Do mum hate their children?
"Hey baby!" Alisha shouted, wrapping her arms around her friend from behind.
"I told you to stop calling me that," Kaira said, her voice calm but tired. "And don't choke me, please."
"Be nice for once!" Alisha pouted.
"This is me being nice," Kaira replied, her lips twitching into a faint smile. "You know your head would've been off your neck already if I wasn't."
Alisha giggled. "You know that story you posted yesterday?"
"Which one?"
"The one about a psychopath. Maybe you're one yourself."
Kaira didn't laugh. Her eyes stayed locked on Alisha until the smile on her friend's face slowly faded.
"The thing is... I didn't mean it like that," Alisha said quickly, stepping away with a nervous laugh.
"You'd better run," Kaira called after her as Alisha raced toward the hallway, dodging between students.
They had always been together. From childhood to college. Two different souls stuck together like gravity. Kaira was quiet, beautiful, closed off. Alisha was the opposite. Loud, warm, careless in a charming way. They balanced each other without trying.
In class, Kaira did what she always did. She put her head on the desk and fell asleep. Alisha just shook her head softly and watched her.
When the lecture that felt like an eternity ended, she tapped her shoulder. "Sleepyhead, let's go home."
"Already?"
"Yes already. I'm starving."
Kaira stretched slowly. "Fine. Let's eat first."
At the restaurant, Alisha dove into her food immediately it was served. Kaira barely touched hers when her phone rang. She froze before picking it up.
"Mom," she whispered.
"Then pick up," Alisha said casually. "She won't bite you through the phone."
Kaira answered, her hand trembling from a fear she could not explain.
"Where are you?" her mother's voice sounded cold.
"I'm at a restaurant."
"So that's what you do now? Waste money instead of cooking?"
"Mom, it's not"
"Can't you cook? Or are you too lazy?"
"Mom, I've just been... feeling off lately."
"Then just rest. There are always excuses with you," her mom said, then hung up.
Kaira stared at her phone for a long moment. Her eyes burned but she forced herself not to cry. She swallowed it all like she always did. A hard nut to crack!
"Let's go home," Alisha said softly.
"No. Let's finish eating."
But she never ate. Alisha practically had to beg her before she reluctantly took a few bites before pulling it away.
That night, Kaira fell asleep almost immediately after they returned to their shared room off campus. Alisha cooked and tried waking her when dinner was ready.
"Kaira, come eat."
"Later."
"You haven't eaten properly all day."
"I'll be fine. Just tired."
"You've been like this for weeks. This isn't normal."
"Alright ma'am," Kaira whispered weakly.
She drifted into sleep again. When Alisha touched her, her skin felt cold damp. Her chest rose hard and sharp like she was breathing through a narrow gap that wasn't enough for her.
"Kaira?" Alisha whispered and shook her lightly.Kaira didn't respond.Fear crawled up Alisha's spine.
"Hey. Open your eyes."
She rushed to get her water bottle and raised Kaira slowly, trying to get her to drink. Kaira blinked, coming around a little, weak and pale.
"You need to eat please Kaira," she pleaded softly.
Kaira's hand trembled as she grabbed the plate and took an effortless bite . She forced a faint smile.
"Alisha. I'm tired."
"Then listen to me and rest."
Kaira laughed weakly but suddenly grabbed her chest.
"What's wrong?" Alisha dropped the fork.
"It hurts... my chest."
Her breathing grew uneven. Her eyes dropped. Her voice shook.
"It's fine... I'll be fine."
Her breath caught like something trapped inside her lungs refusing release. She tried to force air through her mouth. The pressure felt like it was crushing her ribs from the inside.
Then came the scream. Raw. Torn. Pain that felt like it ripped out of her bones.
Alisha froze as blood slowly slipped from the corner of Kaira's lips.
"Kaira!"
Kaira's eyes rolled back and her body went limp in her arms.
And right there in that small shared room, with nothing but silence and fear echoing around them, a terrifying question formed like a shadow behind Alisha's eyes.
Was this just exhaustion...
or the beginning of something she was never prepared to lose?