CHAPTER 10: THE UNEXPECTED TWIST

Amna took a deep breath and walked into the classroom, determined to confess her feelings to Hamza. She had rehearsed the words in her head a thousand times, and she was ready to finally let him know how she felt.

As she approached their usual table, her heart skipped a beat. There was a girl sitting next to Hamza. Amna's curiosity turned to confusion as she wondered who this new girl was.

"Hey, Hamza," Amna said, trying to sound casual. "Who's your new friend?"

The girl turned to Amna, a hint of attitude in her voice. "And who are you?"

Amna's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm Amna, Hamza's friend. We've known each other since freshman year."

The girl smirked. "Well, I'm Elsa, Hamza's fiancée. We're getting married next summer."

Amna's world came crashing down. Fiancée? Marriage? She felt like she had been punched in the gut.

Hamza looked up, noticing Amna's shock. "Amna, I... uh... I didn't know how to tell you..."

Amna's eyes welled up with tears as she quickly turned around and rushed out of the classroom, leaving Hamza and Elsa behind. She couldn't bear to hear any more.

As she ran down the hallway, Amna couldn't help but wonder how she had been so blind. She had thought Hamza felt the same way, but it turned out he was already committed to someone else.

The tears streamed down her face as she realized she had been living in a dream world, and it was time to wake up.