Chapter 4 : Crossed Lines

Ren's phone buzzed again. He had just finished a sketch and was about to switch to a new video when he saw Maya's name on his screen.

He exhaled, already sensing that she had something on her mind. Lately, things between them hadn't been the same. Their friendship had hit a rough patch after something Maya did in the past had hurt Ren deeply. He hadn't confronted her about it, but the weight of unspoken words hung heavy between them.

Maya's message popped up.

What are you doing?

Ren hesitated before replying, keeping it casual.

Multitasking like Chatting, working on a sketch, watching YouTube.

Chatting? With whom?

Ren smirked at her sudden interrogation.

Of course, with you... and your best friend.

Maya's response was immediate.

Fuck you. She isn't my best friend. I don't even know her. I only know she's Zara's friend. Don't call her my best friend.

Ren shook his head at her reaction, amused. He typed back, teasing her.

Zara is your friend, and Tulip is Zara's friend. That makes her your friend too.

I hate her. Don't call her my best friend.

Her sudden hostility made him pause. Why was she so against Tulip? Before he could respond, another message came through.

In fact, she's your best friend. Why don't you admit it?

Ren decided to push back playfully.

Oh, so you're jealous?

Answer me. Is she your best friend?

He sighed, choosing his words carefully.

Nah, you're my best friend. I was just kidding.

Maya didn't reply right away. Instead, a few seconds later, a screenshot appeared on Ren's screen.

His stomach twisted as he opened it.

It was a chat between Tulip and Zara. Below the chat, Tulip had written: "I think Ren likes me."

Ren's heart skipped a beat. His mind raced, an uneasy feeling settling in his chest. Did she really think that? And more importantly-why did Maya have this screenshot? Was Tulip talking about him in a way that made others assume something between them? His grip tightened around the phone. A strange mix of confusion, nervousness, and something else-something he didn't want to name-swirled inside him.

Before he could process it, Maya's next message arrived.

Is she lying?

Ren reread the message, unsure how to respond. His throat felt dry. Finally, he typed back.

No, I don't like her.

Then go and tell her that. Not me.

Ren hesitated. The idea of confronting Tulip about something like this felt awkward, unnecessary. Why did he have to clear up something she had casually said to a friend? But before he could reply, Maya's next message made his stomach drop.

Block her. Right now, Ren.

Ren's fingers hovered over Tulip's profile.

He stared at it.

His chest tightened, a dull pressure spreading through his ribs. He shouldn't feel this way. Blocking someone should be easy, especially if it meant avoiding unnecessary drama.

Then why did it feel so wrong?

A lump formed in his throat. His hand was steady, but his mind wasn't. His thumb lingered over the block button, his body frozen in hesitation. It was such a small action-a simple tap. But it felt heavier than it should.

A part of him wanted to ignore Maya. To just put his phone down and act like he never saw the message.

But then, Maya's voice filled his mind-sharp, unwavering.

"Do it, Ren."

She had always known how to make him listen. How to make him feel like he owed her. Even after everything, even after all the things she had done, he still felt like he couldn't just ignore her words.

His breathing was shallow now. His thumb inched closer.

One tap.

Tulip's name disappeared from his screen.

Ren blinked, his chest tightening as if he had just done something irreversible. His fingers curled into a fist. His throat felt dry. There was no immediate relief, no sense of accomplishment. Just a hollow, sinking feeling.

Like he had made a mistake.

Like he had crossed a line he wasn't supposed to.

A moment later, he opened Maya's chat.

Done.

Setting his phone aside, he ran a hand through his hair. The hollow feeling refused to leave.

Had he done the right thing? Or had he just complicated everything?

A few moments later, the uncertainty gnawed at him. He picked up his phone again and called Harvey, his best guy friend. As soon as Harvey answered, Ren spilled everything.

Harvey didn't hesitate. "Are you dumb?" he nearly shouted. "Why did you block her?"

"I... Maya told me to."

"Since when do you just follow whatever Maya says?" Harvey sounded exasperated. "Ren, listen. You don't block someone because someone else tells you to. That's messed up."

Ren sighed. "I just didn't want any unnecessary drama."

"Well, guess what? Blocking her is drama. Unblock her, dude."

After a long pause, Ren did exactly that.

The next afternoon, Ren's phone buzzed again. Maya.

Why did you unblock her?

He had been expecting this. Taking a deep breath, he started typing.

I wasn't feeling right about it, so I took Harvey's advice.

So you listen to Harvey, but not me?

No, that's not what I meant.

Bye.

Ren groaned in frustration. He could see her online, but she wasn't responding.

Then, after a moment, she sent one final message.

You know what, Ren? You don't want to hurt anyone. You want to make everyone happy. And because of that, people get hurt.

Her words stung. They crawled under his skin, making his stomach churn. Was she right? Was he really the problem? He clenched his jaw, staring at the message.

Before he could reply, another text came in.

Tulip shares everything with Zara, and Zara forwards it all to me. Tulip likes you, Ren. Zara told me she's not your type of girl. She's just... not good. But she thinks you like her. So I'll just say this-if you're not blocking her, don't flirt with her.

Ren exhaled slowly. His fingers hovered over the keyboard. A thousand thoughts rushed through his mind, but none formed into words.

Before he could type anything, Maya sent one last message.

Bye now. Don't text or call me. I have work to do. Don't disturb me.

And with that, she went offline.

Ren stared at his screen, her words replaying in his mind. Was Maya right? Was he really hurting people by trying to keep the peace? And more importantly... what now?

His thumb hovered over Tulip's chat. He knew what he should do-set things straight, tell her he didn't like her, clear the air before things got messier.

But a part of him hesitated. A part of him wasn't ready to send that message.

Instead, he locked his phone, leaning back against his chair.

Maybe he'd deal with it later.

Or maybe... he didn't want to deal with it at all.