...Kashish sat on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her phone lay beside her, buzzing with notifications, but she ignored them. Ever since Zaid had started acting distant, things hadn’t been the same....
...She wanted to say she didn’t care. That it didn’t bother her. But it did. More than she wanted to admit....
...With a sigh, she grabbed her phone and checked the group chat....
...—...
...[Group Chat – Chaos Unleashed]...
...Kashish: Who wants to play a game?...
...Harry: Depends. Is it another one of your “who knows Kashish best” games?...
...Kashish: Nooo…...
...Jack: It totally is....
...Kashish: Shut up, Jack. It’s something fun....
...Archie: I’m in....
...Saba: Same....
...Kashish: Zaid, you in?...
...Zaid: No....
...Kashish: Why?...
...Zaid: Not interested....
...Kashish: You never are....
...Maryam: Oof, rejected....
...Kashish: Whatever. Let’s start....
...She tried to act normal, but the way Zaid dismissed her stung. He wasn’t like this before. He used to argue with her, tease her, even annoy her to no end. But now? He barely even acknowledged her....
...And that hurt more than she expected....
...—...
...[Private Chat – Zaid & Jack]...
...Jack: Dude, you’re acting like a jealous boyfriend....
...Zaid: I’m not jealous....
...Jack: Right. That’s why you’re sulking while Archie flirts with Kashish....
...Zaid: He’s not flirting....
...Jack: Oh, he definitely is....
...Zaid clenched his jaw. He wasn’t blind. He saw the way Archie and Kashish talked. The way she laughed at his jokes....
...And it pissed him off....
...Zaid: She can do whatever she wants. It’s none of my business....
...Jack: Then why are you acting like it is?...
...Zaid didn’t reply. He hated this conversation. Hated the way it made him feel....
...Because deep down, he knew Jack was right....
...—...
...[Private Chat – Kashish & Archie]...
...Archie: Zaid’s acting weird....
...Kashish: He’s always weird....
...Archie: No, like, more than usual....
...Kashish: I don’t care....
...Archie: Liar....
...Kashish hesitated, her fingers hovering over the keyboard....
...Kashish: What do you want me to say, Archie? That I still love him? That it hurts every time he pushes me away?*...
...Silence....
...Then—...
...Archie: If it hurts that much, maybe you should let him go....
...Her heart clenched. She knew he was right. She had been holding on for too long, hoping Zaid would change. But he wasn’t going to....
...Kashish: Maybe I should....
...But why did it feel like giving up?...
...—...
...[Private Chat – Saba & Maryam]...
...Saba: I don’t think I can do this....
...Maryam: Do what?...
...Saba: Be with Zaid when I know he still has feelings for Kashish....
...Maryam: You don’t know that....
...Saba: I do. I see it in the way he looks at her....
...Maryam gritted her teeth....
...Zaid could not still have feelings for Kashish....
...Kashish can’t win....
...Not again....
...Saba: Maybe I should talk to him....
...Maryam: No! Just give it time. He’ll move on....
...Saba: Will he?...
...Maryam wasn’t sure anymore....
...—...
...[Private Chat – Kashish & Zaid]...
...Kashish took a deep breath and opened Zaid’s chat....
...Kashish: Why are you avoiding me?...
...Zaid: I’m not....
...Kashish: Yes, you are....
...Zaid: Does it matter?...
...Her stomach twisted....
...Kashish: It does to me....
...Zaid hesitated....
...Then—...
...Zaid: I don’t know how to be around you anymore....
...Her heart ached....
...Kashish: Why?...
...Zaid: Because everything’s different....
...Kashish: You made it different....
...Silence....
...Kashish: Just tell me… do you still care?...
...Another pause....
...Then—...
...Zaid: I don’t know....
...Tears burned at the back of her eyes....
...Kashish: Then figure it out. Because I can’t keep waiting for you, Zaid.*...
...She logged off....
...Zaid stared at the screen, fists clenched....
...He had messed up....
...Again....
...—...
...[Private Chat – Archie & Kashish]...
...Archie: You okay?...
...Kashish: No....
...Archie: Want to talk about it?...
...Kashish: No....
...Archie: Want me to distract you with terrible jokes?...
...Kashish: …Maybe....
...Archie: Okay, here goes. Why don’t skeletons fight each other?...
...Kashish: Why?...
...Archie: Because they don’t have the guts....
...She stared at the screen....
...Then—...
...Kashish: That was horrible....
...Archie: But you smiled....
...She did. Just a little....
...Maybe moving on wouldn’t be so bad....
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