I Yearn For You... (Part 5)

Part 5: Walking on Shattered Glass

Arya was working at her desk. She was having trouble focusing on her work because she kept remembering the events of the day. Priya's words pierced her heart. *"Yeah... she was right, though. Whatever happens to her shouldn't matter to me. I'm nobody to her; I'm just a friend... I should maintain my boundaries with her."* Arya's chain of thought broke when Priya called her into the cabin. Priya asked her to sit.

Priya said, "Arya, I'm extremely sorry about the mistake I made yesterday. I know I went too far... Please forgive me..."

Arya said, "It's okay, I forgive—" At that moment, a tall, slightly muscular, dusky-toned guy came into the office. He said without a moment's delay, "What's this nonsense, Priya? Why did you say yesterday that you don't want to marry me?" Arya was shocked after hearing this. Priya said, "We will talk about this later." He shouted, "Just answer my damn question now!" Arya got angry. She said, "Hey, mister... stay within your limits—" He glared at Arya angrily. But Priya stopped her. She cut her off and said, "Arya, you should go now. We'll talk later." Arya was full of anger, but she didn't utter a word; she just left the cabin. After a while, he also left the cabin. But Arya's anger didn't calm down. Arya knew from their conversation that he was Priya's fiancé, but that was the most painful thing to her, which was bothering her so much. She also felt a little bit of disappointment when Priya ordered her to leave the cabin. *"Why was I so possessive about her at that time? And why am I a little bit jealous of that guy?"*

When Arya left the office in the evening, she went to a small shop and bought a pack of cigarettes. She went to a small alley nearby and started smoking. Unfortunately, Priya saw her and approached Arya. Priya asked Arya, "Are you smoking?" Arya said sarcastically, "No, I'm dancing here." Priya pouted angrily and said, "I meant since when did you start smoking?" Arya's anger had not subsided, so she said rudely, "It's none of your business." Priya was shocked. Priya suddenly remembered their encounter from yesterday, and she felt very bad when she heard her own words. 

She said, recovering herself, "Throw it away and come with me." But Arya said, releasing her hand from hers, "Why should I listen to you? Why do you even care? Now you're not my boss. I don't interfere in any of your affairs, so you should not interfere in mine." Priya said, "Why are you saying this? Aren't we friends?" Arya was also hurt by her own actions, but she put on a facade and said rudely, "If you thought of me as a friend even once, you wouldn't have said those things to me yesterday." Priya was very sad after hearing this; she just left, hiding her tears. Arya was also hurt by her own words, but she knew it was better to maintain her boundaries with Priya. Arya said, puffing smoke from her mouth, "Now she's definitely gonna hate me." As she spoke, a single tear rolled down her cheek.

Now it feels like they are both walking on shattered glass, which was broken by their trust, their bond, and their hearts.