Chapter 2: Beginnings and Blossoms

Starting her life anew in this unfamiliar place was challenging enough, but what weighed heavily on her heart was the need to let go of the one person she had once envisioned spending the rest of her life with. Losing everything she held dear was painful, but losing Abyad, too, was a devastating blow. He had been the essence of her existence, the one she believed was destined for her, and she held onto the hope that fate would eventually bring them back together.

Yet, as Aayat navigated through the sea of her emotions, she couldn't help but yearn for Abyad's strength and determination to fight for their love. Instead, he chose to let go, and worst of all, he chose to lie. A painful truth she had to come to terms with. Aditya and Zinat had traveled with her to Malaysia, but even between the three of them, there was a sense of disconnection. Each carried their own burdens from the past, scars that refused to heal.

They had all lost someone they loved, and that loss had irrevocably altered the course of their lives. For Aayat, the weight of it all felt immense, leaving her feeling adrift in a sea of uncertainty. She longed for Abyad, the person she shared her first ever date with, to be by her side, to weather the storms of life together. Though Zinat and Aditya accompanied her on the journey, they were only there to help her settle in, not to stay with her. Aayat found herself alone in a dormitory while they resided in a hotel, accentuating her sense of isolation.

As she unpacked her bags, memories of happier times with Abyad flooded her mind. She allowed herself to drift back to their first date, a day filled with laughter, stolen glances, and a connection that had felt like destiny. How did they end up here, so far apart and with hearts heavy with sorrow? Aayat couldn't help but wonder what had changed, what had gone wrong.

*Flashback*

One week had passed since their last meeting, and there was no sign of Abyad at all. Just as the completion of a full week without him, he finally reached out, breaking the silence of his absence. As they talked, Aayat found herself slipping into another world, where it seemed like there was no one else but the two of them. She thought that maybe things were going back to normal when he invited her for a coffee.

Unfortunately, she was not allowed to go out freely, as her mom would drive her everywhere, making it impossible for her to accept his invitation. Despite that, their conversations continued, and Aayat found herself falling even harder for him. But then, her friend Raksha informed her about something unexpected - Abyad had cut his wrist, and it was apparently because she had turned down his offer for coffee.

Feeling a mix of guilt and hurt, Aayat spent the entire night crying and contemplating her next move. She didn't want to be the cause of his pain, but she also knew she had to be true to herself. In the end, she decided to confess her feelings to him and implored him not to harm himself because of her.

Reaching out to him was a bit challenging as his phone had been taken away by his mother. But through the help of their mutual friend, Adarsh, they managed to get in touch and set up a meeting at a nearby restaurant for the weekend. However, this also meant that Aayat had to lie to her parents to go out, and she asked her best friend, Zinat, to accompany her.

Zinat was thrilled that Aayat finally liked someone, especially after her years of trying to set her up with other people. With Zinat's support, Aayat got ready for the meeting, feeling nervous beyond measure. She wanted to make a good impression, and strangely, Abyad's opinion mattered a lot to her.

Zinat did her best to keep Aayat from having a nervous breakdown. She helped Aayat choose an outfit and did her makeup, opting for a simple light blue dress that brightened up her face. Aayat was fidgeting anxiously without even realising it. She wanted to make a good impression on Abyad, and she couldn't quite explain why his opinion mattered so much to her. The restaurant they chose for their meeting was surprisingly calm that day, and Zinat couldn't help but hold back her laughter at Aayat's nervous state.

As Abyad arrived, Aayat was caught up in ranting about her nervousness to Zinat, who attempted to inform her that Abyad was standing right behind her. However, Aayat was talking so fast that Zinat couldn't stop her in time. When she finally turned around, she was met with Abyad's presence. Zinat burst into uncontrollable laughter, and Abyad couldn't help but smile at the adorable sight. He gently rubbed the back of his neck, seemingly amused by the situation.

"I never knew you would be this nervous," Abyad commented as he took a seat beside her.

"Well... uh, I never knew either until today," Aayat replied, feeling slightly flustered. Abyad couldn't resist pinching her cheeks affectionately.

"You're so cute!" he exclaimed, making Aayat blush even more.

"Thanks," Zinat chimed in, catching Abyad's attention. He looked at her with curiosity, and she explained playfully, "Knowing her, she wouldn't reply, but just smile nervously."

Abyad laughed, and Aayat couldn't help but feel a mixture of embarrassment and fondness for the moment.

After about half an hour of Abyad asking various questions about Zinat and Aayat, and Zinat answering them cheerfully, Aayat finally joined in on the conversation. By the end of the meeting, she found herself growing even fonder of Abyad, although she worried that her own nervous behaviour might have deterred him. When they returned home, Aayat received a text message from Abyad:

You were too cute,

can't wait for you

to warm up to me,

hope to meet you again in the following days.

Unbeknownst to her, Aayat couldn't stop smiling and blushing while reading the message, and Zinat playfully pointed it out. Intrigued, she snatched the phone to read the text, thrilled that Abyad had taken a liking to her. As Aayat was unsure how to flirt, Zinat decided to respond on her behalf:

Am glad that you found me cute cause you stole my breath looking this handsome, looking forward to meeting you again.

Aayat gasped, surprised by the boldness of the reply Zinat sent. It wasn't like her at all, but it was too late to take it back. Abyad replied almost instantly:

Thanks, Zinat, but I am more interested in Aayat lol.No offence though.

Aayat burst into laughter as she saw Zinat's shocked face while reading the text. Zinat was about to reply when another message from Abyad popped up on the screen:

I might have met her only today, but we've been texting for a while now, and she is not as bold as this, you are...can you give her the phone now?

Zinat pouted playfully and handed the phone back to Aayat, who smiled at Abyad's response. She began texting him again, feeling a newfound comfort and ease in their conversation. They continued texting each other non-stop for four hours straight, and even when Aayat couldn't sleep that night, Abyad kept her company through the messages until she finally drifted off to sleep.

*Flashback ends*