Nineth episode
235 Words
Zarnab always thought her hidden feelings were safe as long as she kept them quiet. As long as she stayed composed, careful, distant… nothing could hurt her.
But love doesn’t need words to break a heart.
Sometimes the truth arrives silently — like a whisper that cuts deeper than a scream.
It happened on a normal afternoon.
Zarnab was sitting in the library, revising her notes, trying to focus. Trying very hard not to think about Aimal, not to replay him saying:
“Are you upset with me?”
That line had stayed with her all day.
Laiba came rushing in, breathless and excited.
“Zarnab, guess what?” she said, sliding into the seat beside her.
Zarnab looked up calmly.
“What happened?”
Laiba lowered her voice.
“It’s about Aimal.”
Zarnab’s heart tightened — a tiny, involuntary reaction.
But on her face? Nothing. She stayed perfectly still, pretending she didn’t feel anything.
“Laiba… I don’t want to hear random gossip,” she said, trying to sound normal.
But Laiba shook her head.
“No gossip. This is real. He… likes someone.”
Zarnab felt something collapse inside her, but she didn’t show it.
“Oh,” she whispered, pretending to be unaffected.
“Who?”
Laiba hesitated first, then said the name.
“He likes Mahira.”
Zarnab looked at her book again.
Her eyes didn’t blink.
Her heartbeat did.
- Writer
