Zain was starting to regret showing up at the party.
The music was too loud, the lights were too bright, and everyone seemed to be pretending to be having the time of their lives. But Zain wasn’t really feeling it. He wasn’t supposed to be here, not really. He wasn’t supposed to be standing here with Theo, either.
"Alright, you good?" Theo asked, nudging him lightly as they stood by the snack table.
Zain didn’t even know what to say. He just shrugged, trying not to look too out of place. “Yeah. Fine. Just... not really my thing.”
Theo raised an eyebrow. “You mean, you don’t want to be surrounded by loud people who think this is the greatest night ever?”
Zain chuckled. “Yeah, exactly.”
Theo laughed too, but there was something a little different about it. Zain couldn’t help but notice how close Theo was standing, how his shoulder brushed against Zain’s every time they moved. It felt weirdly natural, like they had done this a thousand times.
“I’m gonna get some air,” Theo said, glancing around like he couldn’t wait to get out of the crowd. “Wanna come?”
Zain hesitated. It was better than standing here pretending to enjoy the party. Plus, Theo’s offer sounded way more appealing than anything inside. “Sure. Let’s go.”
They slipped through the back door, escaping the noise of the party. Outside, the air was cool, and the quiet was almost a relief. Zain took a deep breath, feeling his shoulders relax.
“I needed this,” Zain admitted, staring up at the stars. “Inside was way too much.”
Theo nodded, his hands in his pockets. “I get it. It’s kinda... fake, right? Everyone pretending to be something they’re not.”
Zain laughed. “Yeah, exactly. I feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t belong here.”
Theo turned to look at him, his gaze soft but intense. “You do belong. Just not in there.”
Zain’s heart skipped a beat. He wasn’t sure why, but hearing Theo say that made him feel... better. Like maybe Theo actually got him.
“So, uh...” Zain trailed off, unsure of what to say next. But Theo cut him off, stepping closer, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Let’s make our own fun then,” Theo said, voice low.
Before Zain could process what was happening, Theo leaned in, kissing him. It wasn’t soft or slow. It was fast, almost desperate, and Zain’s brain short-circuited for a second, his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn’t even think straight.
But as soon as Theo’s lips pulled away, Zain found himself wanting more. “Theo—”
Theo just grinned, his hand brushing Zain’s cheek as he leaned in again, more gently this time. “Don’t think. Just... stay with me.”
And Zain did. He didn’t need to think about the party, about his parents, or about anything else. All that mattered was Theo standing in front of him, and the fact that maybe—just maybe—everything felt right when he was with him.
ns 15.158.61.41da2
