Theo and Zain were still standing outside, laughter spilling between them as they pulled apart from the kiss, both of them trying to catch their breath. There was something about the way Theo smiled, the way his eyes sparkled in the dim light, that made Zain feel like everything had just clicked into place. It was just the two of them now, away from the chaos of the party, and in this moment, Zain felt like maybe this—this—was what he’d been waiting for.
“Damn,” Zain said between chuckles, running a hand through his hair, still trying to calm the racing of his heart. “You’re definitely not making this easy.”
Theo grinned, his eyes softening as he stepped closer. “You should’ve told me sooner you liked it rough.” His voice was teasing, but there was something more vulnerable in it now, too, something Zain couldn’t quite put into words.
Zain couldn’t help but laugh again. He liked this. He liked how easy it was to be with Theo, how their energy just seemed to sync. It was like nothing else in the world mattered when they were together, not the pressure of his family, not the party, not even the awkward silence that always seemed to hang in the air whenever he was around Ella.
“I don’t think it’s about how rough it is,” Zain replied, his voice lighter, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “It’s about the... the fact that it’s you.”
Theo raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Zain looked down at his shoes for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts, then met Theo’s eyes again. “I dunno. Just feels right, y’know? Like I don’t have to think too hard when I’m with you.”
Theo’s expression softened, and he took a step closer, close enough that their shoulders brushed. “I feel the same way.”
The air around them was quiet again, the kind of silence that felt like it meant something, like it was saying everything they needed to say. Zain didn’t even notice the music from the party filtering out the back door, didn’t hear the sound of footsteps approaching, too wrapped up in the moment with Theo.
But the sudden voice that broke through the calm made Zain freeze.
“Zain?”
Ella’s voice was quieter than usual, but there was a sharpness to it that made his heart skip a beat. He turned, feeling a lump form in his throat as he saw her standing by the door, her arms crossed tightly in front of her, her face unreadable.
Theo’s eyes darted toward Zain for a split second, then back to Ella, before his gaze flickered away, like he knew this wasn’t something he wanted to be part of. Zain didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to explain anything. He had never planned for this to happen—least of all, in front of her.
Ella was quiet for a long moment, just staring at them, her eyes flicking between Zain and Theo. The silence felt heavy, suffocating. Zain’s stomach twisted.
Ella finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper, but it hit Zain harder than any of her louder words ever could. “I didn’t think you were... like this.”
Zain opened his mouth to say something, anything, but the words wouldn’t come. The tension between them was so thick it was suffocating. He just stood there, unable to move or speak, his heart aching as he saw the hurt in her eyes.
Theo shifted uncomfortably beside him, and without saying another word, he turned to Zain, his expression unreadable. "Hey, maybe we should get going," Theo said, his voice low, like he was giving Zain an out, or maybe trying to save him from whatever this was turning into.
But Zain couldn’t move.
ns 15.158.61.41da2
