Part 1 – Walking Home
Airha and her best friend walked home together. The road was quiet, shining after the rain.
Maira looked at her and said, "Do you know what Deniz did? He played with Ella's feelings. He was with her and at the same time, he was with Emma. He cheated both of them."
Airha shook her head. "Forget Ella. Listen to me. I have an interview tomorrow for an internship."
Maira stopped. "An internship? What if your father finds out? What if he creates problems for you? What will you do then?"
Airha's voice was calm but firm. "Father has already ruined enough of my life. If I keep being scared of him, I'll never move forward. I have to be strong now. For myself."
Maira stared at her for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Fine… I just hope everything goes well. Best of luck."
She waved and ran off toward her own way home.
Airha stood alone on the road for a few seconds, holding her bag tightly. She was nervous about tomorrow but also determined. She turned toward her house, not noticing that someone on the other side of the street was quietly watching her.
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Part 2 – The Watcher
Airha walked slowly toward her house. The streets were quiet now, only the sound of her footsteps and the faint barking of a dog far away. She hugged her bag close to her chest. The thought of the interview tomorrow made her both nervous and excited.
She didn't notice the pair of eyes following her from across the road.
A boy leaned against a wall, half-hidden in the shadows. His lips curved into a smile as he watched her. Deniz.
He pulled out his phone, pretending to scroll, but his eyes kept going back to Airha. He had seen many girls in this school, and most of them fell for his charm easily. But Airha was different. Quiet. Careful. Almost… untouchable.
"Let's see how long you can ignore me," he muttered under his breath, smirking.
Airha reached her house, opened the gate, and went inside without looking back. The door closed with a soft click.
Deniz slipped his phone into his pocket and walked away slowly, whistling to himself.
Tomorrow, he thought, would be interesting.
Part 3 – Secrets in the Diary
Airha pushed open the gate and stepped into the house. Her room was quiet and dim when she entered. Without switching on the light, she dropped her bag on the chair and lay down on the bed with a heavy sigh.
A soft knock came at the door. Her mother's gentle voice followed.
"Airha, dinner is ready. Come eat with us."
Airha closed her eyes for a second, too tired to move. "Not now, Mama. I'm really tired. I'll eat later," she called back.
The footsteps faded away, leaving her alone again. Slowly, she unlocked her phone. A few new notifications popped up — mostly useless messages — but one caught her eye. An email.
She opened it quickly, her tired face softening with a spark of hope. The subject read: Interview Confirmation.
Her lips curved into the smallest smile. Tomorrow was real.
Still, the weight in her chest didn't go away. With a sigh, she pushed herself up from the bed, opened the drawer of her study table, and pulled out a small diary with a worn cover.
She locked the door of her room, sat by the desk, opened to a blank page, and began to write. Her pen moved quickly, almost like she was trying to trap her thoughts before they escaped.
The room was silent except for the scratching of her pen. Her diary was the only place where she dared to tell the truth.
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Author's Note:
Thank you so much for reading this chapter! I hope you enjoyed getting to know Airha. Her story is just beginning, and many more secrets and twists are on the way. Stay tuned for Chapter 2!