Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 204

Gossip-2

And as the memories of everything come crashing back into me, I curl into myself and sob, knowing I can't find comfort in Zaid's arms.

And nothing hurts more than that.

I don't know how long I stay like that. My body aches from staying in the same position all day. I've cried so much that my eyes burn and my head pounds.

I wipe at my face with the same sleeve I've been using all day. It's damp, crusted with tears. My hair is a tangled mess on my pillow, and my chest feels like it's caved in. My heart doesn't beat right anymore. It just kind of stutters.

A high-pitched voice, loud and unmistakably dramatic, cuts through the thick silence of the house. My brows draw together.

"I'm fucking seeing her, Zaid!"

I sit up slowly, blinking in disbelief.

"Nikki?" I whisper to myself, heart pounding in my chest.

The voice gets closer and before I can even fully register what's happening, the door to

my room whips open. Nikki steps inside in all her chaotic glory. She's carrying a small tray filled with food and a tumbler.

She rolls her eyes. "Zaid was heading up here with this, but I told him I would give it to

you."

catches, and I detonate all over

down and climbing onto my bed and pulling me into

storm inside me quiets just

blotchy and sore, my voice

1/3

Gossip-2

and pulls out her phone. "Have

at her.

the best. People

My stomach twists.

you, anyway. Because you should

starts scrolling. "People are talking about everything, Alina. Your name's all over the place, all over gossip accounts,

chest tightens. "What do you mean,

a pervert. Except people suck. They're saying you made it up. That you seduced him, then turned on him when he wouldn't play house with

creeps up

everything about you and Jake, Aiden, and Zaid. Some sick online 'tea page' got ahold of it and twisted the whole thing. People are calling you

crawling into my throat. "Probably my

drops open. "Okay, what the

breath for a moment and tell her the

says nothing, just watches me with her mouth wide open. You know it's