Betrayal

He held me in his embrace, and it felt so good.

"Beautiful... I..."

He started to say something, but my phone began ringing.

Crap!

Why always at the wrong time?

I left his warm embrace and picked up my phone from the table.

Ali Rockstar calling...

So finally, he gets some time for his best friend.

I looked at Abid, who was already watching me.

"Er... Excuse me, please," I said with a smile on my face. I knew if Abid found out about it, he would bombard me with questions. So, it's better he doesn't know about Ali.

By the way, why am I worrying about what he thinks of me?

I shook my head and went outside. Besides Abid's room, there was a small balcony. I picked up the phone.

Ali: Assalamualaikum, Sunshine. How are you? How are uncle and aunt? How's your project going?

Is this really Ali?

Ali: Hello, Sunshine. Why are you not replying? Is everything okay? Are you okay?

Me: Walaikumussalam. I am perfectly fine, and mom and dad are also very good, Alhamdulillah. My project is going very well. But I am ANGRY.

I whispered, yelling at him in one go, just as he asked, trying to show him my fake anger. I know he was busy.

Ali: I am sorry, Sunshine. I know you must be angry. But what should I do? There were back-to-back concerts, recordings, and ad shoots. I don't have any time for myself.

He felt guilty.

Me: Ohh, I know, Rockstar. So don't be sad. I was just kidding. Anyway, how are you?

Ali: Oh, thank God. I am fine but tired.

Me: Yeah, I know how tiring that is for you. When are you going to come back, anyway?

Ali: Probably after two or three weeks. You know it's a month-long trip.

Me: Yeah, I know. So how are your concerts going? I am sure your female fans fainted upon seeing you?

He chuckled at my question.

Ali: No, nothing like that happened. But...

He stopped. I waited for his response.

Me: But what, Ali?

Okay, now I was curious.

Ali: But I got a big... No, actually, it's not big. It's huge.

And again, he stopped. I waited, but when he didn’t say anything, I asked again.

Me: What is it, Ali? Can't you just say it? Why are you creating so much suspense?

It was irritating, and all he did was laugh in reply.

Me: Are you okay?

After subsiding his so-called laugh, he said, "It's a teddy bear. A huge teddy bear, Sunshine."

Me: Teddy bear?

Ali: Yeah. Actually, I bought a teddy bear for you. It's really huge.

Is he drunk or something? Whatever he says doesn’t make any sense. Why do people behave so insanely with me today? First Abid, and now him.

Ali: Sunshine, are you there?

Me: You are an idiot. I have work to do. Talk to you later. Just take care. Allah Hafiz.

Ali: Okay, okay. Don't be angry, woman. I was just kidding.

Me: I am not a woman.

"Ali: What... Really? I thought you were."

Me: No, I mean, I am still a girl.

He started laughing again. Ahh! It was so irritating.

Me: You are insane.

And I cut the call. What the hell happened to him?

I walked back toward Abid's office and opened the door.

"I am so sorry. I took a lot of time, Abid..."

As I stood there, frozen in disbelief, the sight before me echoed like a cruel echo of the past. Abid sat comfortably in his chair, and there she was—the same blonde girl from that dreadful day—perched on his lap. In mere seconds, my mind was flooded with a whirlwind of emotions.

I felt betrayed.

Why did this still hurt so much? After all, Abid was free to pursue whoever he pleased. But then, the memories flooded back—the tender moments, the shared glances, the genuine concern in his eyes. Were they all just a facade?

Struggling to contain my fury, I clenched my fists, willing myself to regain composure. This time, the anger was raw and consuming. I didn't know if it was directed at Abid for his betrayal or at myself for allowing it to happen.

With newfound resolve, I squared my shoulders and gathered my belongings. Casting a glance at the smirking girl, a surge of irritation washed over me. But instead of giving in to the urge to lash out, I composed myself and offered a polite apology.

"I am so sorry to disturb you guys. I should have knocked first."

Turning to meet Abid's shocked gaze, a whirlwind of emotions churned within me. Was it disbelief? Regret? I couldn't quite tell.

"Please, carry on," I uttered softly before making my exit.

Descending the stairs, I felt a mix of emotions coursing through me. After Abid's betrayal, I felt like my entire world had shattered into a million pieces.

The pain was like a heavy weight crushing my chest, making it hard to even breathe. It was as if everything I believed in had been a lie, and the betrayal played over and over again in my mind like a broken record, each repetition digging the knife deeper into my heart.

I spiraled into a deep depression, a suffocating darkness that enveloped me completely. It felt like I was drowning in an ocean of despair, unable to find my way back to the surface.

The once bright colors of my life faded into a dull gray, and even the simplest tasks felt like insurmountable mountains to climb.

I withdrew from the world, retreating into the safety of solitude as I struggled to make sense of the turmoil raging inside me.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, but the depression refused to loosen its grip on me.

It was like a heavy fog that clouded my thoughts and weighed me down, casting a shadow over every aspect of my life.

Simple joys felt out of reach, and even the smallest setbacks sent me spiraling further into despair.

The depression seeped into every corner of my existence, affecting my day-to-day life in ways I couldn't even begin to describe.

It robbed me of my energy, leaving me feeling drained and exhausted all the time. It sapped my motivation, making it hard to find the will to get out of bed in the morning.

It even affected my relationships, causing me to push away the people who cared about me the most.

But despite the darkness that threatened to consume me, a tiny flicker of hope remained alive within me.

It was the hope that someday, somehow, I would find my way out of the darkness and into the light.

And so I held on, clinging to that tiny spark of hope like a lifeline, praying that it would be enough to guide me through the darkness and into the dawn of a new day.

And I refused to let go of that tiny spark.

Starting the engine, I drove with reckless abandon until I reached my sanctuary—the Maryland Orphanage. It was here that I sought solace from the storm raging within my heart.

A wave of memories and emotions flooded my mind, much like that day. But I refused to let history repeat itself.

Despite the turmoil within, I reminded myself that there was nothing binding me to Abid. He was free to do as he pleased, and I had no right to let it diminish my self-worth.

With a heavy heart, I buried my feelings and trudged inside, determined to shield myself from further pain.