...[Private Chat – Kashish & Agustya]...
...Kashish: I can’t do this anymore....
...Agustya: Do what?...
...Kashish: Pretend I’m fine. Pretend that Zaid doesn’t affect me....
...Agustya: …You don’t have to pretend with me....
...She exhaled, gripping her phone tighter....
...Kashish: I hate that he still gets to me....
...Agustya: You don’t hate it. You hate admitting it....
...She stared at the message....
...Because he was right....
...Again....
...---...
...[Group Chat – Chaos Unleashed]...
...Maryam: Okay, so who’s free this weekend?...
...Harry: For what?...
...Maryam: A game night. Online, obviously....
...Saba: Sounds fun!...
...Jack: I’m in....
...George: Same....
...Kashish: I’ll join....
...Archie: If Kashish is joining, I have to be there to annoy her....
...Kashish: Bold of you to assume you could annoy me....
...Archie: Oh, so you admit I’m tolerable now? Progress....
...Kashish: I take it back....
...Archie: Too late. It’s in the chat forever....
...Zaid: …I might not be able to join....
...The group fell silent....
...Saba: Oh....
...Maryam: Why not?...
...Zaid: Just busy....
...Kashish: Of course....
...Zaid: What’s that supposed to mean?...
...Kashish: Nothing....
...Zaid: Then say what you mean....
...Kashish: I’m done saying things you don’t want to hear....
...Her words hung in the chat....
...Then, before anyone could respond, she left....
...Again....
...---...
...[Private Chat – Archie & Kashish]...
...Archie: You keep doing that....
...Kashish: Doing what?...
...Archie: Running away when things get hard....
...Kashish: I’m not running....
...Archie: No? Then what do you call it?...
...She didn’t answer....
...Archie: Listen, I’m not gonna tell you how to feel. But don’t let him take up space in your head if he won’t fight to stay there....
...Kashish: …You make it sound easy....
...Archie: It’s not. But it’s necessary....
...She exhaled....
...Kashish: And what if I don’t want to move on?...
...Archie: Then you have to be honest about it. With yourself. And with him....
...---...
...[Private Chat – Zaid & Saba]...
...Saba: Why aren’t you joining game night?...
...Zaid: I told you. Busy....
...Saba: That’s not the real reason....
...He sighed....
...Zaid: I don’t want to deal with Kashish’s attitude....
...Saba: You mean you don’t want to deal with your feelings?...
...Zaid: What feelings?...
...Saba: Wow. You’re really gonna play dumb right now?...
...Zaid: I’m not playing....
...Saba: Then you’re just dumb....
...Zaid: …...
...Saba: You still care about her....
...Zaid: It doesn’t matter. She’s done with me....
...Saba: Maybe. Or maybe she’s waiting for you to prove her wrong....
...His jaw clenched....
...But he didn’t reply....
...---...
...[Game Night]...
...Maryam: Okay, time to start!...
...Kashish: What’s the game?...
...Jack: Murder mystery....
...George: Basically, one of us is the killer. The rest have to figure out who....
...Harry: So, Kashish’s daily life with Zaid?...
...Kashish: Shut up....
...Archie: I volunteer as tribute for being her lawyer....
...Kashish: You’d be a terrible lawyer....
...Archie: But I’d look good in the suit....
...Kashish: Debatable....
...The game started....
...They played, joked, accused each other. Kashish laughed, really laughed, for the first time in days....
...And then—...
...Zaid has joined the game....
...Her breath caught....
...She wasn’t expecting him....
...Kashish: …Thought you were busy....
...Zaid: Changed my mind....
...Silence....
...Then—...
...Archie: Ah, so the lost boy returns....
...Zaid: Missed me?...
...Kashish: No one missed you....
...Zaid: You sure?...
...She hesitated....
...Kashish: Positive....
...But it didn’t feel like the truth....
...---...
...[After the Game]...
...The group disbanded one by one, until only Kashish and Zaid remained....
...They hadn’t spoken....
...Not directly....
...Not yet....
...Finally, she broke the silence....
...Kashish: Why did you join?...
...Zaid: Why do you care?...
...Kashish: I don’t. Just curious....
...Zaid: Maybe I just wanted to see if you’d run again....
...She tensed....
...Kashish: I don’t run....
...Zaid: You always run....
...Kashish: Maybe because there’s never a reason to stay....
...The words hit harder than she intended....
...He didn’t respond for a while....
...Then—...
...Zaid: What if I gave you one?...
...Her pulse quickened....
...Kashish: What?...
...Zaid: A reason to stay....
...She swallowed....
...Kashish: …Zaid, don’t do this....
...Zaid: Do what?...
...Kashish: Say things you don’t mean....
...He hesitated....
...Zaid: And what if I do mean it?...
...Silence....
...Then, for the first time in a long time, she didn’t know what to say....
...---...
...To Be Continued…...
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