Chapter 14:Realisations and Secrets

Lira sat outside on the school steps, her mind tangled in thoughts she didn't want to have.

She hated feeling confused.

She hated feeling unsure.

Most of all… she hated how much Mara's actions were bothering her.

She tapped her fingers against her knee, replaying last night in her head.

Mara getting closer to Zayn.

Jace looking annoyed at it.

And her own stupid reaction to the whole thing.

Why should she care that Mara was suddenly interested in Zayn?

Unless…

No.

She wasn't jealous.

Was she?

Before she could figure it out, a shadow fell over her.

"Thinking about me?"

Lira startled, looking up to see Zayn.

He stood there, arms crossed, looking annoyingly smug as usual.

She scoffed. "Not everything is about you."

Zayn smirked. "Could've fooled me."

Lira rolled her eyes but didn't deny it.

Zayn plopped down next to her, stretching his legs out. "You seem distracted."

She hesitated. "It's nothing."

Zayn didn't say anything for a while.

Then, softly, he said, "Lira."

Something about the way he said her name made her look at him.

She hesitated, then finally admitted, "I think I like someone."

Zayn's smirk faded slightly.

"Oh?"

Lira nodded slowly. "Yeah. And I think I finally know who it is."

For a second, something flashed in his eyes. But it was gone just as quickly.

"Well?" he asked, voice casual. "Who is it?"

She hesitated.

Then, barely above a whisper, she said, "It's… you."

Silence.

Zayn blinked.

Then—he smirked. "Took you long enough."

Lira's face burned.

"Wait—what?"

Zayn leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "You think I didn't notice? You get flustered around me all the time."

"I do not!" she protested.

He chuckled. "Sure."

Lira groaned, covering her face.

Why was he like this?

Just then, a familiar voice interrupted them.

"Oh, Lira!"

Mara.

She walked over, smiling sweetly.

"I need to tell you something."

Lira turned, still feeling her heart race from Zayn's teasing.

"Yeah?"

Mara's smile widened.

"I've been thinking… Maybe I should get closer to Zayn."

Lira's stomach twisted.

Zayn's smirk disappeared.

Mara just smiled innocently.

Lira couldn't breathe.

Was Mara serious

Lira sat outside on the school steps, her mind tangled in thoughts she didn't want to have.

She hated feeling confused.

She hated feeling unsure.

Most of all… she hated how much Mara's actions were bothering her.

She tapped her fingers against her knee, replaying last night in her head.

Mara getting closer to Zayn.

Jace looking annoyed at it.

And her own stupid reaction to the whole thing.

Why should she care that Mara was suddenly interested in Zayn?

Unless…

No.

She wasn't jealous.

Was she?

Before she could figure it out, a shadow fell over her.

"Thinking about me?"

Lira startled, looking up to see Zayn.

He stood there, arms crossed, looking annoyingly smug as usual.

She scoffed. "Not everything is about you."

Zayn smirked. "Could've fooled me."

Lira rolled her eyes but didn't deny it.

Zayn plopped down next to her, stretching his legs out. "You seem distracted."

She hesitated. "It's nothing."

Zayn didn't say anything for a while.

Then, softly, he said, "Lira."

Something about the way he said her name made her look at him.

She hesitated, then finally admitted, "I think I like someone."

Zayn's smirk faded slightly.

"Oh?"

Lira nodded slowly. "Yeah. And I think I finally know who it is."

For a second, something flashed in his eyes. But it was gone just as quickly.

"Well?" he asked, voice casual. "Who is it?"

She hesitated.

Then, barely above a whisper, she said, "It's… you."

Silence.

Zayn blinked.

Then—he smirked. "Took you long enough."

Lira's face burned.

"Wait—what?"

Zayn leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "You think I didn't notice? You get flustered around me all the time."

"I do not!" she protested.

He chuckled. "Sure."

Lira groaned, covering her face.

Why was he like this?

Just then, a familiar voice interrupted them.

"Oh, Lira!"

Mara.

She walked over, smiling sweetly.

"I need to tell you something."

Lira turned, still feeling her heart race from Zayn's teasing.

"Yeah?"

Mara's smile widened.

"I've been thinking… Maybe I should get closer to Zayn."

Lira's stomach twisted.

Zayn's smirk disappeared.

Mara just smiled innocently.

Lira couldn't breathe.

Was Mara serious