Minnie POV
I woke up when my phone started ringing. As I opened my eyes, I realized I was still lying on the floor. My phone rang again inside my bag. Weakly, I picked up the call. It was Sara.
Sara: "You little idiot, are you still in bed? It's already 9:00 in the morning and you're still sleeping! Our final exam is next week. We have to prepare the whole book."
I cried and said, "Sara... it's all over."
Sara: "Minnie, I'll be there in five minutes"
I heard hurried footstep my door. Sara burst in, her face full of worry.
Sara: "Minnie... what happened to you?"
I tried to speak but my voice broke. My hands were still shaking "I couldn't sleep, Sara. Everything feels so heavy... my mind, my heart... I feel like I lost everything."
She came closer and hugged me tightly.
Sara: "Don't say that. You are not alone. Whatever happened, tell me. We'll face it together."
I cried on her shoulder, holding her like she was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.
After some time, I gathered myself and told her everything about yesterday... about his words, and about how he said he would leave for Paris this evening.
"I lost all hope in him, Sara. I can't control myself anymore," I sobbed.
"I know this was just a fake relationship, but the love he showed me felt so real... so true."
I cried while hugging her. We were still sitting on the floor.
Sara held my face gently and said, "Minnie, look at me. If his love was real, he wouldn't walk away so easily.'
"But Sara..." I whispered, "he made me believe in everything. He made me feel special."
Sara sighed and pulled me closer.
"Sometimes people come into our life to teach us lesson, not to stay forever. You deserve someone who chooses you every day, not someone who leaves."
I wiped my tears and asked, "Do you think I was wrong to trust him?"
Sara replied softly, "No, Minnie. You were not wrong to love. He was wrong to break it."
I cried harder, and she hugged me tighter. "I'm scared, Sara. I don't know how to face it today."
She whispered, "You will face it... and I'll be with you. You are not alone."
In the evening I stood outside Will's house with trembling hands.
My heart was beating so fast that I felt it would break my chest. I took a deep breath and rang the bell.
The door opened.
Will's mom looked surprised. "Minnie? Come in. dear."
I stepped inside slowly.
Will's dad came from the living room. "Oh Minnie, you came. Sit down."
I forced a small smile.
"Uncle... aunty... is Will at home?"
Will's mom exchanged a look with his dad and sighed.
Will's mom: "Yes, he is packing his things. We are leaving tonight."
I nodded and walked towards his room. I knocked on the door and heard his voice.
"Come in."
When I entered, I saw him packing his bags. I forced smile.
"Hey... are you done packing, or do you need any help from me?" I asked.
He looked at me and said softly, "No, Minnie. I'm already done packing."
I took a deep breath.
"So... before you leave, we have to tell your parents about our relationship," I said.
He stayed silent for a second.
"That was our deal, right?" I asked again.
He sighed and nodded. "Yes... our deal"
We went downstairs and saw his mom and dad talking in the living room. When we stood in front of them, they looked confused.
Parker: "What happened?"
Will said, "Mom, Dad... we need to tell you something about us."
Mia clapped her hands happily. "Omg! Really? Are you both getting married?"
Hearing her words, my heart broke, but I controlled myself and smiled.
"No, aunty," I said softly.
Will took a deep breath and started explaining everything.
"On my birthday night, Minnie and I decided to be in a fake relationship. It was just a deal... nothing serious at the beginning. And before I leave for Paris, we promised to tell you the truth."
Mia's smile slowly faded.
"A fake relationship?" she asked in shock. "Why would you do something like that?"
Will looked down.
"It was my mistake, Mom. I didn't think about the consequences."
Parker said firmly, "So all this time... you both were acting?"
I gathered courage and spoke,
"Yes, uncle. It started as acting... but I never planned to hurt anyone."
There was a heavy silence in the room.
Mia looked at me with sad eyes. "Minnie... did you fall in love with my son?"
I couldn't lie anymore.
"Yes, aunty," I whispered. "I did."
Will looked at me in surprise.
Parker stood up slowly. "Then why are you leaving her, Will?"
Will's voice shook.
"Because I have to go to Paris, Dad. And this relationship was never supposed to become real."
Mia walked closer to me and held my hand. "My dear... love is never fake when hearts are involved."
Tears filled my eyes.
"I didn't come here to create problems," I said. "I just wanted to keep my promise and tell you the truth before he leaves."
Mia hugged me gently. "You are a brave girl, Minnie."
Will looked away, unable to face me.
Parker said in a calm voice,
"Truth always hurts, but hiding it hurts more. Thank you for telling us."
The room felt silent, heavy, and full of unsaid emotions.
Mia aunty looked at Will with tears in her eyes. "WilI... why didn't you tell us earlier?"
Will said nothing.
Parker uncle spoke in a heavy voice, "So you played with her feelings and now you are running away to Paris?"
Will tried to explain, "Dad... I never planned to hurt her. It just happened."
Mia aunty came near me and held my hands.
"Minnie, my dear... I thought you were my future daughter-in-law."
Her words broke me from inside.
"I'm sorry, aunty," I whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
I turned around and started walking towards the door.
Every step felt heavy.
Before opening the door, I stopped for a second.
"Thank you for treating me like your own daughter,"
I said to them.
"I will always respect you."
Mia aunty hugged me tightly. "You will always be part of this family, Minnie."
I broke from her hug and walked out of the house.
Tears rolled down my cheeks as soon as I stepped outside.
The sky was dark... just like my heart.
"Minnie... wait."
I stopped near the gate. When I turned back, Will was standing there with his bag on his shoulder.
"Why are you leaving like this?" he asked in a flat voice.
I looked at him with hope. "So... you are stopping me because you don't want me to go?"
He shook his head slowly.
"No, Minnie. I just wanted to clear something before you leave."
My heart started beating fast. "What do you want to clear?"
He looked straight at me, with no emotion on his face.
"Minnie, you misunderstood everything between us"
I felt my chest tighten. "Misunderstood... what do you mean?"
He crossed his arms.
"I always treated you like a friend. Nothing more."
My eyes filled with tears.
"A friend?" I whispered. "Then what about all those moments... all those promises?"
He replied coldly, "You took them seriously. I didn't. It was just part of the deal."
"So... all this time..." my voice broke, "I was alone in this love?"
He nodded slightly.
"Yes. You made it more than what it was."
My hands started shaking. "You said you cared about me."
"I do care," he said calmly. "But only as a friend. Minnie, don't confuse friendship with love."
His words felt like knives.
"You hugged me... you held my hand... you looked at me like I was special," I cried.
He turned his face away. "That was just how I behave. You shouldn't have taken it seriously."
Tears rolled down my cheeks.
"So I was just a misunderstanding?" I asked.
He answered without hesitation,
"Yes. I came to Chennai for vacation. Now I'm going back to Paris. This chapter ends here."
I laughed weakly through my tears. "You made me believe it was real."
"That was never my intention," he said coldly. "You created expectations on your own."
I stepped back, feeling empty.
"Then thank you, WilI... for teaching me how painful misunderstanding can be."
He looked uncomfortable but said nothing.
I wiped my tears and said firmly,
"I loved you. But you only saw me as a friend. That is the difference between us."
I turned away.
"Goodbye, Will. I hope your Paris life treats you better than you treated my heart."
I walked away without looking back, leaving him standing there... cold and silent.
Author's Note
Will's cold words to Minnie were not his true feelings. Everything he said was a lie to protect her from more pain. He never wanted to hurt her, but he had no other choice except to leave for Paris. With a heavy heart and silent tears, Will walked away from the girl he loved.
On the other side, Minnie went straight to Sara's house. The pain she carried was too heavy to face alone.
When Sara opened the door, Minnie couldn't hold herself anymore. She hugged her tightly and burst into tears.
Sara: "Minnie... what happened? Why are you crying like this?"
Minnie cried on her shoulder. "He left, Sara... he really left."
Sara closed the door and pulled her inside.
Sara: "Come in... sit down first."
Minnie shook her head. "He said everything was my misunderstanding. He said he only saw me as a friend."
Sara's eyes widened. "What? After everything he did?"
Minnie wiped her tears.
"He said he was going back to Paris... and this chapter ends here"
Sara hugged her again. "No, Minnie. Those words were not from his heart. He was forcing himself to be cold."
Minnie whispered,
"Then why did it hurt so much, Sara?"
"Because you loved him truly," Sara said softly. "And true love always feels pain when it ends.'
They sat together on the bed in silence for a while.
Minnie said in a broken voice,
"I trusted him... I believed in him... and now I feel empty."
Sara held her hands. "You didn't lose him, Minnie. You found yourself. You learned what love feels like."
Minnie looked at her. "Do you think he ever cared for me?"
Sara nodded.
"Yes. If he didn't care, he wouldn't act so cold. Sometimes people hurt others to hide their own pain."
Minnie rested her head on Sara's shoulder. "I don't want to be alone tonight."
"You won't be," Sara said firmly. "You are staying here with me."
That night, Minnie stayed at Sara's house.
She cried until her eyes became tired.
Sara stayed beside her, holding her hand.
Before falling asleep, Minnie whispered, "Some love stories don't end happily... but they change us forever."
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Author's Note
Not every love story ends together... some end with growth and strength. Minnie's pain is the beginning of her new journey.
Thank you for reading this chapter. please don't forget to vote and support this story. Your love means a lot to me.