Chapter Thirty-Six: Panic at Home
(Ria's POV)
The morning had started like any other. I was sprawled across the living room couch, laptop open, scrolling through college applications, scribbling down personal statements and essays. My dream was clear — medical school, a future as a doctor. But somehow, the focus I usually had felt… shaky.
Maybe it was finals stress lingering, maybe it was the way the sun felt too hot through the window, or maybe it was just nerves.
The phone rang, jolting me upright. My parents' name flashed on the screen.
"Hello?" My voice sounded small.
"Ria, beta," my mother said, voice sharp but calm. "Your father and I have been discussing… your future. We think it's time you consider marriage seriously. There's someone suitable — we've already met him."
I froze. What? Marriage? Now?
"M-Ma… I… I can't…" My voice cracked.
"Beta, we're only thinking about what's best for you. Think carefully." The call ended before I could say anything else.
I sat there, hands shaking, heart hammering. A cold dread settled in my stomach. Marriage? My parents wanted me to get married? And what if… what if Miles said no?
Maya plopped down beside me, eyes wide. "Ria… oh no. This is… what? Today? Now?"
I shook my head, tears spilling down my cheeks. "I… I can't. Miles… what if he says no? I can't… I can't lose him. Not now. Not ever."
Maya grabbed my hands, squeezing them tight. "Ria… breathe. We'll figure this out. But… what if my parents do the same thing? What if I'm expected to marry someone I don't love?"
I hugged her tight. "It's… it's awful, isn't it? Feeling like the world's rushing you, like… like nothing you do is enough."
The front door clicked, and Lia walked in, looking tired from work but immediately sensing the tension. "Ria, Maya… what's going on?"
I sobbed harder. "Lia… it's my parents… they want me to… marry someone else! I… I don't know what to do!"
Lia's eyes softened. She sat beside me, brushing my hair back. "Ria… you love Miles. You have to tell him. Now. Before anyone decides for you."
"I… I can't," I choked, shaking violently. "What if he says no? What if he… what if he doesn't want to marry me?"
Maya's eyes were wide, tears threatening to spill. "What if… what if they do this to me too someday?"
Lia sighed, hugging both of us. "Then we fight it together. But right now, you can't wait. You have to be brave, Ria. Miles is… Miles. He's not just anyone. He'll do the right thing."
I buried my face in my hands, sobbing. My body shook, my chest heaving. Panic clawed at my chest. The thought of losing him — of someone else deciding my life — felt unbearable.
Even with Lia and Maya there, holding me, the room felt tiny, suffocating. My heart raced as I imagined what I'd do next. The only thought that kept me grounded: Miles.
Only him.