Ayliz rushed through the house, her voice echoing in every corner. "Mumma! Mumma!" She searched frantically until her father, barely looking up, said, "She's in the balcony, busy with something."

Without a second thought, Ayliz bolted towards the balcony, her heart pounding. As soon as she spotted her mother, she threw her arms around her from behind, holding on as if she had just returned from a war.

Her mother, startled, turned around and gave her a sharp look. "Did you leave without having breakfast again?" she asked, her voice laced with both concern and scolding. "You ran out on an empty stomach, didn't you?"

Ayliz bit her lip, her wide eyes pleading for mercy. "Mumma, I was getting late... I'm sorry! I swear I'll eat properly from tomorrow."

Her mother sighed, shaking her head. "You always say that. Now come inside and eat something before you leave for school."

Ayliz nodded and turned to follow her mother inside. But just then, something outside made her feet freeze in place.

A bike roared down the street, its sound slicing through the quiet morning air. Her breath hitched. Her fingers tightened around the edge of the balcony railing.

Zyran.

He was riding casually, probably returning from a friend's house. Ayliz stood frozen, her gaze fixed on him, watching every movement as if time had slowed down.

Ayliz couldn't move. She couldn't blink. It was as if the world had tilted on its axis, leaving just one person in sharp focus.

"Ayliz!" Her mother's voice shattered the silence, pulling her back to reality.

She turned sharply, her heart still drumming against her ribs. What was happening to her?

Why did her pulse race at the mere sight of him?

Why did the world blur, leaving only him behind?

She didn't understand why she couldn't take her eyes off him. Why did her heartbeat race whenever she saw him? Why did the world around her fade away, leaving only one person in sight?

And most of all... why did she hate this feeling, yet crave it at the same time?

She had no idea what was happening to her.

She had no idea what this feeling was.

Ayliz finished her breakfast and left for school, completely unaware of how her day was about to change. As she stepped onto the campus, the familiar sight of her friends gathered in the corridor greeted her. They were laughing, lost in their conversations, their voices blending into the bustling school atmosphere. But today, Ayliz was different—she wasn't in her usual school uniform.

She wore a short, white chikankari kurti, its delicate embroidery resting perfectly against her warm, sun-kissed skin. Paired with loose-fitting blue jeans, she looked effortlessly graceful, an image of quiet elegance. Her long, silky hair was braided casually, resting over her right shoulder, strands escaping here and there, giving her an almost ethereal charm.

With her school bag slung over one shoulder and traditional mojris tapping rhythmically against the floor, she walked confidently, a soft, unshaken joy reflecting in her every step.

But that happiness was about to shatter like fragile glass.

As she reached her friends, they all greeted her warmly. She asked, "What's the topic of discussion?"—curiosity in her voice.

Ava, one of the girls, smirked. "It's something you wouldn't understand, Ayliz. You always stay far away from these kinds of things."

Ayliz frowned, confused. She turned to Noor, her closest friend, hoping for an explanation.

"Noor, what's going on? Atleast you tell me."

Noor, visibly blushing, tried to suppress a nervous smile.

Before she could answer, Ava grinned mischievously and said, "Oh, Ayliz, Noor is in love!"

Ayliz blinked, the words echoing in her mind. "In love?" She repeated, her voice almost uncertain, as if trying to process the statement.

Ava laughed. "Yeah, just like everyone else! But of course, this isn't your thing. You only care about books."

Ayliz ignored the comment and turned to Noor, teasing her with a playful tone. "Wait a second! Love? With whom? When? How? And you didn't even tell me Noor?"

Noor sighed, a dreamy look on her face. "It just happened, Ayliz. I don't know how, but I fell in love."

Ayliz giggled, still intrigued. "Okay, okay! But at least tell me about him ..Who is he lucky boy!"

And then... everything stopped.

The moment Noor spoke, Ayliz felt like the ground had been ripped from under her feet.

"Zyran."

The name hit her like a storm, leaving her breathless.

Her fingers tightened around her bag's strap, her knuckles turning white. Her heart pounded mercilessly against her ribcage, her breath suddenly shallow. A sharp sting burned behind her eyes as if she was fighting back something—something she couldn't even name.

Zyran...

Noor's voice continued, oblivious to the silent chaos inside Ayliz.

"I love him so much, Ayliz. I'm completely in love with him."

Ayliz felt as if someone had just stabbed her straight through the heart.

She struggled to breathe. She couldn't—she just couldn't.

But she forced herself to remain still, to not let her emotions betray her.

She swallowed the pain rising in her throat and, with every ounce of strength she had left, managed to ask, in a barely audible whisper—

"Does he... love you too?"

Her voice trembled.

Because deep down, she already knew... this question could break her completely.