Secrets of Us: A Forbidden Love Romance
You’re So Easy–1
We leave a couple of days later.
The ride home feels different from when we came. It’s less tense, the four of us exhausted from how much we played and slept together. I’m sore everywhere, but I wouldn’t change the last week for anything.
Things feel lighter somehow. It’s almost as if we’re not carrying as much weight as we used to.
I’m curled up in the backseat, one leg draped over jake’s lap, my head resting against the car door. Aiden is in the passenger seat again because of his long legs, and Za
drives.
Jake’s fingers trace lazy circles on my
It’s easy. It’s peaceful.
alf and I breathe deeply, enjoying his touch.
For the first time in too long, I feel good. Like we’re finally on the same page. Like we aren’t just circling the same old arguments, too scared to figure out what we want. We’re figuring it out now.
We’re better.
Still, there’s this quiet whisper in the back of my head reminding me that things can fall apart in a second. There is still tension
between Zaid and I, between him and Jake.
There’s still so much we haven’t figured out, and plenty that could slip through the cracks. But for now, I push the thoughts down
deep and let myself be in this moment. We can celebrate the small wins as they come.
We’re about an hour out of the city when Zaid pulls off the freeway toward a gas station.
“I need caffeine if I’m going to get us home without driving into a ditch,” he says, watching me in the rearview mirror.
Aiden makes a face. “You’re not that old, Zaid. Come on.”
Zaid unbuckles his belt and playfully punches Aiden on the arm.
Aiden shakes his head. “I guess I’ll fill up the tank.”
Jake chuckles under his breath as I uncoil from him and stretch.
“I’ll come with you,” I tell Zaid, opening my door.
The air is crisp when I step out, but Zaid’s already waiting by the hood of the car. His fingers slip between mine and we head toward
the convenience store.
There’s a few more cars parked, but I don’t see many people. It’s quiet for a few moments, just the sound of gravel crunching under our boots and the wind blowing through the trees.
Inside, it smells like burnt coffee and over–sweet candy, and the humming fluorescent lights give me a headache just by looking at
them.
“You good?” he asks, glancing down at me as we pass a rack of chips
I nod, and before I can say anything else,
stopping in the middle of the aisle. His hand tugs on mine just enough that I stumble into him, and his free hand comes up to cup my jaw. He kisses me, soft and quick, like he does this all the time and isn’t always
intense.
1/2
You’re So Easy–1
His lips pull into a smile against mine, and I smile too, my heart stuering in the best way. We pull apart and our smiles disappear the moment we hear a gasp.
We both turn at the same time.
My heart hammers in my chest when I see Sadie.
Her white–blonde hair is pinned back in that perfect messy bun she always does, and her lip gloss catches the light as her mouth twists into an ugly scowl. She stares at us, at Zaid’s hand still holding my face, at the way we stand so close.
Her gaze flickers back and forth between us, disgust darkening her expression.
“Wow, you really are a whore,” she sneers. “Didn’t take you long, hu, Alina? I’m not surprised you’re so easy.”
I force myself not to flinch. I open my mouth to say something, anything.
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2/2
Secrets of Us: A Forbidden Love Romance
You’re So Easy–2
But Zaid’s already moving.
He lets go of me, only to step forward, putting himself squarely between Sadie and me. “Come on Sadie, just walk away.”
Sadie’s lips twist. “You’re embarrassing yourself.”
Zaid tilts his head, and there’s something cold in his eyes that makes her step back without realizing it. “You think I care what you think?”
Her eyes dart to mine. “You took me to your father’s wedding rehearsal. Me. She’s with Aiden, isn’t she?”
The reminder of that has me struggling to breathe.
Zaid’s back notably tenses and I’d give anything to know what he’s thinking.
“You don’t get to talk about her. Not now, not ever,” he says. “You don’t get to look at her like you’re better. You’re not.”
Sadie’s jaw drops. Her face is bright red now, and she’s shaking a little; whether it’s from anger or embarrassment, don’t know.
“I thought you had better taste,” she snaps weakly.
Zaid nods. “I do. That’s why I’m with her.”
Pain crosses her eyes, but I don’t find it in me to feel bad. She turns on her heel and walks away in a huff, her sneakers squeaking on the floor.
For a second, I can’t move. My stomach twists so hard I think I might be sick.
“Zaid,” I whisper, my pulse hammering. “What are we going to do?”
He lets out a slow breath, his thumb brushing my cheek before his hand falls back to my waist. “What do you mean?”
“She’s going to tell everyone,” I whisper.
He frowns. “About us?”
I nod.
“And… that’s bad?”
I blink at him, my chest tight. “Yes! I… I mean, relationships like this aren’t normal. And you’re a guy!”
He looks around like I’m insane.
“No one will say anything to you, but me? They’re call me exactly what Sadie did just now.”
Zaid’s hand squeezes at my waist, steadying me. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll figure this out.”
His eyes search mine, and I know he means it. I swallow hard and nod, even if my stomach’s still a knot.
We head back toward the car. Zaid stays close, his fingers still laced through mine, like he’s daring the world to say something about
- it.
1/2
You’re So Easy–2
Jake’s the first to notice when we get close. He’s leaning against the passenger door, brows drawn together. Aiden’s in the front seat but turns around as soon as he sees us.
“What happened?” Jake asks, frowning as he scans my face.
Zaid glances at me like he’s giving me the choice. I take a breath.
“We ran into Sadie,” I say quietly.
Aiden’s jaw clenches. “What did she say?”
“Nothing worth repeating,” Zaid says, his tone sharp.
Jake looks between the two of us, his eyes softening as they land on me. “You okay?”
I hesitate, then nod. “Yeah. I will be.”
We settle back in the car and I keep my mouth shut as I look out the window, gnawing on my lip as I think about what tomorrow at school will bring.
“You should probably stay with her all day tomorrow,” Zaid says from the passenger seat, looking over at Aiden.
Aiden sighs, but I see him nod. “She’s going to start a bunch of shit.
Zaid’s jaw clenches and I wonder if he’s thinking about the same thing I am. About how he brought her to the wedding rehearsal as a punishment for me. I had almost forgotten. I never asked him about it, and we never talked about it again.
Jake’s hand suddenly reaches for mine, but I don’t have the energy to look at him and see the question in his eyes.
I just want to get home.
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