I was too shocked to process anything. Lost in my thoughts, I took a couple of steps back and accidentally knocked over a vase on the side table. It shattered into pieces, much like how I felt at that moment.
The commotion caught the attention of the couple, finally making them notice my presence. Amidst the chaos, a harsh voice snapped me back to reality.
"Hey, you! What are you doing here? Don't you know how to knock?" the girl demanded, her words falling on deaf ears as I shifted my gaze to the person I loved and trusted, Abid.
But there he stood, devoid of any emotion on his face. No guilt, no shock, nothing. It was then that I realized he had never truly loved me. Everything he portrayed was a facade, a charade of false emotions. The realization stung, igniting a torrent of tears.
"Come on, Areena, you have to be strong. You can't let this affect you," I muttered to myself, attempting to find inner strength amidst the turmoil. But my mind refused to cooperate, overwhelmed by emotion.
Closing my eyes for a moment, memories of every moment spent with Abid flooded my mind like a relentless tide. From our initial conversations to our meetings, dates, and his recent cold behavior, each memory was a painful reminder of what once was.
As I opened my eyes, I found the blonde girl standing before me, hurling insults. Yet, Abid's expression remained unchanged, further fueling my anger.
That's it. Enough is enough.
Without hesitation, I seized her hand, pulled her out of the room, and slammed the door shut, silencing her abrasive words. Turning back to Abid, I confronted him with a steely resolve.
"What do you want?" I demanded, my voice firm and unwavering. But he remained silent, nonchalantly reaching for a cigar from the drawer and lighting it.
His indifference ignited a fiery rage within me. "You moron! Who do you think you are?" I seethed, snatching the clutch from his hand, tearing it in two, and crushing it beneath my sandals.
He smiled. What the hell was he smiling for? I couldn't control my emotions anymore. I stood there silently, my mind a whirlwind of confusion.
What did he want? I had no idea. But what I wanted was the reason I was still there.
Because you want answers...
My inner voice enlightened me. Yes, I wanted my answers!
I pointed a finger at his chest and shouted, "Why are you doing this to me? You know I don't trust anyone easily, except YOU."
My emotions overwhelmed me, making it hard to form words. To my surprise, his smirk widened, and with that, I gave up. Tears streamed down my face as I turned and walked toward the door. The intense feelings I had moments ago began to fade, leaving me hollow and alone. I had never felt this way before, and it was all because of Abid. I couldn't defeat him, no matter how much I wanted to. I wasn't stronger than him, and somehow he was still the first person I loved, and still loved. But from then on, I would never see him again, no matter how much I wanted to. I would never hear his voice again.
Without thinking further, I turned back to him. I grabbed his collar, pushed him against the wall, and kissed him fiercely. I didn't know where this courage came from, but I just wanted to feel him, for the first and last time. He looked taken aback, but after a moment, he recovered from his shock, and we kissed each other for what felt like an eternity.
I lost my sense of thinking, but whatever I was feeling right then was overwhelming and intoxicating. This feeling was amazing. For a brief moment, I felt like he was mine when his hand slid around my waist. My senses snapped back, and I stopped myself. With trembling hands, I pushed him slightly and created a distance between us. My hands rested on his chest, and he still held me by my waist. Our eyes locked, and I saw a flicker of emotion in his dark brown eyes, something pleading, something unsaid.
But he didn't say anything, Areena! My inner voice shouted, and the weight of reality crashed down on me. Tears welled up and spilled over as I took two steps back, struggling to keep my composure. I looked directly into his eyes one last time.
"Allah hafizz (goodbye)... Mr. Abdullah," I said, my voice breaking.
Then I turned and walked towards the door, my steps heavy with sorrow. He didn't stop me or say anything. I just walked out of the building, each step feeling like a mile.
I walked and walked for at least half an hour, aimlessly, my mind numb. I didn't know where I was going. I was just walking, trying to escape the pain.
My phone started ringing, and I picked up the call; it was Sara.
"Baby, where are you?? I went to your home to pick you up, but you had already left. But you are not in college. Are you okay?" Sara's voice was filled with concern.
"I am alright, Sara... Can you please pick me up from...?" I replied, my voice barely a whisper.
But I didn't know where I was. I took a look around my surroundings, feeling lost and disoriented. I had been walking in the opposite direction from my house and college.
So stupid, Areena!
"Areena... Are you okay?" Sara repeated, worry evident in her tone.
"Yeah, please pick me up from the lavender shopies. I am just standing outside of it," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
"What are you doing there? Going on another date, huh?!" Sara tried to lighten the mood.
No. These things will not happen in my life again.
"I will explain everything. Can you please pick me up?" I pleaded, my voice cracking.
"Yeah, that's better. Wait for me," she replied.
After 15–20 minutes, Sara was standing in front of me with an angry expression on her face, but her eyes were soft with concern.
"What did you do to yourself, Areena... just look at you..." she said, her voice gentle.
I couldn't find the words. Instead, I just hugged her and let the tears flow. I cried my heart out in her arms, releasing all the pain and confusion.
She took me to a nearby park and handed me some water. She made me sit on a bench and sat beside me. For a while, she didn't say anything, just held my hand, offering silent support. Then she looked directly into my eyes.
"What did he do, Areena?" Sara asked softly.
There was no need to hide anything from her!
"Yeah, there's nothing to hide," I admitted. I poured out everything to her, from Abid's rude behavior to the kiss. I told her everything.
She remained silent for a while, absorbing it all.
"You have to move on, Areena. I know that's tough, but not impossible. So promise me," Sara urged, her voice firm but kind.
She was right. I couldn't go home like this. I wiped my tears and nodded.
"I promise, Sara. I will," I said, trying to muster some strength.
She took out my phone, removed the SIM card, and deleted my ChitChat account as well.
"I don't want him to contact you about anything," she said.
I nodded again, grateful for her support. Then she dropped me off at my home, but before leaving, she hugged me tightly again, reassuring me with her presence.