Arish and Zain woke up slowly, blinking at the morning light streaming through the window of Zain's room. Both felt hungover, and an awkward tension hung between them as they tried to piece together bits of last night. They exchanged confused glances, realizing they were lying on the same bed. Arish glanced down, suddenly aware that he wasn’t wearing a shirt, which made him feel even more uncomfortable.

Breaking the silence, he tried to lighten the mood. “Uh… Zain, nothing happened between us, right?”

Zain shot him an annoyed look. “Shut up, Arish.”

Just then, Ewan walked in with a smirk. “Finally! You both woke up. Let me guess… neither of you remembers what happened last night?”

Arish replied, “It’s not that we don’t remember; we just want you to confirm what happened.”

Ewan looked at Zain. “What about you, Zain? Do you remember?”

Zain sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Ewan, just tell us what happened.”

Ewan leaned against the wall, crossing his arms with a grin. “Alright, don’t freak out. Last night at the bar, I saw you two talking seriously, so I decided to let you handle it while I hung out with my friends. When I came back, you both were completely drunk and crying. Honestly, I was shocked to see that.”

Arish’s eyes widened. “Crying?”

“Yeah,” Ewan continued. “You two were really letting it all out. I figured it was better to take you home than let you embarrass yourselves further.”

Arish frowned, visibly annoyed. “Why didn’t you just take me home then, or put me in a separate bed?”

Ewan shrugged. “You were so drunk, and your mom would’ve worried. I thought it was better for both of you to crash here. Also, be grateful I even put you on a bed.”

As memories of last night rushed back, dread washed over Arish and Zain. They had shared deep secrets, leaving them feeling exposed and vulnerable. The weight of their confessions filled the air, and they were too embarrassed to look at each other. What started as a night of drinking had turned into a tangled mess of emotions, shattering any fragile understanding they had.

Arish quickly pulled on his shirt, trying to shake off the embarrassment. “Thanks for the info, Ewan,” he said, avoiding eye contact as he headed for the door.

“Arish, at least have some breakfast!” Ewan called after him.

“No thanks,” Arish replied without looking back, slipping out of the room.

Ewan turned to Zain, raising an eyebrow. “So, what did you guys talk about to make you that emotional?”

“Drop it, Ewan,” Zain replied, trying to avoid the topic.

Zain walked out, and Ewan shrugged. “You don’t want to eat either?” he called after him, but Zain didn’t respond.

“Fine, I’ll eat breakfast by myself,” Ewan said with a sigh. “Not like I need them anyway.”

Zain stepped into the parking lot, his frustration boiling over. “Why the hell did I share so much about my past with Arish?” he fumed, his fists clenched. “Of all people, I chose him? Am I really that foolish?” Anger and embarrassment mixed inside him, and he wished he could take back every word.

At home, Arish sat alone, his mind racing. “Why did I tell that idiot Zain about my past?” he thought, frustration bubbling inside him. “He’ll definitely tell others and make fun of me.” His jaw clenched in anger.

But then a thought crossed his mind. “I know his past too. If he dares to share mine, I’ll make sure everyone knows about his too.”

Both felt trapped, the weight of their shared regrets heavy in the air. They realized they had crossed a line that could never be uncrossed, and the fear of betrayal lingered between them like a storm.

After that incident, Zain and Arish were too embarrassed to even look at each other.

The next day at school, the teacher walked in and announced, “Alright, everyone! Grade 11 finals are in two weeks, so get ready!”

Zain glanced over at Zayra with a playful smile. “Zayra, how’s the studying going? Need any help?”

Zayra grinned, pretending to think. “Hmm… not so sure. But if I do, I know exactly who to call.”

Zain’s face lit up. “Ah, so it’s me?”

She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Nope, obviously the teacher!”

They both burst out laughing, their lightheartedness filling the room.

The bell rang, signaling break, and Zain and Zayra found themselves sitting together in the cafeteria, enjoying a quiet moment over their food.

But the peace didn’t last long as Ewan suddenly appeared, grinning mischievously. “Well, look at you two sitting together,” he teased. “After Zain’s birthday party, I thought Zayra wouldn’t even look at you, Zain! Good to see I was wrong.”

Zayra shot Ewan a warning look, but he just grinned wider, refusing to hold back. “Oh, by the way, Zain,” Ewan started, pulling out a small package. “Here’s your birthday gift—the one Zayra picked out. She was so mad at you that night, she told me to just throw it away or keep it for myself.” He chuckled, handing it over. “But as a good friend of yours, I thought I’d give it to you anyway.”

Zain glanced at Zayra, surprised, but she only looked away, crossing her arms with a flicker of annoyance in her eyes.

Ewan continued, unfazed. “And, Zain, you really should be grateful to her. You know, she made me walk all over the mall to find something specific, just for you.” He smirked, adding with a playful nudge, “Trust me, she put in a lot of effort.”

Ewan left, and a thick silence settled between Zain and Zayra. The air crackled with unspoken words, both of them knowing they couldn’t avoid the topic of the party any longer.

Finally, Zain broke the tension. “Zayra… I was really upset you didn’t give me a gift,” he said, his voice quiet but earnest. Despite the expensive presents he’d received—even a car—none of them mattered. All he wanted was something from her, something that meant something.

Zayra turned to him, frustration boiling over. “Oh, really?” she shot back, her tone sharp. “And you have no idea why I didn’t?”

Zain frowned, confusion washing over him. “Ewan said you were angry. But what did I do?”

“Are you seriously asking me that, Zain?” she snapped, her voice low but tense. “I saw you with that girl on the swings, sitting so close… Do you even know how that made me feel?” The fire in her gaze was unmistakable.

Zain ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. “Zayra, she was just tired! I was showing her around. There’s no reason to be jealous. I don’t care about her like that!” He leaned in closer, his voice rising with intensity. “But seeing you dancing with Arish? Do you have any idea how that felt?”

“Arish is my cousin!” she shot back, her cheeks flushed with anger. “Why should you be jealous of him? You don’t need to be! I didn’t say anything about you being with that girl!”

“But you act like it’s nothing! I thought we meant more to each other than this,” he replied, his tone rising in frustration. “I thought we had something special!”

Zayra glared at him, her eyes blazing. “Don’t assume anything, Zain! We’re just friends. Maybe we should act like it and not invade each other’s lives!” She crossed her arms defensively, trying to contain her emotions.

“Friends? Is that all we are to you?” Zain's voice cracked with disbelief. “Because it sure doesn’t feel that way! You know how I feel about you!”

“Zain, please,” Zayra said, her voice firm yet strained. “Don’t assume anything without talking to me first.”

Zain opened his mouth to respond, frustration bubbling inside him. “Why are you being so jealous of your—” He was about to say "cousin Aria," but the bell rang loudly, cutting him off.

Zayra felt her heart race as she turned away, anger surging within her. She glanced back at him, the tension still crackling between them. Zain watched her, confused. Zayra isn’t usually like this. Why is she acting so jealous of her cousin Aria?

But Zayra had no idea that Arish had a stepsister named Aria. No one had told her, and that made her even more confused. Zain thought she should know because they were cousins, but she had been left in the dark.

As the bell continued to ring, Zayra shot him a final look filled with hurt and anger before standing up and storming out. The weight of their unresolved feelings hung in the air, leaving Zain sitting there, bewildered and unsure how to fix the growing rift between them.