I knew this moment was coming. I had been avoiding it for days, but I couldn’t run anymore.
The knock on my door was loud, like it was meant to break through the wall I had built around myself. I knew exactly who it was. Mom. She didn’t wait for me to say anything before she opened the door and walked in.
"Zain," her voice was sharp, like a knife cutting through my thoughts. "We need to talk."
I didn’t even bother to look up from my phone. I didn’t want to hear it. "I’m fine," I mumbled, trying to brush her off.
She wasn’t having it. "No, you’re not. You think I don’t see what’s going on? You’re skipping school, sneaking around, lying to me about where you’re going. And what’s worse—you're pushing Ella away. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but this ends now."
I could feel my chest tighten. "I’m not pushing her away," I said through clenched teeth. "I just don’t want to do everything you’re telling me to do."
She stepped forward, her presence towering over me. "No, Zain, what you’re doing is making a fool of yourself. You think you can just throw everything away? The future we’ve built for you, the opportunities Ella’s family has given you? You’re going to ruin it all if you keep this up."
I could feel the anger building inside me, but I couldn’t let it show. "Ella doesn’t want what you want for me," I muttered, my words coming out colder than I meant them to. "She’s not like what you expect."
My mom’s eyes narrowed, and her voice dropped to a chilling tone. "You think I care about what she wants? You think I’m going to sit back and watch you throw away everything we’ve worked for, everything we’ve sacrificed, just because you’ve got some silly idea about what you want?"
I stood up, my heart pounding. "I’m not a kid anymore," I shot back. "I don’t need to follow your plans for me."
Her eyes flashed with fury. "No, you’re not a kid. You’re a young man who has responsibilities. You’re part of this family, Zain. You don’t get to just throw that away because you think you know better. You are going to marry Ella. It’s what’s best for you, it’s what’s best for this family, and it’s happening whether you like it or not."
My breath caught in my throat. "What?" I asked, barely able to believe what I was hearing. "You can’t force me to marry her. I don’t even know if I want that."
She crossed her arms, her gaze never leaving me. "You don’t get to decide that anymore. Your father and I have worked hard for years to make sure you’re set up for a good life. You have everything in front of you—a future, a stable future with Ella’s family. You will marry her, and you will not ruin it with your childish rebellion."
I could feel my whole body go tense, my fists clenched. "I don’t care about your plans for me. I don’t want to marry her. I don’t want to live the life you’ve set up for me," I said, my voice shaking with a mix of anger and frustration.
Her expression hardened. "You’ll learn to want it. And if you don’t, you’ll regret it. You’ve got it good, Zain. You think you can just throw all this away and live some other way? You can’t. And if you keep this up, you’ll be on your own. We won’t help you anymore."
I turned away, trying to leave the conversation before it got worse, but she grabbed my arm with surprising strength.
"You listen to me," she said, her voice like steel. "You will marry Ella. You will do what’s expected of you. You will not ruin everything we’ve worked for. If you think you can just walk away from that, you’re making a huge mistake."
I jerked my arm away, feeling the heat of her anger burning against my skin. "I don’t care. I’m not doing this anymore. I’m done with your plans. I’m done with your control."
I could see the rage in her eyes as she took a step back. "You’re making a mistake, Zain. You’ll regret this, mark my words."
I didn’t answer. I turned and left, my heart pounding. I wasn’t sure if I was making the right choice, but in that moment, I knew I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t follow her, I couldn’t live her life for her. I had to live mine, whatever that meant.
As I slammed the door behind me, I heard her call after me, but I didn’t look back. I had already made my decision, and there was no turning back now.
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