The days had been blending together, each one starting and ending with a quiet moment between them. Zain couldn’t remember a time when his chest didn’t feel lighter, when the weight of his thoughts wasn’t clouded by the pull of Theo’s presence. Every time they were together, whether it was walking through the halls of school, sitting together at lunch, or driving home, it always ended the same way: their lips meeting in a kiss that felt like everything.
It was a Saturday afternoon when it happened. Theo had pulled up to Zain’s house after a trip to the fair, the sun already dipping low in the sky, painting the world in shades of orange and pink. Zain’s heart was still pounding from the laughter and the adrenaline of the day, but what was about to happen next had nothing to do with the fair and everything to do with the electricity crackling between them.
Without a word, Zain slid into the passenger seat, his mind already consumed by the thought of Theo's lips on his. They’d never quite had a moment alone like this, and the anticipation buzzed in the air between them.
Theo’s eyes locked onto Zain’s for just a second, before the moment broke and he pulled Zain in, kissing him deeply. The kiss was slow at first, tender, like they were savoring it. But the longer it lasted, the more Zain felt himself getting lost in it. His hands found their way to Theo’s chest, and before he even realized it, Zain was sliding onto Theo’s lap, straddling him.
The closeness between them was overwhelming, the heat of their bodies pressing together, the soft rhythm of their breathing syncing up. Zain’s hands moved to Theo’s neck, pulling him in for another kiss, this time more urgent, more desperate. He didn’t care about anything else, not about the world outside the car, not about anything except the way Theo made him feel.
Theo’s hands were gentle on his hips, guiding him closer, but the kiss turned into something more—something harder, more tangled, like they were both trying to forget the reality of everything around them. Zain’s heart was hammering, his pulse racing in a way that felt completely foreign but so good at the same time.
And that’s when it happened.
The sound of footsteps crunching on the gravel outside the car broke through the haze of their kiss. Zain barely noticed at first, too consumed in the feeling of Theo’s lips against his, the warm press of his body. But then the car door creaked open with a soft squeal, and Zain’s breath caught in his throat.
He pulled back, eyes wide, realizing too late what had just happened.
Standing in the doorway was Zain’s mom, eyes wide in shock, her hand still on the door handle like she wasn’t sure if she should stay or leave. Zain’s heart dropped into his stomach.
“Zain...” his mom said softly, voice trembling, her face a mixture of confusion and disbelief.
Theo froze, his hands still on Zain’s waist, not knowing what to do. The air between them suddenly felt suffocating, and Zain’s heart pounded as he scrambled to adjust himself, climbing off Theo’s lap in a panic.
“I— Mom, I—” Zain’s words got stuck in his throat. He could barely think straight, let alone explain what had just happened. The shame and embarrassment hit him all at once.
His mom stood there for a long moment, just watching them, before she let out a small, quiet sigh. “I... I didn’t expect this, Zain,” she said, her voice soft but firm. “But... I need you to think about things carefully, okay?”
Zain could barely meet her gaze. His face was burning, and the embarrassment made his stomach churn.
Theo didn’t say anything, just sat quietly in the driver’s seat, hands still gripping the steering wheel like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.
“Go inside, Zain,” his mom said after a beat, still watching him with that same mixture of concern and disappointment. “We’ll talk later.”
Zain nodded, his heart heavy in his chest as he quickly got out of the car, avoiding his mom’s gaze as he hurried inside the house. He didn’t want to face her, didn’t know how to explain everything that had happened. He’d never felt this exposed, this vulnerable, and for a second, he wished he could just disappear.
Theo started the car a few seconds later, the engine rumbling to life, but Zain didn’t turn around to watch him go. He couldn’t. The weight of the moment hung over him like a thick fog.
It wasn’t the kind of day either of them had expected.
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