Chapter Six: The Betrayal

The days following the lantern festival had been filled with a sense of euphoria for Alex. He replayed the memories of that magical evening over and over in his mind—the way Mia's eyes sparkled in the lantern light, the feel of her hand in his, the soft kiss she had left on his cheek. It had been perfect, and he felt a sense of happiness he had never known before.

But then, everything changed.

It started subtly. Mia, who had always been eager to meet him at the balcony every evening, suddenly stopped showing up. At first, Alex thought it was a coincidence—maybe she was busy or had something else on her mind. But as the days turned into weeks, her absence became more pronounced. Each evening, Alex would wait at the balcony, hoping to see her appear with that shy smile of hers, but she never came.

Alex's heart grew heavy with worry. He tried to reach out to her, sending messages and hoping for a reply. But Mia's responses were brief and distant, lacking the warmth they once held. He couldn't understand what had gone wrong. Had he done something to upset her? Was she okay?

Desperate for answers, Alex decided to confront Mia in person. He walked to her house, his heart pounding with anxiety. When he knocked on the door, her father answered, his expression unreadable.

"Is Mia home?" Alex asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Her father hesitated before nodding. "She's in her room. But, Alex, she hasn't been herself lately. Maybe it's best to give her some space."

Alex nodded, feeling a lump form in his throat. "I understand. But can you please tell her I stopped by? I just want to make sure she's okay."

Her father sighed and nodded again. "I'll let her know."

Alex walked away, his mind racing with thoughts and emotions. What had happened to the connection they had shared? Why was Mia pulling away from him after such a wonderful night? The uncertainty gnawed at him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

That evening, as he sat on his bed, his thoughts consumed by Mia, Mr. Jacob walked in. He took one look at Alex and knew something was amiss.

"What's wrong, Alex?" he asked, his voice gentle.

Alex looked up, his eyes filled with worry and confusion. "It's Mia. She's been ignoring me. She doesn't come to the balcony anymore, and she barely responds to my messages. I don't understand what happened. Everything was perfect at the festival, and then... she just started acting like she doesn't care."

Mr. Jacob sighed, sitting down beside him. "Sometimes, people go through things that they don't know how to talk about. It might not even be about you, Alex. But I know it hurts."

Alex nodded, feeling a wave of frustration and sadness. "I just want to know what's wrong. I want to help her, but she won't let me in."

Mr. Jacob put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Give her some time. Keep showing her you care, but don't push too hard. If she's dealing with something, she'll come around when she's ready."

Alex tried to take comfort in Mr. Jacob's words, but the uncertainty lingered. He spent the next few days in a fog of confusion, going through the motions of his daily routine but always with Mia on his mind. He continued to send her messages, hoping for a breakthrough, but her replies remained cold and distant.

One evening, unable to bear the silence any longer, Alex decided to try one last time. He walked to the riverside, their special spot, hoping that Mia might find him there. He waited as the sun set, the sky turning shades of pink and orange, but Mia never came.

As he sat there, staring at the water, his mind raced with questions. What had he done wrong? Why was Mia pushing him away? He thought back to their conversations, the moments they had shared, searching for any clue that might explain her sudden change.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized how deeply he had fallen for her. Mia had become a part of his life, someone he looked forward to seeing every day. The thought of losing her was almost too much to bear.

Alex returned home that night feeling more lost than ever. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. He thought about Mr. Jacob's advice, about being patient and giving Mia space, but it was so hard. He wanted to be there for her, to support her, but how could he do that if she kept shutting him out?

Sleep eluded him as he tossed and turned, his thoughts consumed by Mia. He remembered the way she had smiled at him at the festival, the way her eyes had shone with affection. He couldn't reconcile that image with the cold, distant messages she had been sending him.

The next morning, Alex was determined to get some answers. He went about his day, completing his deliveries, but his mind was elsewhere. As evening approached, he found himself at the balcony again, hoping against hope that Mia would appear.

But she didn't.

Feeling a sense of desperation, Alex decided to take a different approach. He wrote Mia a letter, pouring his heart into every word. He told her how much she meant to him, how he missed their conversations and the time they spent together. He asked her to tell him what was wrong, to let him help her if he could.

With a heavy heart, he slipped the letter into an envelope and walked to her house. He hesitated for a moment before sliding it under her door, hoping that she would read it and understand how much he cared.

Days passed with no response, and Alex's hope began to wane. He continued to go through his daily routine, but his heart wasn't in it. The joy he had once felt seemed to have faded, replaced by a sense of emptiness and longing.

One evening, as he sat on his bed, staring at the handkerchief Mia had made for him, he heard a soft knock on his door. He looked up to see Mr. Jacob standing there, concern etched on his face.

"Still no word from Mia?" Mr. Jacob asked, sitting down beside him.

Alex shook his head, his eyes filled with sadness. "No. I wrote her a letter, but she hasn't responded. I don't know what to do, Mr. Jacob. I feel like I'm losing her."

Mr. Jacob sighed, his expression somber. "Sometimes, Alex, we have to let go and trust that things will work out. It's not easy, but if Mia is dealing with something, she might need to work through it on her own. All you can do is be there when she's ready."

Alex nodded, trying to take comfort in Mr. Jacob's words. But the uncertainty and the sense of betrayal lingered, a constant ache in his heart.

As the days turned into weeks, Alex continued to hold on to the hope that Mia would come back to him. He focused on his work, tried to stay positive, but the absence of her presence was a constant reminder of what he had lost.

Each evening, he sat at the balcony, waiting and hoping. And each evening, he was met with silence. The pain of Mia's absence was a heavy burden, but Alex held on to the belief that one day, she would return and explain what had happened.

Until then, he would continue to wait, holding on to the memories of their time together and the hope that their bond was strong enough to overcome whatever challenges lay ahead.