Rayyan stepped out of Monica's car slowly, his heart tightening in his chest.
Lisa stood a few meters away, her arms wrapped around herself like she was holding her own body together.
Her eyes were swollen.
Her cheeks still wet.
Her breathing shaky.
This wasn't the furious Lisa from yesterday.
This was someone… broken.
Someone scared.
Someone lost.
Monica stayed inside the car, watching carefully. Rayyan glanced back at her, telling her silently:
It's okay. I'll handle this.
He walked toward Lisa, keeping his voice calm.
"Lisa… what's wrong?"
Lisa opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She pressed her lips together, as if trying to stop her voice from shaking.
"Can we… can we talk somewhere else?" she whispered.
Rayyan nodded.
They walked toward a quiet bench under a big tree, away from the crowd. The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves, casting broken patterns of gold on the ground.
Lisa sat down first.
Rayyan sat beside her — not too close, but close enough to show he was there.
Silence.
Long. Heavy. Unbearable.
Finally, Lisa spoke.
"Rayyan… I'm so sorry."
The words trembled out of her.
She wiped her tears quickly, looking away from him.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'm sorry for embarrassing you yesterday. I'm sorry for blaming you. I'm sorry for saying those horrible things. I… I wasn't in my right mind."
Rayyan looked down.
"It's okay, Lisa. You were angry."
"No," she whispered. "I was drowning."
Rayyan felt something crack inside.
He turned to her.
"Lisa… what's going on?"
Her breath hitched. She looked at him with a painful expression, one he had never seen before.
"Rayyan… the bruises you saw… the ones you kept worrying about…"
She touched her arm unconsciously — the same spot Rayyan had seen bruised on the first day.
"I didn't fall," she whispered.
Rayyan froze.
The air around him stiffened, the world narrowing to just her voice.
"They weren't accidents."
Rayyan swallowed hard.
"…Did Ayden—?"
"No!" she said immediately, shaking her head violently. "No, Rayyan. Ayden never hurt me. Never. Not once. I know he seems loud, messy, childish… but he's not violent. He's not that type."
Rayyan let out a shaky breath, relieved… yet confused.
"Then who—?"
Lisa's eyes filled with tears again.
"It's my brother."
Rayyan blinked, stunned.
"My brother… he has a problem," she said slowly. "Anger issues. Gambling. Drinking. All of it. My father died when I was young… and he became the head of the house. My mother fears him. I fear him."
Her voice cracked.
"My brother owes people money. A lot of it. And when he gets pressured to pay… he takes it out on me."
Rayyan's fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms.
Lisa continued, voice trembling harder.
"He hits me when he's drunk. He breaks things in the house. He shouts. He throws things. And two nights ago… it got worse."
Her lips shook as she tried to steady her breathing.
"He came home angry. Someone came to collect money from him. He didn't have enough. So he asked me to give whatever I had."
Rayyan felt his stomach twist.
"That's why you asked me for money?"
Lisa nodded slowly.
"I needed $200 to stop him from… from hitting me again."
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"I didn't know who else to go to. I don't have anyone here. Ayden is in London. My mother is sick. And Rayyan…"
She looked at him — eyes raw, vulnerable, pleading.
"You were the only person I felt safe asking."
Rayyan felt something break inside him.
Not anger.
Not pity.
Something deeper.
"Lisa… you should have told someone. Anyone."
She shook her head.
"If I tell the police… my brother will go to jail. My mother will collapse. Our family will break apart. And if I tell Ayden… he'll come back from London. He'll fight. He'll get hurt. I can't let that happen."
She wiped her tears again.
"I don't want to ruin anyone's life. Even my brother's."
Rayyan took a long deep breath, trying to stay composed.
"Lisa… I'm sorry you're going through this. No one deserves that."
She closed her eyes, tears streaming.
"You must think I'm stupid. Weak. Dramatic."
"Stop," Rayyan said gently. "You're not any of that. You're… surviving. And that takes strength."
Lisa let out a shaky breath, as if she'd been holding it for years.
"I'm sorry for shouting at you in front of Monica," she whispered. "I wasn't angry at you… I was angry at my life. At everything falling apart."
Rayyan nodded.
"I know."
She hesitated.
"And… Rayyan…"
Her voice dropped to a soft whisper.
"I shouldn't have dragged you into my problems. You're already struggling. You don't deserve any of this."
But Rayyan shook his head.
"No, Lisa. Listen to me. When someone is hurting… they deserve help. Even if they don't know how to ask for it."
Lisa stared at him.
Soft.
Broken.
Searching.
Rayyan sighed.
Rayyan took a slow breath, choosing his words carefully.
"Lisa… I don't have much money," he said gently. "Ayden's father stopped supporting me. I'm working as a tutor now. I'll get paid weekly, but not today. I wish I could help, but right now… I'm helpless."
Lisa's lips trembled.
"But I need it today, Rayyan," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I'm relying on you."
Rayyan shook his head slowly.
"Lisa… I can help you little by little in the coming weeks. But today… I really can't. I hope you understand."
She stared at him, wounded.
"Why?" Her voice sharpened, shaking. "Why won't you help me? Is it because of what happened? Because of what I said?"
Rayyan forced a small, soft smile — one filled with exhaustion.
"No, Lisa. It's not because of that. It's because the truth is… I have nothing right now."
But Lisa seemed unable to hear him.
Her face crumpled, and she covered it with both hands as tears spilled through her fingers.Her crying grew louder — not the quiet, pained tears from earlier.This time it was loud, desperate, pleading.
Rayyan froze.
This wasn't normal.Something felt wrong.
She kept repeating the same plea over and over again:
"Please, Rayyan… please… I need the money… you must help me… please…"
Rayyan felt his chest twist, not just with sympathy — but with doubt.
Why isn't she asking Ayden?If she's so desperate… why come only to me?And why like this… like she's forcing herself?
Something didn't add up.
"Lisa…" Rayyan said quietly, trying to steady his voice. "I think you should go home. And Lisa… honestly… you should file a police report. If your brother is hurting you, it's the only way to end this. You don't have to suffer like this."
The moment he mentioned the police — Lisa's face changed.
Instantly.
Her crying stopped.Her eyes widened.Her lips tightened.
"I don't need to go to the police!" she snapped. "I just need money. Why can't you give it to me?"
Rayyan felt the atmosphere shift — tense, sharp, dangerous.
"I think this isn't the right time for us to talk," he said firmly. "You should go home. If you want, I can ask Monica to send you back safely."
Lisa's expression twisted in anger.
"I don't need her!" she shouted. "I need YOU! Why are you pushing me away?!"
Rayyan stood slowly, trying to keep the situation calm.
"Goodbye, Lisa. Please… go home."
He turned to walk back to Monica's car—
But suddenly Lisa grabbed his wrist, her grip tight and trembling.
"STOP!" she cried. "You can't do this to me! You CHEATED me!"
Rayyan froze in shock.
"What…? Lisa, what are you saying?"
Before he could react, Monica saw everything from inside the car. Her eyes widened — and without hesitation, she rushed toward them.
"Lisa," Monica said firmly, stepping between them, "what happened? What's wrong? Tell me — maybe I can help."
Lisa glared at her with red, swollen eyes.
"I NEED MONEY!" she screamed. "Two hundred dollars! Can YOU help me? No? THEN GET LOST!"
Her voice echoed across the courtyard. Several students turned to look.
Monica clenched her jaw, holding back her anger. She inhaled deeply, maintaining her composure.
Then, without a word, she opened her purse.
Rayyan watched, stunned.
Monica took out $250, placed it firmly on the bench, and looked straight into Lisa's eyes.
"This is more than what you asked for," she said calmly. "Take it. And stop disturbing Rayyan."
Lisa stared at the money — shocked, speechless.
Monica didn't wait for her to react.
She gently but firmly took Rayyan's hand.
"Come," she said softly. "Let's go."
Rayyan followed, still frozen from everything that happened.
As they walked back toward the car, Monica didn't look back at Lisa even once.
She couldn't.
Because she couldn't bear watching someone tear Rayyan down… when he had already been broken too many times.