Stay

Chapter 28 - Broken

The following weeks proved to be increasingly frustrating for Alan. He found himself growing resentful of Fiza's refusal to allow herself to be with him. He was putting in every effort to become the person she aspired for, someone deserving of her love.

Yet, her rejection echoed the words she had spoken before, "I was falling for you, but you weren't the one." The disappointment and hopelessness weighed heavily on Alan's heart. He realized that no matter what he did, he couldn't change his past, and Fiza seemed unwilling to let go of the person he used to be. He would never be "the one" for her.

He was hurting every time they were together as friends. With a heavy heart, Alan made the decision to protect himself and began to distance himself from Fiza.

Gradually, he reduced the time they spent studying together, claiming a preference for studying at home. He started making excuses to avoid singing with her.

If Fiza was hurt by his withdrawal, she didn't show it. In the span of about a month, he had successfully severed their study sessions. He maintained brief conversations with her during basketball practice but otherwise devoted his time to his other friends.

During one basketball practice, Jyothi approached Alan, catching Fiza's attention. Fiza observed them with narrowed eyes, her heart burdened by the distance that had grown between her and Alan.

She couldn't fathom how to mend the rift that had formed between them. Suspecting that her behavior at Sandeep's party had triggered this change, she believed that Alan was avoiding her because he knew of her feelings and didn't wish to encourage them.

Out of self-respect, Fiza had refused to let him see her shed tears. She attempted to envision her life without Alan, but the mere thought proved unbearable. She simply couldn't imagine a world without him. He belonged to her, and she to him.

Alan loved her, she was certain of it, even if he didn't realize it himself. She concluded that he was simply afraid of commitment, and eventually, everything would work out as it should. It was what she told herself to maintain her sanity.

However, as Fiza observed Jyothi engaging in conversation and laughter with Alan, her heart couldn't find comfort in her reasoning. The truth was harsh and undeniable-Alan, her Alan, was going to be with someone else, perhaps he was already.

Pain coursed through her veins, and she found herself sitting on the hard ground of the basketball court, unable to contain her tears. Alan remained oblivious to her turmoil.

"Hey!" It was Anusha, the captain of the girls' team. "Fiza, what happened?" Fiza shook her head, feeling a mix of embarrassment and vulnerability. The other girls gathered around her, offering their support. It was an embarrassing moment for Fiza, but she hiccuped and made a conscious effort to cease her tears.

Nita enveloped her in a comforting hug, reminding her, "Boys will come and go. Just stay strong and bounce back up. The harder you fall..." she said, punctuating her words with an extra forceful bounce of the basketball, "...the higher you rise." Fiza managed a smile through her tears. Coach Amit blew his whistle, noticing the commotion on the girls' side of the court.

Salman had noticed Fiza's tears and the growing distance between her and Alan. Over the course of the year, Salman and Fiza had reached an unspoken understanding. Salman had told her that he had believed rumors about her casually sleeping with Alan and had believed her to be promiscuous. He had apologized profusely and told her that he would never have treated her that way if he had known her better.

They maintained a polite and respectful demeanor during their practice sessions, occasionally engaging in friendly banter.

Today though, Salman approached her with a dribbling basketball and he called out her name with a wide smile. "Fiza-Fiza," he greeted cheerfully. "Were you crying over that loser?"