Xhani's POV
Later that night, Ziya came over. I had been avoiding her, but she knew something was wrong. She called earlier and told me she'd be over at 7 PM for a girls' night sleepover. Zain planned everything for us. He made snacks, drinks, and even bought a projector so we could watch a movie outside in the garden.
I guess this will be good for me—an opportunity to try and forget and ease back into normal life.
---
7 PM
DING DING DING... the doorbell wouldn't stop ringing. Zain quickly ran downstairs to answer it while I sat on my bed, attempting to finish some homework before Ziya arrived.
"Hey, baby girl!" Ziya called, running toward me and throwing herself into a big hug.
"Hey, bestie," I said, pulling her in tighter.
"How have you been? Where have you been? Why haven't you been coming to school?" She fired off her questions in one breath.
"Haha, relax. Breathe. I'll tell you everything, but calm down first," I said, pulling away from the hug.
"So, I guess this is my cue to leave and let you girls catch up. Call me if you need anything, princess," Zain said as he walked over, kissed my forehead, and left the room.
"I love you," Zain yelled from the door.
I didn't reply, and Ziya noticed. She looked at me with a questioning expression, waiting for an explanation.
"Oh, it's nothing," I said quickly, trying to brush off her curiosity.
"Why haven't you been answering my calls or coming to school, Xhani?" Ziya asked, holding my hands tightly.
I couldn't hold back my tears anymore. I rested my head on her shoulder and began sobbing uncontrollably. The floodgates had opened, and I couldn't stop. Ziya didn't press me; she simply sat there, waiting for me to calm down. She wrapped her small hands around my shoulders, hugging me tightly and letting me know she was there for me.
After what felt like forever, my cries subsided, leaving me drained and exhausted. Ziya gently lifted my face, her hands soft but firm. Only then did I notice her red, tear-streaked eyes. She had been crying with me.
"What happened, Xhani?" she asked, her voice full of concern.
"I... I, Ziya... I killed my baby," I admitted, my voice trembling. Tears started rolling down my cheeks again, though this time more controlled.
"What?" she gasped, her tone laced with shock. She pulled me into another tight hug, holding me as if to stop me from breaking apart completely. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
I pulled away, looking down at my trembling fingers. I was nervous but desperate to share my feelings with someone.
Tears kept falling silently as Ziya held my hands firmly. We sat facing each other, and finally, I began to tell her my story.
"I got pregnant when Zain and I returned from our trip to the hut. I didn't know until two weeks later," I said, pausing to steady myself. "Ziya, you don't know how happy I was to be pregnant with Zain's baby."
I stopped, gathering courage before continuing. "I was so excited to start this new chapter of my life, but Zain... Zain wasn't ready to start a family. I couldn't force him to accept the baby, so I lied. I told him I wasn't ready either," I confessed, my voice breaking as I cried.
"I feel so empty now, Ziya. I don't know how to move past this. I don't even know how to look at Zain anymore."
"Oh, baby girl, you shouldn't have gone through with the abortion. If you had told me, I would've stopped you from making that decision," she said, her voice full of pain.
"I know how much this means to you. You've always talked about starting a family young, especially since you don't have one of your own," she added softly.
She paused, then offered a faint smile. "But hey, look at the bright side. Now you get to finish your studies, travel, and figure out what you really want in life. And if you still want kids later, we'll make it happen. But, baby girl, I don't want you to get stuck in this sadness. What's done is done, and sitting here, letting it eat at you, won't change that."
She held my face gently, her smile encouraging.
I knew she was right. I couldn't undo the past, but I could focus on the future.
"You're right. I need to move forward and think about what's next," I said, leaning into her for one last hug.