**Winner 2024 Amby Awards**
Fiza has everything planned-medical school, a respectable future, and an engagement she never wanted. Determined to escape a loveless match, she creates a checklist to find the perfect husband her father will approve of.
...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Alan: I broke things off with Rumya.
My heart gave a funny little jump when I saw the message. With my family here, a sense of peace had already started to settle over me. I'd realized the fight with Farzana had cut deeper than anything else. No matter the biology, this was my family. She was my sister.
I read and reread at Alan's text. I broke things off with Rumya.
Did he do this because he saw me fall apart at the ice cream shop? Or because he really didn't want to be with her?
Of course, him dating someone had hurt me—but it had forced me to see the truth: he loved me, but not romantically.
Taking a deep breath, I typed back the simplest, most neutral response I could manage.
Me: Why?
Immediately, my screen lit up with a video call request. I was in my pajamas, glasses on, hair in a messy bun but I answered.
"Hey, princess!" he greeted, smiling at me.
"Hi Alan!" I replied, forcing a smile. "What are you up to?"
"I just got home. I was thinking about you," he admitted.
No, don't read into it.
"Aw, that's sweet. I was just watching some reels and chatting with Farzana. Oh, I have to send you this cute song and a cat video," I said, lowering my phone to scramble for the videos.
Alan laughed. "You're so weird."
"Hey, no one asked for your opinion," I shot back playfully.
Then I remembered why he had called. "Are you okay?" I asked softly.
He looked confused.
"You said you broke up with Rumya. I know you liked her. I could see she made you happy. Are you okay?" I clarified. It must hurt to break up with someone you liked, right?
Alan's smiled warmly at me. "Yeah, I'm good. We are going to stay friends. I like her company, but I'm not able to make any kind of commitment," he explained, his gaze steady on mine through the screen. "At least not to Rumya..."
My heart skipped a beat.
I took a shaky breath. "You know, we'll figure it out. I was thinking about us. And..." I hesitated, the words sticking in my throat.
"And?" he prodded.
"You know how I am so weird about labeling everything and putting them in boxes?" I asked laughing at my own awkwardness.
Alan rolled his eyes playfully. "I didn't notice," he teased, his voice full of affection.
"Idiot!" I said laughing. "Anyway, it was always... confusing to me. No, not confusing—distressing," I corrected myself, giggling. "That I couldn't fit you into a box labeled 'friend' or 'boyfriend.'"
