The evening air felt strangely heavy as Areeba stepped out of Inam's car that day.
His confession still echoed in her mind.
"I like you… and this time I'm serious."
Areeba had looked at him quietly for a moment before answering.
"Inam… don't think about it like that."
Her voice was calm but firm.
"I don't want to ruin our friendship."
Those words were gentle, but clear enough.
She closed the car door and walked toward her house without looking back.
She hoped that would be the end of it.
But it wasn't.
---
The Pursuit
From the next day onward, Inam started texting her regularly.
At first the messages were casual.
"Good morning."
"Did you reach college?"
"Are you free?"
Areeba tried to respond politely but kept her distance.
She reminded him again and again that she wasn't interested in anything beyond friendship.
But Inam didn't seem ready to accept that.
Soon Noor, Safa, and Wisha found out about everything.
And as expected, they started teasing her.
"Oh ho… someone confessed," Safa joked.
Wisha grinned.
"Our Areeba finally has admirers."
Areeba sighed.
"You people are impossible."
She didn't know how to handle the situation.
Then one afternoon, while they were sitting together on campus, she saw Inam walking toward them.
Her heart sank.
For a moment she thought about leaving.
But then she decided to stay.
She didn't want to make things awkward.
Inam sat down near them casually.
After a few minutes he started playing music from his phone.
Noor listened first.
"Wow," she said. "Your music taste is actually good."
Safa nodded.
"Not bad."
Areeba also joined the conversation normally.
She pretended like nothing had happened.
But then Inam looked directly at her.
"Areeba… I'm serious."
His tone was sincere.
"Trust me. I really like you."
"And this time… I want to marry you."
The words made Areeba's patience snap.
She knew his history.
Everyone knew how many girlfriends he had had.
So hearing such serious words from him made her angry.
She looked at him sharply.
"My marriage is already fixed," she said coldly.
"With my cousin."
The atmosphere became quiet.
Areeba stood up immediately.
Before leaving, she handed him the assignments she had written for him.
Then she walked away.
---
The News
The next day Noor called her.
"Areeba… I need to tell you something."
Her tone sounded worried.
"What happened?"
Noor hesitated.
"Inam is saying he won't come to college anymore."
Areeba frowned.
"What?"
"He's saying he'll leave his studies."
Noor continued.
"We all tried to convince him, but he's not listening."
"He's not even listening to his sister."
"He seems serious… because of you."
Areeba felt her stomach tighten.
She didn't want someone's life to be ruined because of her.
Especially when exams were so close.
She didn't know what to do.
Finally she texted Inam.
He replied instantly.
"What happened?"
Areeba asked him directly.
"Why are you leaving college?"
His answer was cold.
"Why do you care?"
Areeba tried to persuade him.
But he ignored everything she said.
Frustrated, she called Noor again.
"What should I do?"
Noor replied slowly.
"I know you like Inam."
"Just think about what you want to say."
Areeba felt confused.
Yes… she liked him.
But not in the way they thought.
She liked him as a friend.
He was the only male friend she had.
But everyone misunderstood it.
---
The Confrontation
The next day Noor told her she had met Inam in the market.
"He said he won't come back to college."
Areeba's anger finally exploded.
She immediately called him.
"I need to talk to you."
"Come to college."
"Let's talk face to face."
At first he refused.
"Just say it on the phone."
But Areeba insisted.
"Come to college. I'm waiting."
After some time, Inam arrived.
Noor sat with Areeba on a bench.
When he approached them, Areeba stood up.
"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.
Her voice was sharp.
Four years ago, Areeba would have reacted much more harshly.
Maybe even slapped him.
But the current Areeba had changed.
She didn't want to hurt anyone.
So she tried to control her anger.
"I told you I don't want that kind of relationship," she said.
Inam looked at her calmly.
"You're just scared of your family," he replied.
"That's why you rejected me."
Those words ignited something inside her.
"Who do you think you are?" she snapped.
"Why would I be scared of anyone?"
She took a deep breath.
"I do like you… but only as a friend."
"I didn't want to ruin our friendship."
"But it seems like that was just my wishful thinking."
Inam stared at her silently.
Then suddenly he pulled out the assignments she had given him.
And tore them apart.
The sound of paper ripping echoed in the quiet campus.
Areeba's anger burned.
But neither of them said anything more.
They both walked away in opposite directions.
---
The Breaking Point
Later that night, Areeba saw another message from him.
"Just say yes to me."
"I'll talk to your parents."
Areeba felt exhausted.
"If you don't want to listen, that's your choice," she replied.
"But I won't keep repeating myself."
He kept texting.
But she ignored most of it.
The next morning she saw Inam sitting with Noor and Safa on the ground.
They were talking and laughing.
Areeba hesitated to go there.
Then Noor waved her over.
"Come here."
Reluctantly, Areeba joined them.
They were writing assignments.
She greeted them and started writing her own work quietly.
Inam tried to start a conversation.
But Areeba didn't respond.
Then Noor played some music.
Inam interrupted.
"You have terrible music taste."
"Let me show you real music."
He played another song.
Then he looked at Areeba.
"What do you think?"
"It's good," she replied shortly.
But her voice sounded distant.
Then Inam spoke again.
"Yesterday I tore the assignments you wrote for me."
"Is anyone willing to write them again?"
Areeba slowly opened her bag.
Inside were the torn pages.
She had picked them up after he left.
Her eyes were cold as she handed them to him.
"I worked hard to write those pages," she said.
"If you don't appreciate it… don't ask again."
Then she stood up and left.
---
The Final Decision
That evening she went to the library and studied alone.
Later at night, Inam texted her again.
They talked for a while.
Finally Areeba said firmly,
"This is the last time I'm saying this."
"Between you and me… it's impossible."
"Stop wasting your time."
"If you keep insisting… I'll have to block you."
Inam tried to explain himself again.
But Areeba was tired.
Without saying another word…
She blocked him.
---
The Late Night Message
The next morning she woke up and checked her phone.
There was a new message.
From Hary.
They rarely talked now.
Only if something important happened.
But the timing caught her attention.
1:45 AM.
Areeba frowned.
Why would he text so late?
She opened the message.
Then replied.
"What happened?"
A few seconds later his reply came.
A single question.
"What is your relation with that guy… Inam?"
Areeba's eyebrows furrowed.
How did he even know about Inam?
Her fingers hovered above the screen.
Something about this felt strange.
Uncomfortable.
And somehow…
Dangerous.
Because this simple question…
Was about to open a chapter of her life that would change everything she believed about trust, friendship… and love.