Hers to Love

Chapter 30

Amir sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his phone, the screen blank and the room eerily quiet. It had been a month since he last spoke to Maria, a month filled with confusion, regret, and a growing anger that he couldn't fully understand. Every time he thought about reaching out to her, the words escaped him, leaving him paralyzed.

He clenched his fists, trying to push down the frustration. The image of Maria with Chad, that day outside his house, flashed in his mind. He had seen them together, Chad's arm around her, his lips brushing her cheek. It had taken everything in Amir not to storm over, but he had stopped himself, knowing he had no right to be angry after everything he had done.

His phone buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts. It was a message from his sister, asking if he was coming home for dinner. He ignored it, his mind too occupied with Maria.

Amir muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair, "It's so fucked up. I shouldn't feel like this. I messed it all up, and now she's moved on. I should be happy for her, right? But why does it feel like I'm losing my mind?"

He thought back to the last time he saw Maria, the way she looked at him with those calm, steady eyes—eyes that held questions he didn't have the answers to. He had avoided her gaze, not knowing how to face her after everything that had happened.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. It was his brother, peeking his head in. "Amir, you okay? You've been in here all day."

Amir sighed, sitting back on the bed. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."

His brother walked in, closing the door behind him. "Thinking about Maria?"

Amir looked up sharply, surprised. "How did you know?"

His brother shrugged, sitting next to him. "It's pretty obvious, man. You've been off ever since... well, since that wedding. You're not yourself."

Amir groaned, leaning forward with his head in his hands. "I don't know what to do, bro. It's been a month, and I still can't figure out how to talk to her. I want to, but I keep stopping myself. I'm such an idiot."

His brother nodded, listening quietly. "You made a mistake, Amir. But if you really care about her, you need to find a way to fix it. Even if she's with someone else now, you owe it to yourself—and to her—to at least try."

Amir sighed deeply, the weight of his emotions pressing down on him. "But what if it's too late? What if I've already lost her?"

"You'll never know unless you try," his brother replied, placing a hand on Amir's shoulder. "Look, it's better to be honest, even if it hurts. She deserves that much."

Amir nodded slowly, knowing his brother was right. "You're right. I need to talk to her, even if it's just to apologize. I owe her that."

His brother stood up, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. "Just be yourself, Amir. Say what you feel. If she's really moved on, then at least you'll have closure. But if there's still a chance... well, you won't know until you take it."

As his brother left the room, Amir stared at his phone again, the screen still blank. Taking a deep breath, he unlocked it and opened a new message to Maria. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, his mind racing.

Finally, he typed out a simple message: *Hey Maria. I know it's been a while, but can we talk?"

He stared at the words for a long moment before hitting send. As the message disappeared into the ether, Amir felt a mix of fear and relief. It wasn't much, but it was a start. Now, all he could do was wait.