𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬

-11-

After taking a quick shower, I lay down on my bed, staring up at the white ceiling of my room. The lie I told my mother gnawed at me. I had said I had dinner with a client, but how could I eat outside when I knew she was making my favorite mutton biryani, with all the other delicious dishes I loved? She even baked a cake for dessert. I love cake.

I lied for Naaz.

Naaz had asked me not to bother her—not to meet her, see her, text her, or contact her. She wanted space, and I was giving her that space. But deep down, it was killing me.

I knew she was just a few feet away in Rizwan's room. I could hear her talking, laughing, and giggling with my brother.

I was dying to see her, to talk to her, to see her smiling face. Only I knew how much self-control it took to stay in my room, resisting the urge to rush into Rizwan's room.

Jealousy gnawed at me. Rizwan got to meet her, see her, talk to her, laugh with her, see her smiling and laughing. I wanted that. But I couldn’t have it. Not now.

"Damn it!" I groaned in irritation, burying my face into my pillow. Lying on my stomach, I smothered my frustration into the soft fabric.

I didn’t know what to do. How could I make things right between us? I was confused, hurt and heartbroken. My biggest fear had come true—Naaz was avoiding me, not talking to me. Things had become awkward, and our friendship was hanging by a thread.

The thought of losing her friendship terrified me. I couldn't bear the idea of Naaz breaking our bond. We had been friends for so long. I still remembered the first time I met her when I was three years old and she was a newborn. Our lives had been intertwined ever since, and now, everything was at risk.

I rolled onto my back, staring at the ceiling again, trying to calm my racing thoughts. The image of Naaz kept flashing in my mind, her laughter echoing in my ears. How could I bridge the gap between us without pushing her further away? I needed to find a way, anyway, to make things right.

As I lay there, the sound of my family’s laughter and conversation drifted through the walls. I felt a pang of loneliness. I could almost picture Naaz’s face, her expressions, her smile. It was torture knowing she was so close yet so out of reach.

I knew I had to be patient, to respect her wishes. But it was harder than anything I had ever done. I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. I needed a plan, a way to show Naaz that I was still the same Siddique, her best friend, who cherished her more than anything in the world.

I decided I would talk to her when she was ready. Until then, I would give her the space she needed, no matter how much it hurt. Because if there was one thing I knew for sure, it was that I couldn’t lose her—not as a friend, and certainly not as the love of my life.