flicker of flame

5 . Holding On, Letting Go

**In the Midnight...**

A faint, hoarse whisper echoed from the bed. “Water… water…”

Fathima rushed to Lena's side, seeing tears streaming down her friend's face. She gently wiped them away, feeling a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry, Lena. This is all my fault. I should have been with you... I should have protected you."

But Lena wasn’t crying from pain. Her tears were for Vyn, the man she couldn’t help but love, despite her best efforts to push those feelings away. She muttered in her sleep, “Maybe in the next life…”

Fathima frowned, confused by Lena’s words. "Next life? What is she dreaming about?" But she brushed it off, deciding to let Lena rest and went back to bed.

Morning arrived with a gentle breeze. The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the room. Fathima had woken early, leaving Lena still asleep. She smiled as she cleaned the house, knowing she wouldn’t be back for some time. Once she was done, she woke Lena.

The two friends took their drinks out to the balcony. As they sipped, Lena noticed a sleek black car parked below.

She nudged Fathima. “Look, Vyn’s here to see you,” she whispered, motioning towards the car with a subtle nod.

Fathima’s face lit up as Vyn stepped out, carrying three bags of breakfast. She waved enthusiastically and rushed out to meet him, leaving Lena to manage her emotions.

Lena watched them from the balcony, a bittersweet smile playing on her lips. "It's hard… but it’s for the best," she whispered to herself, her reflection in the glass catching the sadness in her eyes.

Downstairs, Fathima greeted Vyn with a respectful bow, which he returned, including Lena in his greeting. The three of them sat down to eat, but Lena remained silent, letting Vyn and Fathima converse through their lingering glances.

Sensing the situation, Lena stood up. “Fathi, I need to get to work. I’ve already packed your things. Just call me when you’re ready to head to the airport, and I’ll pick you up.”

Vyn didn’t even ask about Lena’s injury; his attention was fully on Fathima. As Lena retreated to her room, she locked herself in the bathroom, turned on the shower, and let her tears fall silently.

"It’s so hard… but I have to move on. I can do this," she whispered, scribbling the words "You Can" on the bathroom wall as if to convince herself. After a few moments, she composed herself, got dressed, and left for work.

Meanwhile, Fathima looked at Vyn, curiosity in her eyes. “Why are you here so early?”

“Because my girl is leaving today, and I’ll miss her too much. So I wanted to spend every possible moment with you. Now, where should we go?” he asked, excitement evident in his voice.

Fathima smiled, but shook her head. “I just want to rest.”

“Then I’ll stay with you,” he teased, inching closer.

She blushed deeply. “No, no… you shouldn’t.”

He leaned in, his voice playful. “Afraid of me?”

“No…” she stammered, stepping back.

He grinned, licking his lips mischievously. “Then why are you moving away? I should teach you how to kiss properly.”

“What?” she gasped.

“Yesterday, you only gave me a 0.002-second kiss. Today…” He pinned her gently against the wall, his hands resting near her shoulder. “Today, I’m aiming for five minutes.” He traced his lips with his finger, making her heart race.