Arjun began cancelling plans.
"Sorry, something urgent came up."
"Let's meet tomorrow."
"I'm out with friends."
Tomorrow rarely came.
Riya would wait at the café for hours.
She would check her phone every five minutes.
Sometimes he didn't even call to say he wasn't coming.
But she would see his Instagram stories—
Laughing with other girls.
Long drives.
Movies.
Smiling selfies.
Her heart would break quietly.
She never complained too much.
Because she was scared.
Scared that if she argued, he would leave.
Scared that if she demanded attention, he would say she was "overthinking."
And since she was hiding this relationship from her parents, she had no one to talk to.
She cried alone at night.
Smiled in front of everyone during the day.