A Love That Shouldn’t Be (Part 3)

Lisa stood frozen, staring at Felix's retreating figure.

Her heart was pounding, her emotions tangled in a mess she couldn't understand.

Why did he act like this?

Why did he care?

And why—despite all the coldness, the distance, the indifference—did she still want him to turn around?

But he didn't.

Felix never looked back.

Lisa let out a frustrated sigh and turned the other way, gripping her bag tightly.

"Forget it, Lisa. He doesn't care."

Then why did it feel like he did?

Felix sat in his car, gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.

He shouldn't have gone to her school.

He shouldn't have said anything.

He should have just ignored her, like he always did.

But the moment he saw Lisa laughing with Baskhar, something inside him snapped.

It wasn't jealousy.

It couldn't be jealousy.

Felix had spent years training himself not to care.

Not to feel.

Because feelings made people weak.

And he refused to be weak.

But why did ignoring Lisa feel impossible?

Why did the thought of her being with someone else make his chest tighten?

Felix exhaled sharply and ran a hand through his hair.

He needed to clear his mind.

He needed distance.

He needed…

Lisa to stay away from Baskhar.

But he had no right to ask that.

So why did it feel like he was losing something important?

After school, Lisa was walking to the bus stop when Baskhar caught up with her.

"Hey, can we talk?" he asked, his expression serious.

Lisa nodded, still distracted by what had happened earlier with Felix.

They walked to a quiet area near the park, and Baskhar took a deep breath.

"Lisa… I like you," he said. "A lot. And I know you probably don't feel the same, but I wanted to be honest."

Lisa's heart sank.

Baskhar was kind. Sweet. Always there for her.

But her heart wasn't.

It belonged to someone else.

Someone who would never return her feelings.

Lisa forced a small smile. "Baskhar… I appreciate you telling me. But I don't want to lead you on. You're important to me, but—"

"You love someone else," Baskhar finished, his tone unreadable.

Lisa hesitated before nodding.

Baskhar sighed but gave her a small, sad smile. "I figured."

She hated this.

Hated hurting him.

But lying would've been worse.

Lisa looked down. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said softly. "Just… be happy, okay?"

Lisa nodded, even though happiness felt so far away.