the moments that made her stomach twist with excitement? Was that all fake? Her heart sank as she remembered the butterflies, the connection she had felt. Was it just Lina's misunderstanding? Or did I imagine it all?].
Rayan: (noticing the hesitation, his voice almost too calm) "You want to say something?"
[Yes. She wanted to scream at him, ask him a million questions. Why is he doing this? Why does he keep acting like I'm invisible when he used to make me feel like I was everything? She wanted to demand the truth—Why did you lead me on, Rayan?—but her voice faltered. She couldn't speak. Something kept her frozen, paralyzed with uncertainty—Why can't I just ask him everything? She felt a wave of anger rush through her, but then... confusion followed. Why am I still hoping for answers? Why am I standing here like a fool, waiting for him to validate me? What is wrong with me?].
Nuha: (shaking her head slightly, not trusting herself to speak, her voice betraying her emotions) "No... it's fine."
[It's not fine. None of this is fine. She wanted to scream it out, wanted to lash out and say something, but the weight of his gaze felt suffocating. She couldn't move, couldn't even form the right words. Why am I just standing here, letting him win? Letting him make me feel this small? She couldn't answer that question].
[Nuha stood there, rooted to the spot, her heart in turmoil. She wanted to call out to him, to ask him, to demand the truth. What is going on in his head? What does he really want from me? But instead, she let him walk away, her thoughts tangled and burning in confusion. Why did she still care? Why was she still waiting for him to come back and say something that would make sense of all of this?].
[As Rayan turned to leave, something about the way his gaze lingered on her made Nuha's heart ache. She stood frozen, unable to move, as if the world had suddenly slowed. She could barely breathe, watching him step away, each one of his movements pulling her deeper into a whirlwind of confusion and pain].
[Why is he leaving like this? Nuha thought, her mind frantic. After everything… after what he said to me, how can he just walk away like this? She had never felt more alone, like the world was pulling him away from her, despite everything inside her screaming for him to stay].
[She wanted to shout, to run after him and demand answers, to tell him how much he had hurt her, but her body wouldn't obey. Instead, she stood there, her chest tight, as if she were frozen in time. She could feel a lump rising in her throat, but the words wouldn't come].
[And just as she thought she'd lost him—lost the only connection she thought was real—he stopped.
Rayan turned back, slowly, and their eyes met.
For a moment, everything else faded away. The chatter of the crowd, the distant sound of the wind, the anxiety in her heart—it all disappeared].
[Rayan's eyes were darker than she remembered, but there was a quiet storm behind them. Something she couldn't explain. They held a kind of rawness that made her breath catch. In those few seconds, it was as if he was telling her everything he couldn't say out loud: regret, confusion, maybe even pain. There was a quiet sorrow in his eyes, like he didn't want to walk away either, but was forcing himself to].
Nuha felt her heart squeeze as she looked at him, wanting to reach out but unable to. His gaze felt like a soft touch, gentle but heavy—like it was the only part of him that was real].
Rayan: (his voice barely audible, but carrying an ache) "Take care, Nuha."
[Take care? The words were simple, but they felt like something more. He spoke with a softness that didn't match his earlier words. A softness that made her heart flutter, despite the hurt still lingering inside her.
His voice carried something—something tender, something that felt like a fragile bridge between them that might collapse with the wrong move. For a second, she almost believed in it. Almost believed that maybe… maybe he did feel something too.
But then, just as quickly, it was gone. The moment passed. His expression hardened again, and he turned, walking away, leaving her standing there, breathless, still caught in the tide of emotion that his eyes had set off].
[No... Nuha thought, her chest tightening. I can't let myself fall for this. He's the same Rayan who humiliated me. He's playing with me, just like before].
[But those eyes—those eyes haunted her as she watched him leave. They were so full of emotion, so different from the coldness of his words. And yet, he kept walking, like he had no intention of stopping. Why does he feel like this? Why does it matter?]
[Nuha turned away quickly, her heart racing. She forced herself to walk in the opposite direction, away from him, away from the storm of emotions threatening to drown her. But no matter how fast she moved, a part of her longed to turn back, to reach out to him, to make him explain what he had just done to her].
[Why can't I just ask him? She thought, her voice breaking in her mind. Why can't I just tell him how much he hurt me?].
[But the words didn't come. They never did. Instead, her chest tightened with the weight of everything unsaid, and she realized she could never ask him. Not like this. Not when her heart was still trying to believe in him, despite everything].
[Why do I still care? She thought, as her hand gripped her chest, trying to keep the tears from spilling. Why do I still want to believe that maybe, just maybe, he feels the same?].
[The ache was unbearable. And yet, she kept walking, each step heavier than the last]
Nuha blinked, the memory fading as Hana's voice broke through her thoughts.
Hana: (nudging Nuha) "Nuha, seriously. Look at that son of a bitch, Rayan. He's still checking you out."
[Nuha's heart gave a sudden pound, and her gaze followed Hana's gesture. Rayan stood across the room, his eyes briefly meeting hers before darting away. Hana's voice faded into the background as Nuha's thoughts spiraled back to that day.
She remembered the way Rayan had said "Take care, Nuha"—his voice softer than she had ever heard, his eyes holding something she couldn't name. Why did he look like that? Like he didn't want to leave… like he regretted everything he said.
The memory sent a jolt through her chest. Could he really have meant those words? Was there a part of him that cared, after all? The thought made her throat tighten].
Hana's voice cut through her reverie.
Hana: (mocking, her tone sharp) "I mean, he acts like some hotshot, but he's just a loser. He doesn't even deserve to look at you."
Nuha: (snapping out of her thoughts, her tone firm) "Hana, stop it."
Hana: (raising an eyebrow) "What? Why are you defending him? He doesn't deserve it."
Nuha: (hesitant, her voice soft but resolute) "I'm not defending him. I just… I don't think it's fair to talk about him like that."
Lina: (laughing, stepping closer) "Wow, Nuha. After everything he did, you're still trying to protect him? That's cute."
Nuha flinched at Lina's words but held her ground.
Hana: (giggling, leaning in conspiratorially) "Admit it, Nuha. You're still into him. That's why you can't stand hearing the truth."
Nuha: (clenching her fists, her voice trembling) "I'm not into him. I just… I don't know. Just drop it, okay?"
Lina: (grinning) "Oh, come on. It's fine. We all make mistakes, Nuha. Yours just happens to be falling for a guy like Rayan. Classic."
[Nuha's chest tightened, her anger bubbling beneath the surface.
They don't get it, she thought bitterly. They don't see how that moment—the way he looked at me—stayed with me. They don't see how confused I am, how much it hurts].
Hana: (flipping her hair dismissively) "Whatever. Anyway, did you see the decorations? So tacky. Let's go check them out."
[Lina nodded enthusiastically, already pulling Hana toward the center of the room. They had moved on, their laughter echoing as if nothing had happened].
[Nuha stayed rooted in place, her hands trembling. They pushed me to talk to him, and said he was a good guy. Now they're laughing at me? Do they even care how I feel?
The weight of it all pressed down on her, but she forced herself to smile as she trailed behind them, her storm of emotions carefully hidden].
Nuha sat cross-legged on her bed, her phone resting in her lap. The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of the screen. Her thumb hovered over the chat with Lina, rereading their last messages for what felt like the hundredth time.
{Nuha: "Hey, I really need to talk to you."
Lina: "I'm busy right now, Nuha. Hana and I are going shopping. You'll have to wait"}.
[The words echoed in her mind, sharp and unkind. You'll have to wait. Since when had she become an afterthought to Lina?
She sighed, letting the phone slip from her hands. Her bed felt far too big, her room far too quiet. The weight of memories pressed against her chest, suffocating her].
[It wasn't that she had anything against Hana. In fact, she liked Hana—a lot. They had been friends before Lina even entered her life. Back then, Nuha had been drawn to Hana's warmth and bubbly nature, but their friendship never felt exclusive. Even after meeting Lina, Nuha had kept Hana in her life. She hadn't abandoned Lina or distanced herself from her for Hana's sake. She made space for both, balancing the two friendships because they both mattered to her.
So why couldn't Lina do the same?
Her mind spiraled back to Maria, her first real betrayal. Maria, who had once been the center of her world, had never wanted to share Nuha with anyone else. She had wanted to own Nuha, to keep her close, until the day Nuha learned about the lies.
The rumors about her family, the cruel whispers about her parents—they had cut deeper than any insult. Maria had apologized, yes, but the damage was done. After that, Nuha had drifted into months of solitude, wondering if she would ever trust anyone again.
Then Lina came along.
Nuha remembered that first day, when she had spotted Lina sitting alone, nervously fiddling with her notebook. She had felt an unexplainable urge to reach out, and she was glad she did. What had started as casual conversations soon blossomed into a friendship that felt unbreakable. They had shared everything—laughter, secrets, inside jokes that no one else could understand.
Now, it all felt so fragile].
[Nuha glanced at her phone again. She had been waiting all evening for Lina to text her—anything to remind her that she still mattered. But the hours dragged on, and her phone stayed silent.
Is it really this serious? a small voice whispered in her mind.
Her stomach twisted as another thought crept in. Or is this because of him?
Rayan.
His name surfaced like a ghost, uninvited yet ever-present. She clenched her fists, hating the way her mind always circled back to him.
Was she projecting her heartbreak over Rayan onto Lina? Was her jealousy of Hana just another way of processing the feelings she couldn't let herself have for him?
Her tears came faster now, hot and stinging. She buried her face in her hands, the emotions bubbling up into a storm she couldn't contain].
[Who do I even blame? she whispered to the empty room. Lina, for not understanding me? Or myself, for ruining everything with how I feel?
She wanted to hate someone—Lina, for spending so much time with Hana; Hana, for effortlessly becoming the center of attention. But deep down, she knew the real battle was with herself. Her emotions, her insecurities, her inability to separate her feelings for Rayan from everything else].
[The silence of her room felt unbearable. Her phone didn't buzz, didn't light up with the message she was hoping for.
Nuha hugged her knees to her chest, the loneliness pressing in around her.
All she could do was wait. For a message. For clarity. For something to make this ache go away].
The classroom buzzed with its usual pre-class chatter as Nuha walked in, her bag slung over one shoulder. She glanced around, scanning the familiar faces of her classmates. But Lina was nowhere to be found.
Nuha sighed and made her way to her seat, settling in as the teacher arrived. The lesson began, and as the minutes ticked by, it became clear—Lina wasn't coming.
Her heart sank a little. Had Lina even bothered to text her about skipping class? She shook her head, trying to focus on the lecture.
Midway through the lesson, Eric sauntered in, his usual carefree attitude written all over his face. The teacher gave him a stern look, but he just grinned and slid into the empty seat next to Nuha.
Eric: (leaning closer with a teasing grin) "Hey, girl, you look like someone just stole your lunch. What's up?"
Nuha: (forcing a small smile) "It's fine."
Eric: (pretending to be offended) "Fine? After I dragged myself to class to entertain you? Tragic." (grinning mischievously) "By the way, where's your honey today?"
Nuha: (raising an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a faint smile) "You mean Lina? She didn't come today."
Eric: (grinning wider) "No, no. I didn't mean your B with two F's. I meant your B with one F."
Nuha: (Nuha blinked, her brows furrowing in confusion) "What are you even saying, Eric?"
Eric: (leaning back, smirking) "I mean Rayan. Didn't see him at the match last
time. And…" (lowering his voice, teasing) "I saw you two the other day, all cozy and chatty. You were like, 'Oh, Rayan, the sky is so blue.' And he was like, 'Oh, Nuha, it's only blue because you're here.'"
Nuha: (rolling her eyes but slightly laughing) "Shut up, Eric. That never happened."
Eric: "Fine, maybe not exactly like that. But I did see him smiling like a guy who just found fries at the bottom of the bag. That's true love right there."
[Nuha's heart gave a little jolt at the mention of Rayan, but she quickly masked it with irritation].
Nuha: (huffing) "There's nothing between us."
Eric: (pretending to be shocked) "What?! You guys are still in this 'nothing like that' phase? Oh, come on. He's a great guy—very respectful, too. Treats me like his brother!" (grinning) "You know, I could even tell you what he likes. He's a burger fan. And…"
Nuha: (cutting him off sharply) "Eric! He may be a great person, but not with me."
[Her voice cracked slightly, and before Eric could respond, the bell rang. Nuha grabbed her things and left the classroom, her heart pounding.
Eric watched her retreating figure, a puzzled look on his face].
Eric: (to himself) "What just happened? She's not the type to snap like that. Did I say something wrong, or is something else going on with her?"
[His playful demeanor shifted for a moment, a genuine concern flickering in his eyes. Whatever it was, Nuha clearly wasn't okay].
A few days later. Nuha sits on her bed, clutching her phone, contemplating. Finally, she dials Lina's number.
Nuha (on call, anxiously): Lina! You're okay, right? Where have you been? It's been days—
Lina (on call, casually): Relax, Nuha! It's not a big deal. I was just on a family trip. I'm fine. You tell me, how are you? I miss you!
Nuha (on call, incredulously): Miss me? Really? You miss me? You didn't even care to tell me you were going on a trip. And, by the way, I'm the one calling you!
Lina (on call, dismissively): C'mon, Nuha, just shake it off. Don't make it a big deal. I have so many things to tell you!
Nuha (on call, softening but still hurt): Okay... fine. Say it. What new dramas have you got for me this time?
Lina (on call, cheerfully): Wait a minute! I'm coming.
[The call disconnects abruptly. Nuha stares at her phone, confused and a little frustrated.
After some time, Nuha's phone buzzed. The notification displayed a message from Lina in the group chat. She opened it cautiously, her heart picking up pace as she read the text].
Lina: (text) Hey Hana, you there?
Hana: (test) Yeah, what's up?
Lina: (text) Let's tell Nuha everything.
[Nuha frowned. Tell me what? She hesitated, her thumb hovering over the screen, before a group video call lit up her phone. Letting out a reluctant sigh, she tapped the green button].
The screen showed Hana's bright, cheerful face and Lina's mischievous grin.
Hana: (excitedly) Hi, Nuha! How are you?
Nuha: (forcing a small smile) Fine... I guess.
Lina: (leaning closer to the camera) Oh, you're not going to believe this. We were at Hana's cousin Kareem's place the other day.
Nuha: (raising an eyebrow) Kareem's house?
Hana: Yep! And guess who else showed up? None other than Rayan.
[Nuha's stomach flipped, but she kept her voice steady].
Nuha: (neutral) Oh.
Lina: (snickering) Yeah, and let me tell you—he's a huge flirt!
Hana: (giggling) He was totally flirting with Haya. Like, not even subtle. It was kind of embarrassing to watch!
Lina: (laughing louder) Not just embarrassing—hilarious! At dinner, he looked at Haya and said, (mocking voice) 'You look so cute when you eat!' Can you even believe that?
Hana: (joining in) Oh, and that's not all! He even clicked a picture with her. Wait, I'll show you.
[Hana held up her phone, showing the picture on the screen. It was a shot of just two people's hands, loosely clasped in a gentle, almost playful way. No faces were visible, but the gesture carried a hint of casual intimacy].
Lina: (shrugging casually) Hana, just tell her the main part.
Hana: (pretending to be serious) So when we tried to talk to him about you, he started bad-mouthing you.
[Nuha's breath caught].
Nuha: (frowning, her voice tense) What did he say?
Hana: (shrugging casually) He called you the "meanest girl" he's ever met. And he said you spread rumors about him all the time.
[Nuha sat frozen, her chest tightening. The laughter on the other end of the call sounded distant now, muffled by the storm of emotions brewing inside her. She quickly turned off her video, trying to hide the tears pooling in her eyes].
Lina: (frowning slightly) Nuha? Are you still there?
Nuha: (her voice trembling) Yeah, I'm here...
Lina: (smiling, oblivious) See? I told you he's a bad guy. Just forget him already, Nuha. He's not worth it!
Hana: (beaming) Anyway, you seriously missed out. We had such a blast that day!
Lina: (giggling) It was an epic day, Nuha. You should've come. We laughed so much my stomach still hurts!
Hana: (laughing) Kareem's house is always wild, but this time? Unforgettable. Especially with Rayan acting like that!
[Nuha lay there, her phone still in her hand, her body heavy with a weight she couldn't shake. She had heard Lina and Hana's words, felt the coldness in their laughter, the casualness in their tone. They didn't see it. They didn't see how much it hurt her, how every word from them felt like a betrayal. Rayan bad-mouthed me? The thought didn't sit right, but it echoed in her mind, louder with every second. He said that? About me?
She wanted to believe Lina and Hana. They were her friends, after all. They were supposed to be the ones she could count on. But why did it feel so impossible to believe them? Why did her heart ache, pulling her in a direction she couldn't explain? Every ounce of her being wanted to scream, to call them liars, but instead, her mind was too clouded, too confused.
Why can't I believe them? Her thoughts were a mess. She could hear their laughter, their voices telling her everything with such ease. We had a blast that day, they'd said, as if her pain meant nothing. But for some reason, every word they spoke only made her doubt herself, doubt her connection with Rayan. It wasn't just what they said—it was the way they said it. It was like it didn't matter to them. They didn't care how this would hurt me.
But why did it still feel like a punch to the gut, hearing that Rayan could talk about her like that? She didn't even know him like that—she didn't know his every move or word, but her gut told her he was better than that. Wasn't he?
Her mind screamed at her to listen to her friends, to believe them, but she couldn't. There was something deep inside her, a feeling she couldn't shake, that told her Rayan wasn't capable of this. Not the Rayan she knew. Could he? The questions gnawed at her relentlessly, but every time she tried to push them away, something in her refused to let go of him.
Why can't I just accept this? Her chest tightened as the confusion grew stronger. It was like she was standing at the edge of a cliff, unable to jump, but feeling like she was already falling.
It wasn't just about believing Lina and Hana—it was about trusting herself. And for some reason, she couldn't trust her own judgment. Why was it so hard to let go of the person she thought she knew? Why couldn't she just accept what they told her?
Nuha pressed her palms against her eyes, trying to block out the tears threatening to spill. Her heart ached, torn between the friendships she had with Lina and Hana, and the feelings she had for Rayan, which were pulling her in the opposite direction. She couldn't understand it. She should feel angry at Rayan, but instead, all she could feel was confusion, a suffocating sense of disbelief.
Why was this so hard?]
The next day, Nuha sat at her desk, barely aware of the noise around her. Her mind was still tangled in the mess of everything that had happened. The familiar sound of Lina and Hana chatting barely registered until Hana's voice cut through, casual and light.
Hana: (laughing) Oh, by the way, Nuha, sorry about that picture.
Nuha: (looking up, confused) Why?
Hana: (still chuckling) The one I showed you wasn't actually Rayan and Haya. It was from the internet. (laughing)
Nuha: (eyes widening in disbelief) What?
Lina: (grinning) We just wanted to mess with you, that's all.
[Nuha's breath caught in her throat, and the room seemed to grow smaller, as if the walls were closing in on her. Her heart pounded, the anger swelling like a storm ready to break].
Nuha: (sharply) Are you serious? Out of everything, this is the joke you choose? You make fun of me... about Rayan?
Hana: (shrugging, carefree) Nuha, relax! We didn't mean anything by it. It's just a joke!
[Nuha stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor, but she didn't care. The wave of anger crashed over her, her body tense and trembling. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think straight. How could they be so careless with something that meant so much to her?].
Nuha: (voice shaking, but loud) A joke? A joke?! You think it's funny to mess with my feelings like that? You think it's okay to pretend like my heart isn't involved?
[She takes a deep, shaky breath, her chest tight as a vice].
Nuha: (eyes flashing) You were laughing, talking about how much fun you had with him, and now it's all a joke? Are you even listening to yourselves?
Lina: (defensively) Nuha, why are you acting like this? It's just a joke! You need to relax. We didn't mean anything by it.
Nuha: (cutting in, voice rising) Don't tell me to relax! You don't get it, do you? I trusted you both! You were supposed to be my friends. But all you've done is use my feelings as some kind of punchline. How am I supposed to trust you after that?
[She pauses, trying to steady her breath, but the lump in her throat grows harder to swallow].
Nuha: (voice breaking) I was worried about Rayan... I was confused. But I'm not stupid. I knew something was off, and now it feels like you've just been playing with me the whole time. You made it seem like he was the problem, and I let myself believe you. And now I look back, and I see... I see you two laughing at me.
[She shakes her head, almost to herself, unable to hold it together any longer].
Nuha: I don't need this. I don't need you. I don't need people who pretend to be my friends when it's convenient for them. I'm done.
[With those words, Nuha grabbed her bag and headed for the door, her steps quick, her emotions a whirlwind. She could feel the tears starting to burn in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Not in front of them. Not after everything.
Lina and Hana watched in stunned silence, their smiles fading as they realized the weight of what they had just done].
Nuha sat at her desk, her gaze fixed on her phone, lost in thought. She had wanted to confront Rayan, to ask him if everything Lina and Hana had said about him was true, but the courage to reach out had never come. She couldn't bring herself to do it—not when the uncertainty gnawed at her so fiercely. Her mind kept spinning, torn between wanting answers and fearing what the truth might be].
[Days turned into weeks, and then months. Rayan graduated from school, and the news hit her harder than she had expected. For a time, it felt like the world had shifted beneath her feet. She had tried to numb herself to it all, throwing herself into her studies, hoping that would be enough to bury the memories. But no matter how hard she tried, the past never fully released its grip.
With time, she moved on—or so she convinced herself. School was winding down, and she was entering her final years. College loomed ahead, a fresh start, a way to escape the echo of old wounds. But even with the passage of time, the feeling that something was unresolved, something unfinished, clung to her. It was as though the events of the past few months were still there, fresh in her mind, as if they had happened just yesterday.
She couldn't shake the nagging feeling that she'd never gotten the closure she needed, and the pain of it lingered in quiet moments, in the spaces between her thoughts.
Months passed, and Nuha found herself adjusting to college life. The first year was a blur of new experiences—new friends, new challenges, and a newfound sense of independence. She had poured herself into her studies, determined to leave behind the past that had once felt like a weight on her chest. The days were full, her mind occupied with assignments, projects, and the excitement of starting fresh.
For the first time in a long time, she felt a sense of peace. The pain of high school, the doubts surrounding Rayan, and the tension with Lina and Hana seemed like distant memories. She had carved out a life where the past no longer had a hold on her. She was moving forward, and that felt like enough].
[But just as she began to feel like she'd finally escaped the shadows of her past, her phone buzzed. A notification appeared, and her breath hitched.
It was a message. From him].
Rayan: (text) hey. Can we talk?
[Nuha froze. The world around her blurred as her mind raced. Her fingers hovered over the screen, paralyzed by the sudden resurgence of emotions she thought she had buried. What did he want now? Why was he here, after all this time?]
[She was about to dismiss it, to throw her phone into her bag and ignore him, but another notification appeared:
Rayan: (text) I need to tell you something important. It's about… us.
Her heart dropped. Us? There hadn't been an "us." Not really.
The weight of his words pressed down on her chest, dredging up memories she had fought so hard to forget. The accusations from Lina and Hana, the laughter that echoed through their careless banter, the cold sting of betrayal—all of it came rushing back].
She stared at the screen, her emotions a chaotic storm of anger, curiosity, and something she couldn't quite name. For all the pain he had caused her, for all the questions left unanswered, she found herself wondering:
Did she even want to hear what he had to say?
And if she did, what would it mean for the life she had built without him?...