Rain clouds pressed low over the city, the windows streaked with silver light.Inside the quiet hospital ward, Lisa sat on the edge of the bed, her hands clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.Monica perched beside her, calm but alert, while Rayyan stood by the window, arms folded, uncertain where to begin.
"Lisa," Monica said softly, "you can talk to us. Whatever it is, we'll listen."
Lisa's lips trembled. For a moment she only stared at the floor.Then, with a broken breath, she whispered, "It's not about jealousy… or you two. It's… something else."
Rayyan turned toward her, heart heavy. "Then tell us. Please."
She nodded slowly, as if forcing herself to open a door she'd kept locked for too long.
"It started before Ayden left for London," she said. "We were… close. He cared for me—or at least I thought he did.He said he'd stay in touch, promised we'd figure things out when he came back. I believed him."
Her voice cracked. "But after he left, everything changed. He texted less. Calls stopped. And then… my body changed too.At first, I thought it was just stress. But after two months, I realized I hadn't had my period."
Monica's breath caught. "Oh, Lisa…"
"I took a test." Lisa's eyes filled again. "It was positive."
The room fell silent. Even the ticking wall clock seemed to hold its breath.
"I told him right away," she continued. "I thought he'd panic—but at least listen.Instead, he said it wasn't possible. That I was lying. That I was trying to trap him."Her voice hardened into a whisper. "He said it was just one night, and that I was making it up."
Rayyan's stomach twisted. Ayden. The name echoed like thunder inside his chest.
Lisa pressed a shaking hand to her forehead. "After that, he stopped answering. Blocked me on everything. I tried, again and again. Nothing."
She looked up, eyes red and desperate. "You have no idea what that does to a person, Rayyan. To be left with nothing but silence."
Monica placed a gentle hand on her arm. "You must have felt so lost."
"I was." Lisa's voice broke. "And that's when I made up my mind. I started looking for clinics… places that could make it go away.I thought it was the only way. I even started asking around for money. I didn't want to bring a child into this mess.I couldn't face my family. I couldn't face myself."
Her words hung in the air, heavy and raw.
Rayyan stepped forward, his voice low. "Lisa… you were thinking of an abortion?"
She nodded weakly. "Yes. I just wanted it all to stop. The guilt. The fear. The shame. I didn't see any other way."
Monica's eyes glistened, but her voice was steady. "Lisa, listen to me. Ending a life—your child's life—won't heal yours. It'll break it even more."
Lisa flinched. "You don't understand, Monica. I can't do this. I'm alone. I can't even look at myself in the mirror."
Rayyan crouched beside her, meeting her eyes. "Maybe we can't understand everything you feel, but we do understand pain.Running from it won't make it disappear."
She shook her head. "You don't know what it's like to wake up every day wishing it was all a bad dream."
Rayyan's tone softened. "No… but I know what it's like to carry something heavy and pretend you're fine.You're stronger than you think. You don't have to destroy yourself to survive this."
Lisa covered her face with her hands. "But what about my future? My parents? They'll hate me."
Monica took her hands gently away. "They might be angry. They might cry. But eventually, they'll still be your parents.And you'll still be you. Don't punish yourself because of Ayden's cowardice."
Lisa stared at her, eyes wide. "But I can't raise a baby."
Monica gave a faint smile. "You don't have to figure that out today.Right now, you just need to stay safe. There are proper doctors, counsellors, shelters—people who will help you decide without destroying yourself."
Rayyan nodded. "We'll help you find them. You don't need to face this alone."
Lisa's breathing slowed. The tears didn't stop, but something in her face began to ease—just a little.
"Why are you doing this for me?" she whispered. "After everything… after how I acted?"
Rayyan's voice was quiet. "Because everyone deserves someone who won't give up on them.And because no one should have to choose between life and fear."
For the first time, Lisa let out a small, fragile sob that wasn't from panic but release.Monica wrapped her arms around her, holding her tight as if to keep her from shattering again.
Later That Afternoon
Lisa finally fell asleep, drained but calmer.Rayyan and Monica stepped into the corridor, the fluorescent lights buzzing faintly overhead.
Monica leaned against the wall. "She's terrified. I can't blame her. She's carrying everything alone."
Rayyan nodded, his jaw tight. "Ayden did this. And he walked away."
Monica looked at him carefully. "You're thinking of calling him, aren't you?"
"I have to," Rayyan said. "He's my friend… but what he did is unforgivable."
She sighed. "Then be careful. Don't let anger make things worse."
Rayyan exhaled slowly. "It's not anger. It's guilt. I should've seen how broken she was. I was right there all this time."
Monica touched his arm gently. "You can't fix the past, Rayyan. You can only stand by her now."
He nodded, though his eyes stayed distant—staring at something beyond the sterile corridor walls.
Evening — A Fragile Promise
When Lisa woke again, the first thing she saw was a small paper bag on the side table. Inside were fruits, a few biscuits, and a note.
"For strength. – Monica."
She blinked, then saw Rayyan sitting quietly by the window.
"You're still here," she said, voice small.
"I told you I'd stay," he replied.
Lisa hesitated. "I… I cancelled the appointment."
Rayyan looked up. "What appointment?"
She swallowed hard. "The clinic. For tomorrow. I called them and said I'm not coming."
A faint smile touched his lips. "That's good."
"I don't know if I'm doing the right thing," she whispered.
"You are," he said simply. "You chose life. And that's always the right start."
Tears welled again, but this time they carried something gentler than despair. "I'm scared."
"Being scared means you still care," Monica's voice came from the doorway.She stepped in, her smile warm but tired. "And that's a good sign."
Lisa looked between them — two people who, despite everything, still stood beside her.The loneliness she'd carried for months began to fade, replaced by a fragile kind of hope.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Monica squeezed her hand. "We'll figure this out together, okay?"
Lisa nodded.
Outside, the storm clouds finally broke apart, sunlight spilling weakly through the hospital window.For the first time in a long time, Lisa didn't feel trapped. She felt seen.
Nightfall
As they left the ward, Rayyan and Monica walked in silence through the corridor.
"She's going to need us," Monica said softly.
"I know," Rayyan replied. "And Ayden… he needs to know the truth."
Monica looked at him. "Will you tell him?"
"Yes," he said. "Not as his friend — but as the voice he refused to listen to."
They reached the exit doors. The night air was cool, carrying the faint scent of rain.Rayyan glanced up at the sky and murmured, almost to himself,
"Sometimes reality breaks us… so that compassion can rebuild what's left."
Monica smiled faintly beside him. "Then let's rebuild her, together."
And as they stepped out into the quiet street, the hospital lights behind them glowed like distant stars —a small promise that even from the darkest mistakes, something pure could still begin again.