Chapter 1
We didn’t know these days would end.
We thought laughter, late nights, and endless talks
would last forever.
We believed friendship could survive everything, that the people we loved would always stay.
We were young, careless, and certain that nothing could pull us apart.
But time has a quiet way of breaking even the strongest bonds.
The apartment had a life of its own, shaped not by furniture or walls, but by the people who lived inside it. It was the kind of place where laughter lingered long after it faded, where arguments never lasted long enough to matter, and where silence, when it appeared, felt comfortable rather than heavy. Every corner carried traces of the girls who called it home scratched tables, cushions that had lost their shape, books stacked without order, and photographs pinned to the walls that captured moments no one wanted to forget.
Morning light entered slowly through the wide window of the living room, settling gently over the carpet and creeping toward the couch where Bella had fallen asleep the night before, her bag tossed carelessly to the side. The city outside had already started moving, but inside the apartment, time seemed to stretch lazily, as if it had learned to wait for them.
Hayat had been awake for a long while.
She sat near the window, her back supported by a cushion, her legs folded comfortably beneath her as she held a thick fictional novel in her hands. Reading had always been her way of staying grounded, especially after graduation, when the world had suddenly expected her to move forward without explaining where exactly she was supposed to go. Fiction offered her something reality rarely did clarity without judgement, emotions without explanation, and endings that, even when painful, made sense.
She turned the page slowly, fully immersed in the story, her expression calm and thoughtful. From the outside, it might have looked like she was doing nothing all day, but in truth, her mind travelled farther than anyone else’s. She had learned that staying home did not mean standing still; sometimes, it simply meant choosing peace over noise.
The quiet was broken when a bedroom door opened suddenly, followed by an exaggerated sigh that echoed through the apartment.
“I honestly don’t understand why mornings exist,” Bella complained as she dragged herself into the living room, her hair messy, her eyes barely open, and irritation already visible on her face as if it were a permanent part of her personality.
Hayat did not look up from her book, but a faint smile touched her lips. “Good morning to you too,” she said gently, her tone calm enough to contrast Bella’s frustration.
Bella collapsed onto the couch, burying her face into a cushion. “How are you always so peaceful? I wake up angry for no reason.”
“That’s because you wake up thinking,” Hayat replied quietly. “I wake up reading.”
Bella lifted her head and stared at her. “That explains everything.”
Before Hayat could respond, another door opened, this time more deliberately.
Yona stepped out of her room, already dressed neatly, her posture confident, and her presence impossible to ignore even in the comfort of her own home. There was something about her that demanded attention without asking for it, a sharp intelligence in her eyes and a natural ease in the way she carried herself. She looked at Bella for a moment, then tilted her head slightly, amused.
“You look like someone personally offended you,” Yona said, her lips curving into a knowing smile.
Bella pointed weakly toward the clock. “Time did.”
Yona laughed softly as she walked into the living room. “You and time have a complicated relationship.”
From the kitchen, a sudden gasp followed by hurried footsteps announced Elmae’s presence before she even spoke.
“Okay, serious question,” Elmae said loudly, holding an empty milk carton as if it were evidence in a crime scene. “Who finished the milk and thought it was acceptable to leave the carton like this?”
Bella raised her hand lazily. “Me.”
Elmae’s eyes widened dramatically. “You didn’t even ask?”
Bella shrugged. “I was irritated. Milk was there. Milk is gone.”
Yona shook her head slowly. “This is why society collapses.”
Hayat finally closed her book and placed it beside her, watching them with quiet affection. These small, meaningless arguments were part of what made the apartment feel alive. They argued because they were comfortable, because no one was afraid of being misunderstood here.
Breakfast was simple, chaotic, and loud.
Elmae talked endlessly, jumping from one topic to another without pause, sharing stories from university, imitating professors, and laughing at her own jokes before anyone else had the chance to react. Bella complained about everything from assignments to people who breathed too loudly while Yona teased her relentlessly, enjoying every dramatic reaction she received.
At one point, Yona checked her phone, her expression softening as she read a message.
Hayat noticed immediately.
“Your parents?” she asked quietly.
Yona nodded, her smile becoming smaller, more private. “My mom. Asking if I’m eating properly.”
Bella scoffed. “Parents never stop worrying.”
“They shouldn’t,” Hayat said gently. “Distance makes worry louder.”
Yona didn’t reply, but she held her phone a little longer before putting it away. Australia was far, and even though she rarely spoke about it, the distance lived with her every day.
After breakfast, Yona, Bella, and Elmae began preparing for university.
Bella struggled with her bag, pulling at the straps. “Why does this feel heavier every day?”
Elmae laughed. “Because it’s full of responsibilities.”
“Lies,” Bella muttered.
Hayat stood up, collecting the cups and plates, moving slowly but with purpose. When Elmae asked if she was coming with them, Hayat shook her head.
“I’ll stay home,” she said. “I have a new book.”
Bella smiled teasingly. “Fictional worlds again?”
Hayat met her gaze calmly. “They make more sense.”
After the door closed behind them, the apartment fell into a rare, peaceful silence.
Hayat cleaned slowly, then returned to her place by the window, opening another novel. Outside, the city moved without pause, but inside, time felt kind. As she read, her phone buzzed softly.
A message from Cedric.
Did you eat?
She smiled without realizing it and replied simply, Yes. Thank you.
Cedric was like that always present, always kind, never asking for anything in return. He listened without interrupting, supported without questioning, and carried his own struggles quietly, never placing their weight on anyone else.
At the university, life moved faster.
Yona walked through campus with her usual confidence, aware of the looks she received but unbothered by them. That was when she noticed Aron leaning casually against a wall, laughing with his friends. He was handsome in an effortless way, the kind of person who knew his charm but never had to announce it.
Their eyes met.
His smile slowed, becoming deliberate.
Yona raised an eyebrow, unamused yet curious.
Nothing was said, but something shifted in the air between them, subtle and sharp.
Bella, meanwhile, had already found her problem for the day.
Jimmy.
He tapped his pen against the back of her chair on purpose, a lazy smirk on his face when she turned around.
“Do you enjoy being annoying?” she snapped.
Jimmy leaned back. “Only when it works.”
She rolled her eyes and faced forward, her heart beating faster than she wanted to admit.
Back home, evening returned the girls to each other.
They talked over dinner, shared stories, laughed loudly, and complained about nothing important. Hayat listened, smiling softly, feeling grateful for moments like these.
None of them realized how fragile happiness could be.
For now, they were together.
And together felt like enough.
[To be Continued]
