Roohi POV

The silence didn’t leave.

Even after he sat down.

Even after I stopped speaking.

Even after everything.

Zayan was still there.

Just sitting.

Not leaving.

Not saying much.

And somehow…

That made it worse.

Because his presence wasn’t loud.

It was quiet.

Heavy.

Noticeable in a way I couldn’t ignore.

I kept my gaze down.

At my hands.

At my fingers.

Anywhere but him.

Because looking at him made everything more complicated.

“You should rest,” he said again after a while.

Same calm voice.

Same controlled tone.

I nodded slightly.

“I will.”

But I didn’t move.

Another pause.

Then suddenly—

He stood up.

I felt it immediately.

The shift in air.

The distance returning.

I don’t know why…

But something in my chest dropped slightly.

“I’ll leave,” he said.

Simple.

Like always.

I nodded again.

“Okay.”

But he didn’t move immediately.

Just stood there for a second longer.

Like he was waiting for something.

Something I didn’t know how to give.

Then finally…

He turned toward the door.

Zayan Pov

I should have left earlier.

I should have stayed away entirely.

That would’ve been easier.

Cleaner.

But I didn’t.

And now…

I was standing in her room again.

For the second night in a row.

Doing nothing.

Saying too little.

Thinking too much.

That was becoming a pattern.

A dangerous one.

I reached the door.

Stopped.

And for a reason I didn’t understand…

I looked back.

She was still sitting on the bed.

Small.

Quiet.

Not looking at me anymore.

And for some reason…

That bothered me.

More than it should have.

“You should eat” I said again.

I didn’t know why I repeated it.

I just did.

She nodded.

Softly.

“I will.” a lie i know

This time…

I left.

But even in the hallway…

I didn’t feel like I had fully left.

Roohi pov

The moment the door closed…

The room felt too big again.

Too empty.

Too quiet.

I exhaled slowly.

Then finally lay back on the bed.

Staring at the ceiling.

My mind replayed everything.

The table.

The empty seat.

The silence.

His voice.

His presence.

His leaving.

And I didn’t understand why…

But I felt it again.

That strange heaviness.

Not sadness.

Not anger.

Something else.

Something confusing.

“I shouldn’t care,” I whispered.

But my heart didn’t agree.

Because the truth was…

I had noticed his absence more than I should have.

And I didn’t know what that meant yet.

Zayan Pov

In my room…

I stood by the window.

Long after I left hers.

The house was quiet again.

Everything was back to normal.

Exactly how I liked it.

But my thoughts weren’t.

She didn’t eat.

She didn’t sit properly.

She looked… distant.

Not angry.

Not dramatic.

Just quiet.

And somehow…

That stayed with me longer than it should have.

I frowned slightly.

“This is unnecessary.”

But even I didn’t sound convinced.

Because for the first time…

I wasn’t sure if distance was actually easier.

Or if it was starting to feel wrong.

And that realization…

Was something I didn’t want to deal with.

Not yet.

Not at all.

Thank youu for reading dear readers🖤