Aiman stared at the screen for a long time.
The message was still there.
Unsent.
His thumb hovered over the send button… then slowly moved away.
Not now.
Not like this.
The room was quiet except for the faint ticking sound of the old wall clock above the window. The second hand moved steadily, as if reminding him that time never waited for anyone.
Not even him.
Aiman leaned back against the chair.
The dim yellow light above his head flickered once before becoming steady again. His rented room was small. Just enough space for a bed, a chair, a narrow table, and a metal shelf filled with books he rarely touched anymore.
Life used to feel bigger than this.
Warmer than this.
His phone vibrated.
Alya.
He froze.
For a moment, he only watched her name appear on the screen.
Then another vibration followed.
Nadia.
Aiman closed his eyes slowly.
Two names.
Two people who still believed he was strong.
Still believed he was fine.
Still believed nothing had changed.
If only they knew.
If only things were still that simple.
Aiman forced himself to breathe slowly before opening the messages.
Alya: "Are you busy tonight?"
Nadia: "We were thinking maybe we could finally meet. Just for a while."
Meet.
That single word felt heavier than anything else.
He looked down at his hand.
It was trembling again.
Stronger than yesterday.
He clenched his fingers tightly, hoping the shaking would stop.
It didn't.
Aiman swallowed quietly.
If they saw him like this…
If they saw what he was becoming…
No.
He couldn't let that happen.
Not to them.
Not when he had already decided what he needed to do.
His fingers moved slowly across the screen.
"I'm sorry. I can't make it tonight."
He stared at the sentence.
Then deleted it.
Typed again.
"I'm a bit busy these days."
Deleted again.
Silence returned to the room.
Outside the window, a car passed.
Somewhere nearby, someone laughed.
Life continued as usual.
Just not for him.
Aiman placed the phone on the table.
His eyes slowly moved toward the small mirror hanging beside the shelf.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Then he stood up and walked closer.
The person staring back at him didn't look the same anymore.
His face looked thinner.
His eyes looked tired.
And there was something else.
Something he could no longer ignore.
Aiman quickly looked away.
His breathing became heavier.
Not yet.
They must not know yet.
His phone vibrated again.
Another message.
Alya: "You've been quiet lately."
Nadia: "Did something happen?"
His chest tightened.
They always noticed.
They always cared.
Even when he tried to hide everything.
A small smile appeared on his face.
Weak.
But real.
"I'll protect both of you," he whispered softly.
Even if it means…
you must never see me like this.
Even if it means…
I have to disappear from your lives first.