After Alia dropped me off for my date, I stepped inside, sharing my live location with her for guidance. As I walked into the café, my heart sank I saw something I had never wanted to witness in my life. 

I instinctively turned back, wanting to rush to Alia, but before I could leave, he saw me. In an instant, he was there, grabbing my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his voice firm. I swallowed my words, my throat tightening.

I yanked my hand free from his grip. "I don't want to... I am leaving," I said, turning away.

"Ruhi, let's talk," he pleaded. "Just give me one chance to explain myself."

I took a deep breath, my hands trembling. My heart screamed at me to walk away, but my feet refused to move.

"There's nothing left to talk about," I said, my voice colder than I felt inside.

"Please, Ruhi," he stepped closer, desperation flickering in his eyes. "Just one chance... I need to make things right."

I clenched my fists, looking everywhere but at him. The weight of the past pressed down on me, suffocating.

"You lost that chance a long time ago," I whispered, turning on my heels, willing myself not to look back.

As I turned to leave, his voice stopped me once again.

"I know I messed up, Ruhi. But please... just hear me out once," he said, his tone softer, almost vulnerable.

I shut my eyes for a moment, trying to block out the rush of emotions threatening to consume me. 

Why now? 

Why after all this time?

Taking a shaky breath, I turned slightly, just enough to glance at him. 

"And what exactly do you expect me to say after that?" I asked, my voice laced with bitterness.

"Just give me five minutes," he pleaded. "If you still want to leave after that, I won't stop you."

I hesitated. A part of me wanted to walk away without another word. But another part the foolish, curious part wanted to know what he had to say.

Against my better judgment, I exhaled sharply and crossed my arms. 

"Five minutes," I said. "That's all you get."

We sat at the table, an awkward silence stretching between us. 

I tapped my fingers against the surface, avoiding his gaze, while he sat across from me, his hands clasped together as if gathering the right words.

"Ruhi..." he finally spoke, his voice careful. "I know I don't deserve your time, but I need you to know the truth."

I let out a dry chuckle, shaking my head. 

"The truth?" I repeated. "You think anything you say now will change what happened?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't expect you to forgive me. I just... I can't let you walk away believing the worst of me."

I scoffed, finally meeting his eyes. "And why does it matter now? Why do? matter now?"

For a moment, he didn't say anything, just looked at me like he was searching for something maybe a sliver of the girl who once trusted him. 

But she wasn't here anymore.

He exhaled sharply. "Because I never stopped loving and caring, Ruhi."

"Forget about your care..." I sighed, shaking my head. "If you had ever really cared for me, you wouldn't have left me that day like that."

My voice wavered despite my attempt to stay strong. The memories I had buried so deep threatened to surface, but I forced myself to keep my composure. He flinched at my words, guilt flashing across his face. 

"I know," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I regret it every single day."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Regret?" I repeated. "Regret doesn't undo the pain, it doesn't erase what you did."

He leaned forward slightly, desperation evident in his eyes. 

"I had my reasons, Ruhi. Reasons I couldn't explain back then."

I clenched my jaw, my patience wearing thin. 

"Then explain them now," I challenged. "Because from where I stand, all I see is a man who walked away when I needed him the most."

"Ruhi, are you forgetting? My past... You know how I am," he said, looking straight into my eyes. "But I've changed now... I've changed for you. I don't want anything else I just want you to be with me."

I swallowed hard, pushing down the emotions his words stirred inside me. 

"Sorry," I said, my voice steady. "My parents have already chosen someone for me... and I'm going to marry him for sure."

To my surprise, he didn't look hurt or angry. Instead, a small, almost amused smile formed on his lips. 

"Seriously?" he asked, his grin widening.

I frowned. "What's so funny?"

"Did you seriously say yes to your parents?" he asked, amusement clear in his voice.

I opened my mouth, then closed it again, suddenly unsure. 

"No... I mean..." I hesitated, caught off guard by his reaction. 

Why wasn't he upset? Why did it feel like he knew something I didn't?

------

After our conversation ended, I quickly pulled out my phone and called Alia.

"Pick me up," I said, my voice shaky. "I need to go."

She didn't ask any questions, just told me she was on her way.

A few minutes later, Alia pulled up, and I hurried towards her car, not looking back. The moment I got inside, I let out a deep breath.

"Everything okay?" she asked, glancing at me with concern.

I nodded, trying to hide the confusion and emotions swirling inside me. 

"Yeah... just drive," I said softly, sinking into the seat.

Alia didn't say anything else as she drove off, but I knew she could sense that something wasn't right. I just wasn't ready to talk about it yet. As we drove, I noticed that Mannat was sitting in the backseat, her eyes flicking between me and Alia. She didn't say anything at first, but I could tell she was waiting for me to speak up.

Both of my chudails, Mannat and Alia, weren't intruding or pushing me for answers today. It wasn't like them to stay so quiet. I could feel the tension building up inside me. The usual banter, the teasing, the jokes they were all missing, and that made me even more nervous.

I knew they were giving me space, waiting for me to open up when I was ready. 

It was how we worked, even though we'd only been meeting offline for less than two years. Online, we had talked for three, but we had quickly gotten to know each other better than most people would after years. We had learned each other's personalities, our unspoken boundaries, and when to give each other room to breathe.

I was scared of their reaction. I knew they wanted me to clear things up with him, but I didn't know if I could. It felt like the weight of their expectations was hanging over me now, waiting to see how I'd handle it all.

I leaned back in my seat, trying to calm my racing thoughts. 

"I'll tell you everything, just not right now," I muttered, not wanting to break down in front of them.

Mannat nodded quietly, sensing my need for space. Alia kept her attention on the road, but I could tell both of them were concerned, waiting for the right moment to hear the full story.

TO BE COUTINUE...