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?"

1/4

Stay With Me

quiet, neither of them

stare at my plate, my

him, his gaze is gentle but urging, silently telling me

look, his brows furrowing as

on?"

I inhale.

at Zaid. "What do you know

voice barely above a whisper when I finally speak.

I can feel their

sharply, and Jake leans back in

tough, and when you were talking about Valentine's

I'm so sorry," Jake trails off, his expression

his chair and walks around the table, wrapping his arms around me from behind. His chin rests on my shoulder, and he squeezes me tight. "You should've told

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

He sighs, rubbing a hand

that. I do. But how

takes over, changing the conversation so that we can move on from the heavy topic. I'm thankful

2/4

Stay With Me

board

I get competitive.

So do they.

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

large a margin,” Jake shakes his head, wrapping an arm

his chest and laugh. "Aiden, come

a stack of cards from

his cards on the table. "I knew you weren't that smart." That makes us

and the steady beat of his heart is soothing. We listen as Zaid and Aiden recount stories from when they were younger, about how many times Zaid caught Aiden

lowers his hand and draws circles on my waist. His breath fans my ear and he whispers. "Stay

my eyes, letting myself focus on his warmth. On his touch.

him

My body is ready for whatever distraction

I nod.