Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 137

Stay With Me

The next few days pass in exactly the same way.

It's all a haze.

I wake up, go to school, come home and pretend like everything is fine. Even if it's not. February always does this to me. Just the reminder of that day sends me into a mental

and physical spiral.

The weight of it settles deep inside, pressing down on me.

It's been two years. Two years since the accident. Two years since I lost my dad and my brother. And still, no matter how much time passes, no matter how much love I have surrounding me, February drags me down into a place I don't know how to escape from.

Zaid tries to shake me from my mood, but not even his comfort is enough to chase my demons away. Aiden knows something is up, but he never really questions me, even when

we talk.

Jake has been avoiding me completely.

I avoid intimacy, flinching at the thought of letting myself feel too much. But every night,

like clockwork, when the loneliness becomes unbearable, I find myself in Zaid's bed.

He never asks questions. He just holds me.

I make it as far as Tuesday before Jake has had enough

We're all sitting at the dinner table, the quiet sound of forks clinking against plates filling the air. I barely pick at my food, my appetite nonexistent.

Then Jake sets his fork down. The sound is deafening.

"I need to know what's going on," he says, his voice steady.

I tense when I lift my gaze to his. He's not angry, just hurt, and he's looking right at me.

"You've been distant. You get home from school and barely say a word to us. You haven't

been sleeping with me. Is something wrong? Did- Did I do something?"

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Stay With Me

and Zaid are quiet, neither of them saying or

throat tightens. I stare at my plate, my fingers

eyes on me. When I glance at him, his gaze is gentle but urging,

the look, his brows furrowing as he glances between us.

on?"

I inhale.

"What do you know that she hasn't been telling

my voice barely above a whisper when I finally speak. "The accident.......It happened on Valentine's

feel their eyes burning into

leans back in his chair, running a hand through his

tough, and when you

sorry," Jake trails off, his expression

me from behind. His chin rests on my shoulder, and he squeezes

want to bring it up. I didn't want it to

shakes his head. "You're not ruining anything. We just-" He

I do. But how can they help? What can

heavy topic. I'm thankful that I don't

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Stay With Me

the living room, pulling out board

I get competitive.

So do they.

table when we all suspect Aiden of cheating. He just laughs. "What? Because

shakes his head, wrapping an arm around my

his chest and laugh. "Aiden, come on,

a laugh, taking out a stack of cards from his

on the table. "I knew you weren't that smart." That

run absentmindedly through my hair, and the steady beat of his heart is soothing. We listen as Zaid and

on my waist. His breath

focus on his

him

body is ready for whatever distraction he can offer. I'm done

I nod.