When the Mask Fell
Leila watched as her best friend, Reem, laughed, her eyes filled with admiration for the man sitting beside her. Adam. The name itself made Leila's stomach churn. Something about him felt wrong, off, like a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit. She had tried to ignore it at first, convincing herself that maybe she was just being overprotective. But as the weeks passed, the feeling only grew stronger.
She noticed the way his smile never quite reached his eyes. The way his grip on Reem’s hand tightened when she spoke to other men. The way he would subtly belittle her in front of others, only to brush it off as a joke. Reem never seemed to mind, or maybe she didn’t see it. Love had a way of blinding people.
One evening, Leila decided she couldn’t stay silent any longer. As they sat together in a quiet café, she took a deep breath and said, "Reem, I need to talk to you about Adam."
Reem’s expression changed instantly, her smile fading. "What about him?"
Leila hesitated, then pushed forward. "I don’t think he’s good for you. I’ve seen the way he treats you, and it’s not right. He’s possessive, controlling—"
Reem cut her off, scoffing. "Oh, come on, Leila. Not you too. You sound like my mother."
"Reem, I’m serious," Leila pressed. "He doesn’t respect you. He dictates what you wear, who you talk to, where you go. That’s not love."
Reem’s face hardened. "You just don’t like him because he’s not the kind of guy you’d date. You’ve always been judgmental."
Leila blinked, taken aback. "That’s not true. I just want what’s best for you."
"No, you want me to be alone like you," Reem snapped. "You’re jealous that I found someone who loves me."
Leila felt like she had been slapped. "You don’t mean that."
Reem stood up, her chair scraping against the floor. "I don’t need your negativity in my life. You’re just bitter. And you know what? We’re done. Don’t ever talk to me again."
Leila sat there, stunned, as Reem stormed out of the café. A friendship of over ten years shattered in an instant. And for what? A man who wasn’t even worth it.
At first, Reem convinced herself she had done the right thing. Adam loved her. He treated her like a queen. So what if he got a little jealous sometimes? It was only because he cared. And sure, he didn’t like her going out without him, but that was normal, right? He just wanted to protect her.
But as time passed, things started to change.
The compliments turned into criticisms. The possessiveness turned into control. The gentle reprimands turned into threats.
"Who were you talking to?" he would demand if she so much as smiled at a waiter.
"Why are you dressed like that? Are you trying to get attention?"
"If you really loved me, you’d listen to me."
And then, one night, the control turned into something worse.
Reem had arrived home late from work. Adam had been waiting for her, his expression dark. "Where were you?" he asked, his voice dangerously quiet.
"I told you, I had to stay late," she said, trying to keep her voice calm.
His hand lashed out before she could react. The impact sent her stumbling backward, her cheek burning. She stared at him, shock and pain flooding her senses.
He looked just as stunned as she was. "Reem, baby, I’m so sorry," he murmured, reaching for her. "I didn’t mean to. It’s just—I love you so much. I can’t stand the thought of losing you."
She wanted to run. She wanted to scream. But instead, she let him hold her, whispering apologies into her hair. She convinced herself it was a one-time thing.
It wasn’t.
The bruises became harder to hide. The excuses more difficult to make. Reem stopped seeing her family, her friends. She had no one left. And Adam knew it.
"I’m the only one who cares about you," he would say. "No one else would love you the way I do."
She believed him. Until the night he almost killed her.
It had started like any other fight, but this time, his anger was different. It was colder. More deliberate. He had grabbed her by the throat, squeezing until she saw spots in her vision. And in that moment, she realized—he wasn’t going to stop. Not until she was gone.
Something inside her snapped. She clawed at his hands, kicked at his legs, and somehow, she broke free. She ran. She didn’t stop until she was outside, gasping for air, her hands shaking as she fumbled with her phone.
There was only one person she could call.
The phone rang once. Twice. Three times.
Then, a voice she hadn’t heard in months. "Reem?"
The dam broke. She sobbed into the phone, unable to form words.
Leila didn’t hesitate. "Where are you?"
Not why are you calling? Not what do you want?
Just where are you?
Because real friends don’t hold grudges when someone they love is in danger.
When Leila arrived, she didn’t ask questions. She didn’t say I told you so. She just pulled Reem into her arms and held her as she cried.
The next few days were a blur. Leila took her to the hospital. Helped her file a police report. Sat beside her as she told her story, her voice shaking but determined.
And when the court date arrived, Leila stood beside her, holding her hand as Adam was brought to justice.
Reem was still broken, still healing. But she wasn’t alone anymore. And that made all the difference.
When Leila arrived, she didn’t ask questions. She didn’t say I told you so. She just pulled Reem into her arms and held her as she cried.
The next few days were a blur. Leila took her to the hospital. Helped her file a police report. Sat beside her as she told her story, her voice shaking but determined.
And when the court date arrived, Leila stood beside her, holding her hand as Adam was brought to justice.
Reem was still broken, still healing. But she wasn’t alone anymore. And that made all the difference.
Months passed. Reem found herself rebuilding her life piece by piece. Therapy sessions, new friendships, rediscovering the things that once made her happy. Through it all, Leila was there, a constant presence, never asking for anything in return.
One evening, as they sat on Leila’s balcony, watching the city lights flicker in the distance, Reem took a deep breath and said, "I was awful to you. I don’t deserve your forgiveness."
Leila turned to her, eyes soft. "You made a mistake, Reem. We all do. What matters is that you found your way back."
Tears welled in Reem’s eyes. "I don’t know what I’d do without you."
Leila smiled, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "You’ll never have to find out."
And for the first time in a long time, Reem truly believed it.
Moral of the Story: True friends may walk away when hurt, but when you truly need them, they will always be there to catch you when you fall