Getting Over Him

Wings

They were in Pran's dorm room, the air felt heavy, like it had weight, pressing down on him with every word Pat spoke.
Pat had messaged him to meet urgently, and now Pat's there talking about running away. He could see Pat pacing in front of him, hands moving with every sentence, his face alive with the spark of something wild, something untamed and fierce. It was the same fire that always drew Pran to him—a fire that made him feel safe, yet somehow on edge, as if he were standing right at the edge of something massive, something that could change everything.

"Pran, think about it," Pat said, his voice low and persuasive. "We could finally be free. Free from everything—our families, their expectations, all of it. We could be ourselves."
Pat's words stirred something deep in Pran, a flicker of hope mixed with a pang of fear. He wanted that freedom, the chance to leave behind all the weight of his family's plans for him, their unspoken rules and demands. To be able to finally spread his wings and fly- to find his true colors. Yet, even as he felt the excitement build, another voice crept in, reminding him of everything he would be leaving behind. His family, his studies, the life he'd worked so hard to build. Was he really willing to risk all of that?

Pat leaned in closer, his eyes intense, his voice dropping to a whisper. "We've been through so much together, Pran. All those years growing up, sneaking around to be together just because our families hate each other. We were each other's escape back then, weren't we?"

Pran couldn't help but smile at that. Memories washed over him—of afternoons spent laughing together, stealing moments away from their families' watchful eyes. It was like they had this secret world all to themselves, a place where they could just be. They'd shared everything, every little rebellion, every quiet dream. They had also been rivals, rivals that hated each other at one point. Regardless, Pat had been his safe haven, his anchor, the one person who truly understood what it was like to live under the constant pressure of expectations.

But now, Pat was asking him to take the biggest leap yet. And that terrified him.

"What about college, Pat?" Pran asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. "All the time and work we put into it... we're so close to graduating. Are we really going to just throw it all away?"

Pat's face softened, but there was a hint of impatience in his eyes. "None of that matters if we're not free. What good is any of it if we're stuck living lives we don't want?"
Pran swallowed, glancing around the room. The familiar posters on his walls, the stack of books by his bed, his notes from classes—all the reminders of a life he'd fought to build. He thought about his family, their sacrifices, the pride in their voices whenever they spoke about his education. They had so many dreams wrapped up in his future. Would they even look at him the same way if he walked away from all of it?
As if sensing his hesitation, Pat took a deep breath. "Paa's okay with it. I talked to her," he said, eyes fixed on Pran. "She understands why I have to do this. Why we have to do this."
Pran blinked in surprise. He'd always thought of Paa as Pat's shadow, someone he felt protective over, the same way Pran often felt about his own family. The fact that Paa understood, that she was willing to let Pat go—it was almost enough to convince him. Almost.

But there was still something holding him back. He felt his chest tighten, his thoughts whirling. He could already picture his parents' faces, the disappointment and disbelief. Would they ever forgive him for something like this? He knew they saw him as the responsible one, the son who would do things right, follow the plan, make them proud.
And yet here was Pat, urging him to throw all that away. To step into the unknown.
"Just give me some time to think, Pat," Pran said, his voice pleading. "I just... I need to figure out if this is really what I want."

Pat shook his head, his face suddenly clouded with urgency. "We don't have time, Pran. If we don't leave tonight, that guy will go through with his threats. He's not bluffing—he's going to expose us. And once he does... there's no turning back. Everything we've fought for, everything we've kept hidden... it'll all be out in the open."
Pran felt his heart race, his hands trembling as he looked down, trying to steady himself. He could hear the tension in Pat's voice, the fear mixed with desperation. They had been so careful, had kept their secrets buried deep, yet somehow it hadn't been enough. And now, their lives as they knew them could unravel in a single night.
He looked up at Pat, taking in the familiar face, the eyes that held both comfort and danger. He thought about the future they could have together, a future free of fear and secrecy. It was tempting, intoxicating even. But it also felt reckless, like a leap into darkness without knowing what was on the other side.

Pran took a shaky breath, the weight of his decision pressing down on him. He didn't know if he was brave enough to do this, to risk everything he'd worked for, everything his family had sacrificed. But then again, wasn't Pat his family too? Hadn't they always been each other's safe place?
His head was spinning, his heart torn between loyalty and love, between duty and freedom. He knew that whatever choice he made, he'd be giving up something precious. And yet, in that moment, with Pat standing before him, urging him to take that leap, Pran felt a small, flickering sense of hope—a feeling he hadn't allowed himself to embrace fully until now.
"Alright," he whispered, barely audible, his voice trembling. "I'll go with you."