The bell rang, signaling the start of the tiffin break. It was 2 PM.

Ayliz had been drowning in frustration since morning. Noor had done nothing but talk about Zyran, over and over again, like a broken record. Ayliz couldn't tell her to stop, nor could she admit what was clawing inside her heart. She just sat there, forcing a smile, swallowing every emotion that threatened to spill.

But deep down, she was suffocating.

How badly she wanted to shut Noor up—just one slap, a hard one, right across her face. But she didn't.

She couldn't.

The canteen was crowded, filled with students laughing and chatting. Ayliz and Noor ordered two cups of coffee and started walking toward their group. Just then, Mawra grabbed Noor's arm, pulling her to sit beside her. Ayliz quietly took her seat, watching the mischievous glances being exchanged.

Something was up.

"Noor," Ava leaned in, smirking, "we've planned something for you."

Noor placed her coffee cup on the table and turned toward them, intrigued.

Ayliz, meanwhile, clutched her own cup tighter.

Leeza grinned, her voice filled with excitement. "Noor, why don't you talk to Zyran?"

Ayliz's heart stopped.

Her fingers tightened around the cup so hard that she could feel the warmth seeping through her skin.

"You could talk to him before science tuition," Leeza continued, her tone as casual as if she were discussing the weather. "It's a great opportunity!"

Noor looked at them, startled. Then, her gaze flickered toward Ayliz—who sat stiff, her knuckles turning white, her ears ringing with their words.

Her heartbeat was deafening.

"But... what will I even say?" Noor hesitated. "How do I even start?"

Ava giggled. "Just tell him how you feel! Confess everything, Noor. It's now or never."

Excitement sparkled in Noor's eyes. She was nervous, but there was happiness too—hope.

Ayliz, however, felt like the air had been sucked out of her lungs.

Her stomach twisted.

Her vision blurred.

The mere thought of Noor and Zyran together was unbearable.

Then—something inside her snapped.

"Oh, ENOUGH already yar!" zyran zyran zyran...she shouted, her voice cutting through the chatter like a knife.

The entire table froze.

Ayliz slammed her cup onto the table with such force that the liquid spilled over, staining the surface.

"Can you guys talk about something other than Zyran?!" Her voice was sharp, trembling with emotion.

Dead silence.

The group sat in stunned shock, eyes wide, mouths slightly open.

Ayliz pushed back her chair and stood up, her breath ragged, her heart hammering in her chest. Then, without another word, she turned and stormed away.

The cup of coffee lay shattered on the floor, untouched.

She didn't care.

She just needed to get away.

Her feet carried her to the classroom as fast as they could. Her vision was a blur of colors, her pulse pounding in her ears. Her hands trembled as she reached her seat and dropped down, gripping her pen tightly, pretending to write. Anything to keep herself together.

Minutes later, Noor, Ava, and Leeza walked in.

Ayliz didn't look up.

She knew Noor was approaching.

Instead of acknowledging her, she shifted slightly, making space for her on the bench, her face turned away.

Noor hesitated, then sat down. "Ayliz... what's wrong? Why did you—"

Ayliz opened her mouth to answer, but at that moment, the teacher entered.

The lesson began.

But Ayliz wasn't listening.

Her world had narrowed down to one thought, one fear, one unbearable truth.

If Noor confessed her feelings to Zyran... and if Zyran liked her back... he would say yes.

Wouldn't he?

Ayliz felt sick.

Her chest ached.

She wasn't Noor's enemy. Noor was her friend. And yet—why did she feel like the villain in Noor's story?

Guilt crawled inside her like poison.

She was standing in their way.

She was the obstacle between Noor and Zyran.

But another voice inside her screamed—NO.

She loved Zyran.

Loved him in a way that made her breathless, made her whole world revolve around him.

Seeing him with someone else? It would kill her.

Her mind spun, caught between love, guilt, and agony.

A storm raged inside her, tearing her apart.

And then—she made a decision.

As soon as school ended, all the students rushed towards the main gate, but Ayliz walked alone. Just then, a voice called from behind— Noor's voice. Ayliz froze. Noor hurried toward her and grabbed her arm, pulling her back. Now, Ayliz was looking into Noor's eyes, her lips curling into a faint smile—one that masked a storm within.

Noor's face held concern. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Ayliz let out a small laugh. "Yeah, I'm fine... I just had a headache, that's why things got a little weird in the canteen."

They walked together, their steps slow and measured. Without looking at Noor, Ayliz suddenly asked, "So... you're going to talk to Zyran tomorrow?"

Noor hesitated. "Yeah... I was thinking about it. But I wanted to hear your opinion first."

Ayliz stopped. She knew how much this meant to Noor. Forcing a smile, she said, "You should talk to him." Her voice trembled, her grip tightening around the straps of her bag. "I'm really happy for you... if Zyran likes you too."

The words felt like shards of glass on her tongue, each syllable a betrayal of her own heart. Noor hugged her tightly. "Are you sure?" she whispered.

Ayliz nodded, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall. This was it. This was the choice she had made.

Later that evening, Ayliz stopped by the bookstore to pick up some books. As she stepped outside, she stood under the small shed, watching the dark clouds rumbling above. She knew what was coming. The storm.

"Ugh, I hate rain," she muttered, clenching her teeth.

She needed to get home before the downpour, but just as she stepped out, the skies opened up. Rain poured down in thick, heavy sheets, blurring her vision. She stood frozen, drenched in the moment.

Across the road, a group of people ran toward the shed opposite the bookstore, seeking shelter from the rain. Among them was Zyran.

Ayliz's breath caught in her throat as he sprinted toward her, his figure becoming clearer with each step. He reached the shed, shaking off the rain from his dark hair.

For the first time, Ayliz saw him in school uniform. Light blue striped shirt, neatly tucked into dark blue pants, sleeves casually rolled up, formal shoes slightly wet from the rain, and the top button of his shirt undone. He looked effortlessly handsome.

Zyran hadn't noticed her yet. As he entered he murmured "ahhh I just hate rain".He ran a hand through his hair, scattering raindrops in every direction. Some droplets landed on Ayliz's face. Instinctively, she shut her eyes and covered her face with her hand.

That's when Zyran turned.

His gaze locked onto her, eyes widening in shock. He hadn't expected to see her here. And just like that, for the first time, he saw Ayliz in school uniform.

For a long moment, they just stared at each other.

Zyran swallowed, his voice unsteady. "S-Sorry," he stammered, almost as if he was caught doing something wrong. He hesitated for a second before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a white napkin, offering it to her.

Ayliz just kept looking at him, her heart pounding in her ears. She was about to take it—when suddenly, an elderly woman stepped out of the bookstore and spoke to her. Ayliz turned to answer.

When she looked back, Zyran was still watching her.

But then, something clicked in her mind. Noor.

She couldn't do this. She couldn't take the napkin. She couldn't let herself move forward. Noor loved him. Noor wanted to be with him. And Ayliz could never betray her best friend.

She looked straight into Zyran's eyes—one last time. And then, without a word, she turned and stepped out into the rain.

The cold raindrops mixed with her tears, hiding the storm within her. She was soaked, shivering—but she didn't stop.

She wouldn't look back.

She couldn't.