"What?" I could see the shock etched on Tevin's face.

"Why are you so surprised? Didn't you notice? And you never will," I said. he remained silent.

After a pause, he looked at me and asked in jest, "You loved me, really?"

"I was also taken aback, Tevin. How could I love a despicable person like you?"

"Did you befriend me for that reason? Well, listen to me, Rehaan. I am not gay, and I don't want to be like you," he shouted at me.

"Yes, I know I shouldn't have. From now on, I don't want to see you anymore. Let's put an end to our friendship here," I said, walking away and taking my bike with me. I glanced at Tevin through the mirror, and he was still looking at me. I knew he couldn't handle the truth, but I couldn't bear to face him any longer.

When I returned, my father was nowhere to be found. I rushed to my mother and burst into tears.

"What's wrong, my child?" She inquired with concern.

I sobbed uncontrollably and couldn't find the words to explain. She gently patted my back, urging me to speak. Eventually, I poured my heart out to her. She embraced me tightly.

"It's alright, Rehaan. Life sometimes gives us hardships. You must move forward from this," she comforted me.

"But why couldn't Tevin understand me? Why do people view being gay as a crime?" I questioned.

"Rehaan, no matter what he said, don't let his words linger in your heart. We stand by you, my son," she reassured me.

My father overheard our conversations. He stepped outside once more.

She embraced me tightly until my tears ceased. Then, she led me to the kitchen.

"Rehaan, I'll whip up something for you quickly. Stay here," she instructed, settling me down on a chair.

After a while, my father returned, clutching something in his hands.

"Hey, don't bother making anything. I've already bought food," my father announced.

My mother glanced at his hands and asked, "What do you have there?"

Rehaan's favorite Biriyani is ready. Let's dig in," he said with a warm smile as he handed it over to mom.

My father sat beside me, wrapping his arms around my shoulder. He looked at me and said, "Rehaan, we may not be able to change people's attitudes, but we will always love you, son."

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I gazed at him. "Pa, did you hear our conversation?"

"Hmm... and remember, there are many handsome boys in this world. You are as precious as a diamond, and finding a son-in-law won't be a problem for us. Got it?"

I embraced him tightly. "Thank you, pa."

“And Rehaan, if there is anything that's troubling you, please don't hesitate to share it with us. We are always by your side, supporting you through thick and thin”.

"I will, Pa," I sobbed.

"Feel free to cry, my son. We are here for you. Your parents will always be here, shielding you from anything that brings you tears," he reassured, glancing at my mother. She approached us and enveloped me in a warm embrace.

That was the final time I laid eyes on Tevin. After that, he vanished completely from my life. He deactivated his Instagram account and got a new sim card. Then, three months later, our college organized a ceremony to honor the top students in our department. We all gathered for a small get-together. Tevin was noticeably absent. As we sat in the canteen sipping tea, our professor mentioned Tevin's name once more. She revealed that Tevin's father had called her and spoken ill of me. This news piqued the curiosity of all the students including me.

“What's the deal with Rehaan? Why, ma'am?”

"He said Rehaan passed because he copied Tevin's answers." She says, "Isn't that ridiculous? I was so surprised by his father's attitude."

"And was Tevin with him?" one of our classmates asks.

"No, his father said he was going to send Tevin abroad." She said.

"Abroad...why?"

"Because he failed. His father is so disappointed in him."

"That's really sad for him."

When they were both having a conversation, my mind wandered to how he must be doing. Is he okay? Did his father mistreat him? I wish I had spoken to him more patiently. He doesn't have anyone in his life to confide in.

"His father is too harsh. He torments his son in every way," remarked another student.

I turned my attention to her. "What did you just say?" I inquired.

"Don't you know Rehaan? His father has always subjected him to torment since he was a child. That's why he excels academically, so he doesn't disappoint his parents," she explained.

"And to top it off, he used to ride his bike to class. His father didn't allow it, and he was scolded for it," chimed in another student.

“I feel bad for Tevin. He completely disconnected from us. He even mentioned that nobody cared about him and that he didn't have any real friends”.

"How did you find out about this?" I inquire.

"Tevin told us. He was really emotional while sharing his story. I don't think anyone was there to lend an ear," another student reveals.

‘Alone, with no one to listen, truly’. I felt consumed by anger and sorrow during that period.

I seethed with anger and sorrow, left without a single soul to hear my thoughts. I chose not to respond, instead sitting in silence. In that moment, our friendship felt utterly counterfeit to me. He even demanded that I keep it all a secret. Did he ever truly mean anything he said to me? I feel sorrow for his predicament, but the more the students spoke, the more my hatred festered.

Upon returning home that day, I purged all traces of him from my phone, deleting every photo except for one - our final class picture. As I entered the house, I found my younger sister waiting for me. I approached her, leaving all my sadness behind. I had already instructed my mother not to disclose Tevin's existence to my sister. I didn't want her to experience the sorrow of discovering my own woeful love story.

It was quite a surprise when I heard about him from Maahi after all these years. He has become the lead singer of a renowned band and has gained a massive fan following, including my sister. Initially, I couldn't believe that the person who went abroad is now a famous singer. I felt curious about how this transformation occurred, but then I realized it's not my place to inquire.

To be continued...