As soon as Bashir rang the bell, I didn’t wait for anyone. Not Nafisa, Desire, nor George. I picked up my bag and walked out of the class like I was being chased. The noise behind me faded, but the noise in my head only got louder.

By the time I got home, my chest felt tight. I didn’t greet anyone, neither did I drop my bag properly or remove my shoes. I just sat on the edge of my bed, pulled out my phone, and opened his chat.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard for a few seconds before I typed.

4:38 PM

To George:

So you walked out on me today?

I stared at the message after sending it, my heart beating faster than it should. I knew he was still in school but he’s always with his phone. Three minutes passed, then his reply came in.

4:41PM

From George:

How can you say that you don’t know if I love you? What’s that supposed to mean?

I let out a dry laugh. Of course, he’d ignored the part that mattered but I didn’t hesitate this time.

4:41PM

To George:

Who is Rejoice?

The moment I sent it, my chest tightened because that name had been sitting in my mind for days.

Typing…

The three dots appeared. Then disappeared. Appeared again. Then nothing.

I waited for five minutes. Ten minutes. Thirty minutes. An hour. 

Still nothing. Eventually, his status went offline. 

Fuck you.

Tears gathered in my eyes again, why was he breaking my heart into tiny pieces. He has no fucking reply. No explanation.

My anger rose slowly, mixing with something worse, fear. I dropped my phone on the bed and stood up abruptly, pacing the room as I wiped my tears.

“No,” I muttered to myself. “I’m not going to let one stupid girl destroy my relationship.”

Because George loved me. He said it and I knew he meant it, he had even shown it countless times. I breathe deeply before changing my uniform.

“Zara, come and help me,” my mum called.

Of course. Like always, I didn’t complain.

I checked my phone again still no text. I quickly assisted my mum with cooking, arranging and cleaning, I was the only one that does the major work in the house even though I wasn’t the last born, it felt like I didn’t belong to the family. 

By the time I was done, my body was tired, but my mind was too occupied with only one thought, are we over? 

I couldn’t sleep, I was beyond restless. My head kept replaying everything. I checked my phone but there was no message, missed call. It was already midnight but I just lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, still waiting for his text because I knew one thing for sure was that he doesn’t sleep early.

However, no text came. How could he be so calm with everything? I picked up my phone again and this time, I didn’t soften anything. I sent a message to him.

12:32 AM

To George:

I have a picture of you and her, why would you cheat on me?

As the message ticked sent, my heart began to pound faster as if it was going to burst.

Six minutes later

12:38 AM

From George:

There’s nothing serious between us.

I blinked twice. He just confirmed that he actually cheated on me, what kind of relationship have I gotten myself into? I sat up.

“That’s it?” I whispered to myself. “That’s your explanation?”

My fingers moved quickly and I texted.

12:38 AM

To George:

You haven’t answered my question. Why would you cheat?

This time, the reply took longer, I watched the screen like it owed me something until he replied.

12:49 AM

From George:

She came to me and I was with her but I don’t love her.

For a second, I couldn’t breathe because of how easily he said it. It was as if he expected me to understand that it meant nothing. My chest tightened painfully but I still typed because I needed him to hear me. 

He needed to feel what I was feeling.

12:52 AM

To George:

If I did the same thing when I was with my grandparents or even here… would you be happy?

This time, there was no delay. He replied immediately.

12:53 AM

From George:

I’m sorry.

I stared at the message. Waiting for something else because he owed me an explanation, a genuine reason but nothing came.

And somehow his apology hurt more than everything else because it felt empty. Way too easy, too light for something that had just broken me.

My hands trembled as I locked my phone and dropped it beside me. Then the tears came immediately because it was at this very moment I knew that I deserved to be treated better.

After what felt like forever, soaked in my own tears, I curled up on my bed, holding onto my pillow like it could keep me together.

“What did I do wrong?” I whispered into the darkness.

Because that was the only question my heart kept asking.

What did I do wrong?

✨ Unik readers, this chapter is a lot ☹️

If you were Zara, how would you bring up the subject of ‘George’s infidelity,’ in a chat or face-to-face?

Thank you for reading this chapter 📖