Tangled Affections

32.

Freen's PoV
I was running on empty, my mind and body drained, but the thought of Becky was the only thing keeping me upright. I hadn't slept a wink last night, too afraid to close my eyes and risk waking up to find her gone again. The exhaustion tugged at me, but I forced myself to stay alert, to keep going for Becky's sake. She was here now, and nothing else mattered.

After checking out of the hotel, we headed to the university. Becky was staying with me, and I had already arranged everything with the hostel administration. I didn't want her to be alone, and honestly, I couldn't bear to be apart from her, even for a moment. My dad didn't know she was here, and I intended to keep it that way. If he found out, he'd find a way to separate us again, and I wasn't going to let that happen. Not this time.

We arrived at the hostel, and I carried Becky's luggage to the room, my arms feeling heavier with each step. Becky looked at me, concern etched on her face. "Freen, you need to rest. You're exhausted," she said softly, her hand brushing against my arm.

I shook my head, stubborn as always. "I'm fine, Becky. I don't want to waste a single moment with you." The truth was, I was terrified that if I closed my eyes, everything would disappear—that she would disappear. I couldn't risk it.

We went to the cafeteria, the morning sun streaming in through the large windows, casting a warm glow over the bustling space. We sat down, and Becky ordered breakfast for both of us. I poked at my food, barely tasting it, my mind still replaying the events of last night over and over again. The hurt in Becky's eyes haunted me. The disappointment in Rose's voice echoed in my head. I felt caught in the crossfire of my own decisions.

After breakfast, we headed to the university office to handle the formalities for Becky's admission. The staff were helpful, but my mind was elsewhere, distracted by the swirling storm of emotions that wouldn't settle. Becky's presence beside me was the only anchor keeping me from drifting off into my own sea of guilt and confusion.

As we made our way back to the room, my heart sank when I saw Rose standing there, blocking our path. Her eyes met mine, a mix of sadness and resignation, and my stomach churned with guilt. Becky glanced at her, and I could see the tension in her shoulders, the unspoken questions lingering between us.

Becky squeezed my hand and said, "Freen, I'll go ahead. You can come later." Her voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of unease.

"No, Becky, stay," I insisted, my voice barely steady. I didn't want to face Rose alone. I didn't want to face any of this alone.

Rose looked at me, her expression pained but resolute. "Freen, it's okay if you didn't love me," she began, her voice strained with unspoken hurt. "But the way you ran off yesterday, without saying anything, it hurt more than anything. I didn't expect you to feel the same, but I didn't expect to be abandoned either." She paused, glancing at Becky before continuing, "Your girlfriend is beautiful, Freen. Congratulations on finding what you've been looking for. Goodbye, and have a great life."

She turned and walked away, her steps firm and determined, leaving me frozen in place. I wanted to call her back, to explain, to apologize, but the words got stuck in my throat. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a painful reminder of how much I had messed up. Rose had been my friend, someone I had grown close to during my time here, and now she was gone. I couldn't keep her, but I couldn't let her go without feeling the weight of it all.

I felt Becky's hand slip into mine, her grip gentle but reassuring, as if she knew exactly how much I was breaking inside. We walked back to our room in silence, every step feeling heavier than the last. When we got inside, Becky guided me to my bed and made me sit down.

"Freen," she said softly, her voice filled with empathy. "It's okay. You're allowed to feel hurt."

I nodded, my eyes welling up with tears that I couldn't hold back any longer. "I'm sorry, Becky. I just... I never wanted to hurt anyone. Rose was a good friend, and now she's gone because of me." My voice cracked, and I choked on the words, my emotions spilling over uncontrollably.

......