My Best Friend's Girlfriend

Chapter 8

The next few days were a haze of forced smiles and shallow conversations, each of us pretending like the blow-up that night never happened. Vei, blissfully unaware, carried on with her easy warmth and infectious enthusiasm, dragging us along to temples, markets, and hidden corners of the city. She seemed determined to make sure we experienced the best of Beijing, but to me, everything felt dulled, muted. The weight of our unspoken tension pressed down on my shoulders, and I could see it on the faces of Ali and Shahwath too.

Hassam, for his part, had slipped back into his role as the charming boyfriend, showering Vei with attention, but there was a distance in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. It was like he was bracing himself for something, as if each time he looked at her, he was imagining what would happen if she knew the truth.

It was on one of those days, during a visit to the Summer Palace, that things started to unravel further.

The palace grounds were breathtaking, sprawling out around a vast lake that shimmered under the afternoon sun. Vei led the way, her face lit up with excitement as she pointed out different landmarks, explaining their history in a mix of English and Mandarin. Ali followed closely, asking questions to keep the conversation flowing, while Shahwath trailed behind, his mood even more brooding than usual.

Hassam and I hung back, letting them move ahead while we took in the view. For a while, neither of us spoke. It was almost peaceful, just the sound of the wind rustling through the trees and the distant murmur of tourists. But I could sense the tension simmering beneath the surface, like a storm that had been waiting too long to break.

“Hassam,” I began, keeping my voice low. “About the other night...”

He stiffened, but he didn’t look at me. “Forget about it, Waqas. I shouldn’t have snapped.”

“It’s not about that,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “It’s about you. You can’t keep carrying this around like it’s nothing. It’s tearing you apart, and you know it.”

He finally turned to face me, his expression hard but his eyes betraying the weariness he’d been hiding. “You think I don’t know that? You think I haven’t thought about telling her a thousand times?”

I glanced ahead to where Vei was laughing at something Ali had said, her smile bright and unguarded. I could see why he was struggling—how could you risk losing something so pure, so real?

“She deserves to know,” I said gently. “And maybe... maybe you deserve a chance to move on from this, once and for all.”

Hassam swallowed hard, looking away again. “And if she doesn’t understand? If she leaves?”

I didn’t have an answer for that, and for a moment, we just stood there in silence, watching Vei and the others move further down the path. Then Hassam let out a shaky breath and turned to me with a small, bitter smile.

“You know, Waqas, I always thought I was stronger than this. I thought I could start over, leave everything behind. But maybe I’m just running in circles.”

Before I could respond, Vei called out to us, waving her arms to catch our attention. “Come on, you two! You’re missing the best view!”

Hassam forced a smile, raising a hand to wave back. “Coming!” He turned to me, his expression tight. “Let’s just... get through today, okay?”

I nodded, even though I knew that this was bigger than just one day. It was only a matter of time before the secret slipped out, whether he was ready or not.

We joined the others, and for the rest of the afternoon, I tried to focus on the stunning scenery, the intricate architecture of the palace, the cool breeze that carried the scent of the lake. But all I could think about was Hassam’s words, and the way his voice had trembled when he’d spoken them.

Later that evening, we all gathered at a local restaurant, seated around a low wooden table covered in steaming dishes. Vei had insisted on ordering for us, her excitement palpable as she explained each dish in detail. It was the kind of place I might have enjoyed any other time, with its warm lantern light and the comforting hum of conversation filling the air. But all I could think about was the distance between Hassam and the rest of us, how he seemed to fold in on himself even as he smiled and nodded along to Vei’s stories.

Halfway through the meal, Vei turned to me, her dark eyes shining with curiosity. “So, Waqas, you and Hassam have been friends for so long. Tell me something I don’t know about him.”

The question caught me off guard, and for a second, I could feel my heart stop. I saw Hassam tense beside her, his hand tightening around his glass. Ali shot me a warning look across the table, his smile strained. And Shahwath, for once, kept his gaze fixed on his plate, refusing to meet my eyes.

I forced a laugh, scratching the back of my head. “Oh, there’s plenty you don’t know about him. But I think most of those stories are best saved for another time.”

Vei pouted playfully, nudging Hassam with her shoulder. “See? They’re keeping secrets from me already!”

Hassam managed a smile, but there was a tightness around his eyes that I knew too well. “Some things are better left in the past, right, Waqas?”

I nodded, but there was a lump in my throat that I couldn’t swallow. Vei looked between us, her brow furrowing slightly, and for a moment, I thought she might push further, might ask the question we’d all been dreading. But then she shrugged, turning her attention back to the food.

“I suppose I’ll just have to get those stories out of you eventually,” she said with a wink.

The rest of the dinner passed uneventfully, but the unease lingered long after we’d left the restaurant and made our way back to Hassam’s apartment. Vei went to bed early again, exhausted from the long day, leaving the rest of us sitting in the dimly lit living room, nursing cups of green tea.

Hassam leaned back in his chair, his face half-hidden in shadow. “She’s getting closer,” he said quietly, his voice barely audible over the hum of the city outside. “She’s starting to sense that something’s off.”

Ali nodded slowly, his expression pained. “She’s smart, Hassam. It was only a matter of time.”

Shahwath let out a low sigh, rubbing his temples. “You have to make a choice, Hassam. Before she makes it for you.”

Hassam didn’t respond, just stared down at his hands, his face drawn and tired. And as I watched him, I realized that maybe this was the real reason he’d invited us to China. Not just to show us his new life, but because he knew he couldn’t face this alone.

I wanted to tell him that it would be okay, that somehow we’d figure out a way through this. But as I looked at his haunted expression, I couldn’t bring myself to lie to him. Because deep down, I knew that none of us could predict what would happen when the truth finally came out.

All I could do was hope that when it did, we’d be strong enough to hold each other together.