The morning after the dinner party, Saad woke up with a heavy heart. His mind was clouded with guilt, confusion, and an overwhelming sense of impending doom. The message from Zara still sat unanswered on his phone, and Maya's silence after last night was louder than any words could be.
He rolled over in bed, staring at the ceiling. The reality of the situation was sinking in, and Saad knew he had to make a decision—soon. He couldn't keep living in this limbo, torn between two women. Both deserved better, and he owed it to himself to figure out what he truly wanted.
But the truth was, Saad wasn't sure if he could walk away from Zara. The pull she had on him, the unresolved past—they haunted him. Yet with Maya, he had built something real, something solid. She was his present, the woman who stood by him through thick and thin. But now, it felt like everything was unraveling.
Saad's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Saad?" Fahad's voice came from the other side. "You awake, bro?"
"Yeah," Saad replied, sitting up. "Come in."
Fahad entered the room, looking surprisingly upbeat. He dropped onto the chair by the bed and grinned.
"Man, last night was great. Ayesha is amazing," Fahad said, his face lighting up. "We're going out again tonight."
Saad tried to muster a smile. "That's awesome, man. I'm happy for you."
Fahad's grin faltered when he saw Saad's expression. "What's up with you? You don't seem so great."
Saad sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's... complicated. I messed up, Fahad."
Fahad raised an eyebrow. "With Maya?"
Saad nodded. "Yeah. I've been talking to Zara again, and Maya found out. I don't know what I'm doing anymore."
Fahad frowned, leaning forward. "Zara? Bro, why are you talking to her again? I thought you were over that."
"So did I," Saad admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "But when she reached out, it stirred up old feelings. Now I'm stuck between them, and I don't know how to fix it."
Fahad was silent for a moment, then he shook his head. "You need to figure out what you really want, Saad. You can't keep stringing them both along. It's not fair to Maya—or Zara."
"I know," Saad said, his voice low. "I just don't know how to choose."
Fahad stood up, looking at his friend with a mix of sympathy and frustration. "You've got to make a decision, man. Sooner or later, they'll both walk away if you don't. And you'll lose everything."
Later that afternoon, Saad found himself driving through the city, trying to clear his head. The sun was shining, the city alive with people going about their day, but Saad felt like he was on autopilot. His car eventually took him to a familiar place—the café where he had first met Zara years ago.
He parked outside and sat there, staring at the entrance. Memories of their early days together flooded his mind. The laughter, the shared dreams, and the passion they once had. It all seemed so perfect back then. But things had changed. He had changed.
Saad's phone buzzed, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Zara's name flash on the screen. Her message was simple:
"Are you coming?"
He had agreed to meet her today, but now, sitting outside the café, Saad felt an overwhelming sense of dread. Meeting Zara again would only complicate things further. But still, part of him couldn't resist the pull.
After what felt like an eternity, Saad made a decision. He turned off his phone, put his car in gear, and drove away from the café.
By the time Saad returned home, it was late afternoon. He stepped into his apartment, his mind buzzing with thoughts of what he had just done. Walking away from Zara, even if only temporarily, felt like the first real step toward figuring out what he truly wanted. But there was still Maya. And he needed to make things right with her, or at least try.
He sat down at his desk and began drafting a message to her:
"Maya, I'm sorry about everything. I don't have an excuse for what I did, but I want to talk. I need to explain where my head's been, and more importantly, I need to hear how you're feeling. Can we meet?"
Saad hesitated for a moment, then hit send. His heart pounded as he stared at the screen, waiting for a response.
Minutes passed. Then an hour. Still no reply.
He was about to give up hope when his phone buzzed. Maya had responded:
"Okay. Let's meet tomorrow evening."
The next day, Saad spent hours preparing himself for the conversation. He knew this was his chance to either save his relationship with Maya or lose her for good. As evening approached, he drove to Maya's apartment, his heart heavy with anticipation.
Maya greeted him at the door with a calm, yet distant expression. She led him inside, and they sat down on the couch in silence. Saad could feel the tension between them, thick and suffocating.
"I'm glad you came," Maya said finally, her voice steady but lacking warmth.
Saad nodded, struggling to find the right words. "I... I don't know where to start, Maya. I've been so confused lately, and I know I've hurt you. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."
Maya looked at him, her eyes filled with sadness. "Why, Saad? Why did you go back to her?"
"I don't know," Saad admitted, his voice breaking. "I thought I had moved on, but when she reached out, it brought up all these old feelings. But that's no excuse. I should have told you the truth from the start."
Maya was quiet for a moment, her gaze fixed on the floor. "Do you still love her?"
Saad froze. The question hit him like a punch to the gut. Did he still love Zara? Or was he just holding onto the past because it was familiar?
"I... I don't know," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "But I know I care about you, Maya. And I don't want to lose you."
Maya let out a shaky breath, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't know if I can trust you anymore, Saad. You betrayed me, and that's not something that can be fixed overnight."
Saad felt his heart sink. "I understand," he said quietly. "But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make it right. I just need you to give me a chance."
Maya wiped away a tear and looked at him with a mix of hurt and uncertainty. "I need time, Saad. I can't just forgive you right away. I need to figure out if I can move past this."
Saad nodded, his chest tight with guilt and fear. "Take all the time you need. I'll be here."
As Saad left Maya's apartment that night, he felt both a sense of relief and a looming sense of dread. He had taken the first step toward fixing things, but nothing was certain yet. Maya might never fully trust him again, and the future of their relationship hung in the balance.
And then, as if to remind him that his troubles were far from over, Saad's phone buzzed again. This time, it was Zara.
"I waited for you at the café yesterday. Why didn't you show up?"
Saad stared at the message, his mind spinning. He had made a choice by not going to Zara, but it seemed that his past wasn't ready to let him go just yet.