Even though it was a dream

Calm after the storm

Everyone dispersed as it was normal, as if nothing had happened, treating it just like any other tantrum of Ayan.

Arham stood there looking at Hala she was crying her eyes out. He tried to console her but nothing worked. He knew that he was not supposed to be there , that he has already lost place in Hala's heart. Now there was someone else. And obviously Arham regretted that, not being early. He was devastated. He then left.

The room was a battlefield. There were broken glass and shattered dreams in the room. There was despair.

Hala got through the mess, her heart in pain she didn't know she was capable of feeling.

Ayan was the cause of all of this. And yet, seeing him like that with his head down, shoulders slumped, tears silently tracking down his face, she felt a different kind of pain, she wanted to erase those wounds which she caused , or rather the wounds that were eating Ayan up because of Hala.

She came to the room expecting anger, more tantrums, and even violence. But instead, Hala found a broken man.

Tiptoeing through the mess she approached him. Light words escaped her mouth.

"Ayan?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Are you... are you okay?"

He didn't look up, his gaze was fixed on the floor.

"Do I look okay, Hala?" he finally talked, his voice filled with emotions.

"Why... why did you do this?" she asked. She reached out placing a hand on his arm. "Are you angry at me? What's wrong?"

He finally looked up, his eyes were filled with conflicting emotions. He took a deep breath, as if was finding himself? "I... I can't do this anymore, Hala."

Hala's heart shrinked. Was he going to leave? She braced herself for the upcoming blow.

"I love you," he gave out, the words in a rush. "Seeing you with Arham today... it made me realize I can't lose you. I don't want to lose you."

Hala's breath came back. Love? From Ayan? After everything? It was a whirlwind of emotions.

A small smile touched her lips, and she confessed, "I don't like him now. No actually I never liked him, it was just a passing affection (as if she was proving her innocence) So please stop this ..I... I love you, Ayan."

Ayan looked up, his eyes were widened in disbelief. "You... you mean it?"

Hala nodded, tears were still getting down her cheeks, but this time, they weren't tears of despair.

"Yes. Seeing you like this... it broke my heart. I realized... Arham and I... it was never the same." ."Never the same like how it's with you."

Ayan slowly moved, his movements was light, as if he was afraid to break something very fragile. He reached out, his fingers gently brushing her cheek, wiping away a tear.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was scared," Hala admitted, her voice was trembling. "I was scared of hurting you, of losing you. I thought I could just... ignore it, pretend it wasn't there. But it grew, this feeling, this love. And seeing you with Arham today... it was like a nightmare."

Hala never seemed to be this straight forward before. She was hurriedly blurting out things, because she meant them. it was not Hala but her heart that was saying those things.

Ayan pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry, Hala. I've been such an idiot."

"No," Hala whispered, her arms wrapping around him. "You're not. We both were."

Both laughing.

He held her close.

Now the promise of a new beginning was there, the promise of a love they could no longer deny.