To Be Continued...

THIRTY ONE

**HARINI'S POINT OF VIEW**

As I stared at the screenshot Veronica sent me, panic surged through me. Losing Santino was bad enough, but now Veronica's impulsive message was only making things worse. If there was a chance for us to resolve this, Veronica had just made it infinitely harder.

My phone buzzed with another message from Veronica, further throwing me off balance.

"Harini, do you want to marry Santino?"

What? When did I even mention marriage? I might have envisioned a long-term relationship, but I never implied I was expecting a commitment of that magnitude. It was as if my words had been twisted beyond recognition.

In the midst of my overthinking, Santino's text flashed on the screen.

"Isn't it enough that you're bothering me? Now you're involving your friends too."

I stared at the message in disbelief. "Excuse me?" I typed back.

"You're all excused, but end your dramas here. I'm tired of your dramas, Harini."

Dramas? I was bewildered. I'd never shown him anything but my sincere side. I might have been anxious and overthinking, but I'd never acted out or been dramatic. My attempts to communicate honestly seemed to be twisted into something else in his eyes.

"Reply to me, Harini. I'm waiting."

I ignored his messages and focused on Veronica's texts.

"Hey yeah. God damn no! Why would I expect him to marry me?"

"But he says that."

"Look, Veronica, I really liked him. Enough to think about a future together. I told him I wouldn't appreciate it if he dated me for years and then left me at the altar. That's what I meant. I never asked for marriage."

"I get it. But he's acting like a child. He pursued you, and now he's being an asshole. How immature."

I couldn't muster a reply. My mind was a whirlwind of confusion, trying to untangle the mess Santino had created. It felt like I was falling deeper into a void, and no matter how hard I tried to pull myself out, the pain kept dragging me down.

My coordinator's voice jolted me back to reality.

"Harini, can you answer the question?"

I was disoriented, struggling to focus as I wiped away my tears and cleared my throat.

"Yes, sir. Sorry, I couldn't hear you."

The question was repeated, but my mind was elsewhere, tangled in the drama of my failing relationship. My focus on my studies was slipping away, and I was losing ground rapidly.

The disappointment from my teacher was palpable, but I was too absorbed in my turmoil to care. I turned off my phone's flight mode and called Fred, hoping he could offer some perspective.

"Hey Fred," I began, but he cut me off abruptly.

"Is it urgent, Harini? I'm really busy right now. I'll call you later. Bye."

I felt a sting of betrayal. Fred had been the one who encouraged me to give Santino a chance, and now it seemed like he didn't want to get involved. I was left feeling abandoned.

Veronica's message appeared again.

"See, Santino says he needs time."

I was furious. "What the hell does he need time for? He pushed for this relationship, and now that I'm finally ready, he's pulling away and calling me dramatic. What did I do to deserve this? I've been nothing but calm and polite."

"I know, Harini. I trust you. I just don't know what to say," Veronica responded, her words falling short.

I left her message on read and quietly wiped my tears. My mother entered the room, her presence a stark contrast to the chaos I felt inside.

"We'll be leaving soon and will be back by evening. Lunch is prepared-just heat it up, or you can make some macaroni. Take care, dear."

I nodded, a feeble attempt at normalcy. After they left, I dialed Santino's number, hoping to get through to him one last time.

He answered immediately, his tone clipped. "Harini, don't call me again."

"Wait, just one last thing. Can we video chat, please?" I pleaded.

His silence was heavy, but he eventually accepted the FaceTime request. As his face appeared on the screen, the floodgates opened, and I couldn't stop the tears from streaming down my face.

"Oh, stop it, Harini. Enough is enough. You can't just cry and force me into this relationship," he said coldly.

His words cut deeper than I could have imagined, leaving me feeling utterly defeated. The pain of it all was unbearable, and as I looked at him on the screen, I realized the dream I had clung to was slipping through my fingers.

I couldn't stay in this torment any longer. I closed my laptop and sank onto the bed, letting the tears flow freely now that I was alone. My classes, my studies, everything seemed distant and unimportant compared to this raw pain.

My phone buzzed again. It was Santino, still trying to get through. I ignored it, the vibration making my heart race as I wrestled with my feelings. I wasn't ready to hear his voice, not now, not ever.

A message from Veronica popped up once more: "Harini, if you need to talk, I'm here. Don't let him drag you down."

Her words were a lifeline, but I couldn't bring myself to respond. I wanted to be strong, to handle this on my own terms, but the weight of it all felt unbearable.

I decided to go for a walk, hoping that the fresh air might clear my mind. I slipped on a jacket and headed outside, the chill of the evening wrapping around me like a comforting blanket. The city lights flickered in the distance, a stark contrast to the storm inside my head.

As I walked, my thoughts were a chaotic jumble of Santino, the relationship that never was, and the crushing sense of inadequacy. I had given so much of myself, only to be told it wasn't enough. The hurt was profound, but it was the betrayal that cut the deepest.

I reached a quiet park and sat on a bench, staring at the darkening sky. The stars seemed distant, much like my hope for a happy ending. I pulled out my phone and saw a new message from Veronica.

"Please, call me when you're ready. I want to help you through this."

I hesitated, then dialed her number. It rang a few times before she picked up, her voice warm and soothing even through the phone.

"Harini? Hey, I'm so glad you called."

"Hi, Veronica. I don't even know where to start," I admitted, my voice trembling.

"It's okay. Just tell me what you're feeling. I'm here for you."

For the next hour, I poured out my heart to Veronica, speaking through sobs and sighs. She listened without judgment, offering words of comfort and advice. It didn't fix everything, but it made the pain feel a little more manageable.

After our call ended, I felt a glimmer of hope, something I hadn't felt in days. Maybe, just maybe, I could move on from this. I still had my classes, my dreams, and the supportive friends like Veronica who were willing to stand by me.

As I walked back home, the night seemed a bit less oppressive. I had a long way to go, but for the first time in days, I felt like I could see a way forward.

---

**A/N:** I know this has taken a different turn from what you might have expected, but sometimes these unexpected twists bring out deeper layers of our characters. I hope you're enjoying the drama and emotional depth. Let me know your thoughts!

**Love,**
**Aaliya**