The circle had formed. Blankets, chips, soft drinks, and chaos all mixed together like the start of a summer movie with way too many feelings.
The bottle spun.
Around and around.
Slowing.
Slowing...
Click.
It landed right on him.
Zayn.
The mysterious one. Hoodie. Cap. Black on black. Face always unreadable like he was carrying secrets in his pockets.
Elena grinned like she just found gold.
Elena grinned like she just found gold.
> "Well, well, well. Hoodie Boy gets the spotlight." she said, twirling her curly hair like she was on a reality show.
Zayn raised an eyebrow but didn't flinch. "Truth," he said coolly, arms crossed.
That made sense. He wouldn't risk being dared to take off the hoodie. Probably had the FBI listening in his ear or something.
But no one expected Elena's truth.
Not even me.
> "Okay, Zayn. Here's your truth," she said, leaning in with a smug smirk. "Is there anyone here you've had your eyes on? Like, actually caught your attention?"
The group went silent.
Literally silent.
Like someone pressed mute on our picnic.
Even the birds seemed to pause.
My heart did something weird. Like skipped, or tripped, or tried to choke me.
Zayn blinked. His jaw clenched.Everyone expected him to laugh it off. maybe say something sarcastic or pretend he didn't hear.
But then...
He nodded.
Once.
> "Yes," he said.
Gasps.
Chokes.
Actual choking from someone eating chips.
> "WHAT-" Elena blinked. "You serious?"
He didn't say anything. Just turned his head. Slowly.
And looked. Right. At. Me.
Straight into my eyes. Like he saw everything.
I swear my soul short-circuited.
I sat frozen. Couldn't even blink.
> "Oh my God." Elena said under her breath. "Well, damn.'
Everyone started whispering. Giggling. Marco shifted beside me, looking between us like he was replaying the scene in his head.
What just happened?
Why me?
WHY DID HE LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT?
I suddenly wanted the earth to open and eat me whole.
And Zayn?
He just leaned back.
Cool as ever.
As if he didn't just shake the ground beneath me.
The bottle hadn't even cooled down from the last spin before someone said it:
> "Round two!" Elena shouted, lifting her soda like it was a toast. "Let's keep this party juicy!"
Everyone cheered-well, everyone except me.
Because I was still recovering from the look.
Zayn's look.
But before I could even make sense of my heartbeat, Zayn picked up the bottle. Calm. Confident. Like he was setting something up.
He gave it a lazy spin, fingers barely flicking it.
The glass whirled around-once, twice. three times-before it pointed right at Marco.
Marco.
He looked up, caught off guard, but kept his cool. That slightly smug smirk was still playing on his lips. But I saw it... something flickered in his eyes.
Zayn tilted his head, something dangerous behind that half-smile.
> "What do you want to choose?" "I already know it'll be truth." His tone was like velvet. Sharp velvet.
Marco nodded.
> "Truth."
He didn't flinch. Not even once. Typical Marco.
But the air shifted.
Everyone looked at Zayn. He paused. Smirked.
Then he said it.
> "Who was the girl with you yesterday?"
Boom.
The group: "OOHHHHH-" "Wait, what girl??" "Tea!!"
Marco blinked. Just once. His lips parted like he wasn't expecting that kind of question. And l-oh God-1 froze.
I didn't know if it was my place to feel something. But I did.
My heart felt weird.
Jealousy?
Confusion?
Insecurity?
What girl?
> "It was no one," he said, casually brushing invisible dust off his jeans. "Just someone I ran into."
Zayn raised an eyebrow.
Ran into. Looked like more than a run-in."
His voice wasn't loud-but it echoed.
Marco's smirk faded just a little.
> "Do you follow me now?" he shot back, low and calm.
Tension. Like, electricity-in-the-air tension.
Everyone was watching like it was a live episode of a reality show, afraid to blink and miss a twist.
I couldn't breathe.
And then Zayn-he turned his eyes to me.
Again. Like I had the answer.
> "Susie. Do you have a question for him?" His voice was velvet again. Too smooth. Too tempting.
And all eyes turned to me.
My cheeks burned. I wanted to disappear. But something made me open my mouth anyway.
> "Was she...important?"
Silence.
Even I didn't know why I asked it. But I did.
Marco looked at me-really looked. And for the first time, he didn't smile.
> "No." he said quietly. "She wasn't." But his voice wasn't as strong anymore.
And I didn't know if I believed him....