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Left on Read

Sometimes silence says everything you were afraid to hear.

By Hazrat BilalPublished 6 months ago 3 min read

It was just a text.

No arguments. No drama. Just a small, simple message that hung in digital space like a thread waiting to be pulled.

> “Hey… are you okay? I’ve been thinking about you.”



Delivered.
Seen.
No reply.

That little gray “read” receipt at the bottom of the screen hit harder than any goodbye ever could.

I stared at it for hours, watching it like it might suddenly change — like maybe the universe would glitch, and a reply would appear saying:

> “Sorry, I’ve just been busy. I miss you too.”



But it didn’t.


---

His Name Was Ayan

We weren’t in love. Not officially.
But we had something — something unspoken but real.
A connection made of 2 a.m. calls, half-laughed stories, playlists sent back and forth, and that strange comfort that comes from knowing someone gets you without needing to explain everything.

We met online. We met often. But we never put a label on it.
Maybe we were scared. Maybe we were unsure.
Or maybe… deep down, I always knew he wouldn’t stay.


---

The Conversation That Changed Everything

The night before it happened, we talked for hours — the way we always did. I told him about my day. He told me about a song that reminded him of me. We laughed. It felt light. Easy.

But then I said something vulnerable — something raw.

I told him:

> “Sometimes I wonder if you’d miss me if I disappeared.”



There was a pause. Not long, but long enough to feel like a storm.

He replied:

> “Don’t say stuff like that.”



And then he changed the subject.

I thought maybe I had ruined something.
Maybe I got too close to the truth.
Maybe I scared him off by needing more than late-night calls and unspoken feelings.


---

The Message That Wasn’t Answered

The next day, I sent a follow-up.

> “Hey… are you okay? I’ve been thinking about you.”



It was read within minutes.

But the reply never came.

And that’s how it ended — not with a fight, not with closure, but with being left on read.


---

The Pain of Digital Rejection

People say ghosting is cruel.
But being left on read… that’s a whole different kind of sting.

Because it confirms they saw your words.
They just chose not to respond.

You start questioning yourself:

Did I say too much?

Was I too emotional?

Was it all one-sided?


But then you remember the way he used to text first.
The way he said “goodnight” every time, even when he was tired.
The way he listened — really listened — when you talked about your fears.

And you realize… it wasn’t nothing.
It just wasn’t enough.


---

Learning to Let Go Without Answers

I didn’t text again.
Not because I stopped caring — but because I started respecting myself.

There’s something so heavy about chasing someone who’s already halfway out the door, especially when they won’t even tell you why.

Instead, I turned the hurt into reflection.
I wrote about it.
I went for walks.
I listened to the songs he sent me — once, then never again.
I cried. Not for him, but for the part of me that still hoped he’d explain.


---

It Wasn’t About the Text

The pain of being left on read isn’t about the words that never came.

It’s about the space they leave behind.
The quiet.
The not knowing.

It’s about how quickly someone can go from “I’m here for you” to complete silence.
From “I’ll call you in five” to never hearing from them again.

But it also taught me this:

> Some people enter your life to show you what you truly need — and what you can no longer accept.




---

If You’ve Been Left on Read…

I know it hurts.
I know that silence feels like a scream.
I know you keep rereading your message, wondering what you did wrong.

But maybe it’s not about what you did.

Maybe it’s about who they are — or what they’re not ready to be.

And maybe their silence is a gift in disguise.
A clear answer to a question you didn’t want to ask:

> “Do I matter enough for you to stay?”



Their silence says it all.


---

Final Thought

It’s okay to grieve people who never gave you closure.
It’s okay to feel hurt over what “almost was.”
But don’t let someone’s silence drown your worth.

Because one day, someone will see your message and not only reply —
They’ll show up, speak up, and stay.

Until then, let “left on read” be your reminder:

> You deserve more than maybe.

ClassicalFan FictionFantasyShort StorySeries

About the Creator

Hazrat Bilal

Hi, I am Hazrat Bilal. Writer of real stories, deep thoughts, and life experiments. Exploring emotions, mindset, and untold truths — one story at a time. ✍️💭

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