𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞

Chapter 8: Torn Apart

As the weeks passed, things didn't get easier. Aanya and Meera had brief moments together—glances exchanged in the hallway, fleeting conversations that never went deep enough—but the distance between them seemed to grow. The pressure from their families, their friends, and the weight of the viral video loomed over them, making it harder for either of them to figure out what they really wanted.

Aanya's family was relentless, calling constantly, their disapproval clear in every conversation. "This isn't you," her mother had said one evening, her voice thick with concern. "I don't know what's going on, but this... this is not the path we raised you to follow."

Aanya had tried to argue, to explain that she was still the same person, that nothing about her had changed except for the fact that she had feelings for someone unexpected. But her words fell on deaf ears. The pressure to conform, to meet her family's expectations, weighed heavily on her shoulders.

Meera, on the other hand, seemed to be dealing with her own struggles. Her friends, while supportive on the surface, were quick to make jokes, never letting her forget about the viral video. "Guess you're famous now, huh?" one of them had said, laughing, as if the whole situation was nothing more than a game.

But it wasn't a game. Not to Aanya. Not to Meera.

One evening, after weeks of silence and distance, Aanya found herself standing outside Meera's apartment. She didn't know what she was going to say or how she was going to fix things, but she couldn't go on like this—caught between wanting Meera and being too scared to fight for her.

Meera opened the door, surprised to see her. "Aanya?"

Aanya's heart was in her throat, but she forced herself to speak. "I can't do this anymore, Meera."

Meera's expression hardened slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I can't keep pretending like this doesn't hurt," Aanya said, her voice trembling. "I care about you. I care so much it scares me. But I can't keep chasing after you if you're just going to push me away."

Meera's eyes softened, but there was still a barrier between them, something Aanya couldn't quite break through. "I'm not trying to push you away. I'm just... I don't know how to handle this."

Aanya stepped closer, her voice pleading. "Then let's figure it out together. Please, Meera. I don't want to lose you."

For a long moment, Meera didn't respond. The silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating. And then, finally, Meera spoke, her voice barely a whisper.

"I don't want to lose you either."