The classroom was quiet as I walked in, my eyes locking onto Ayaan's figure seated at the back of the room. I could feel the tension in the air. We had been avoiding this confrontation for far too long. But now, as the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, there was no more room for avoidance.
I took a seat opposite Ayaan, my eyes fixed on his face as I mustered the courage to speak. "We need to talk," I said for the third time, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside me. Ayaan's expression hardened, his eyes meeting mine with a mix of sadness and guilt. I could see the pain lurking beneath the surface.
"I know you've been distant"
I started, my words measured and calm. "I can feel it, Ayaan. You're not the same as you used to be."
Ayaan's jaw clenched, his hands tightening into fists on his lap. I spoke again, each word a like a knife slicing through the fragile bond holding us together.
"And I-I thi-nk you're seeing some-one else."
The accusation hung heavy in the air, a bitter taste lingering on my tongue. Ayaan's eyes darkened, a flicker of hurt flashing across his face before he became emotionless once again.
"And what if I am?"
he said, his voice tinged with defiance. "How does it matter to you, Alisha? We both know this was bound to happen sooner or later."
His words cut through me like ice, a sharp pang of realization piercing my heart. I had known deep down that our relationship was crumbling, that the love we once shared had faded away. But hearing Ayaan's admission stung more than I had thought, a harsh reminder of the inevitable end of us.
"I thought we could work through this"
I whispered, the emotionless facade I had erected crumbling before his gaze.
"I thought we could find a way back to each other. But it's too late, isn't it? We've lost each other, Ayaan. And I don't know if we can ever find our way back."
Silence descended upon us , the weight of unspoken words was hanging between us. And in that moment, as the last rays of sunlight entered through the classroom windows, I knew that our story had reached its bittersweet end.
We didn't break up, not then...
