A few days later, on Wednesday, Ewan caught up with Zayra between classes. “Hey, Zayra,” he began, “I wanted to tell you something.”

Zayra looked up, curious. “What’s up, Ewan?”

Ewan leaned in, lowering his voice. “Zain’s birthday party is this Sunday. You should come.”

Zayra blinked in surprise. “Really? Are you sure? I mean, he might want to spend it with close friends.”

Ewan chuckled. “You’re one of us, Zayra. Besides, a surprise guest would make it more fun.”

Zayra smiled, feeling more at ease. “Alright, I’ll come. But is anyone else from our class invited?”

Ewan shook his head, grinning. “Nope, it’s just me—and now you.”

Zayra frowned slightly. “Why not invite everyone? It’s his birthday.”

Ewan shrugged. “Zain likes to keep things small. Don’t worry about it. Just think about what you’ll get him.”

Zayra nodded. “Hmm, I’m not sure yet. I don’t want to mess it up.”

Ewan smiled reassuringly. “No pressure. Just pick something that feels right. I’m here if you need help.”

“Thanks, Ewan,” Zayra said, feeling grateful. “I’ll let you know.”

“Great,” Ewan replied, giving her a thumbs up. “And remember, keep it a secret. Let’s make it a birthday to remember.”

Zayra watched him go, already thinking about the perfect gift.

At home, Zayra sat at her desk, nervously typing into the search bar: “Gifts to give your boyfriend on his birthday.” As soon as she hit enter, she blushed, realizing what she was doing.

“Oh my gosh, Zayra,” she muttered to herself, quickly changing the search to “gifts for a male friend’s birthday.” But the results didn’t help much, leaving her more frustrated than before.

Finally, she decided to call Lily for advice.

“Lily, what do you think I should get a male friend for his birthday?” Zayra asked, trying to sound casual.

Lily’s voice on the other end immediately became playful. “Wait, wait, wait! Since when do you have a male best friend? Are you talking about your boyfriend? Spill the tea, Zayra!”

Zayra’s cheeks warmed again. “No, Lily! I don’t have a boyfriend,” she insisted, a bit flustered. “I’m just asking for a friend.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” Lily teased. “You, asking about a guy’s birthday gift? This sounds suspicious. Come on, just tell me who it is! Is it someone from our school? Is it… Zain?”

Zayra’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Zain, but she tried to keep her cool. “Lily, seriously, I’m just asking for a friend. No big deal.”

Lily laughed, not letting up. “Right, and this ‘friend’ just happens to be someone you’ve been spending a lot of time with recently? Zayra, you’re not fooling anyone. Just admit it, you’ve got a crush!”

“Lily, you’re not helping!” Zayra finally blurted out, embarrassed and a little annoyed. She quickly ended the call, but not before hearing Lily’s playful giggles echo through the phone.

The next day, during break, Zayra approached Ewan. “Ewan, could you come to the mall with me after school? I’m really confused about what to get him.”

Ewan agreed, “Sure, Zayra. Let’s go to the mall together after school. I’ll wait for you at the bus stand so we can avoid Zain seeing us and finding out about the surprise.”

“Thanks for your help. I’ll see you at the bus stand,” Zayra replied.

After school, Zayra waited at the bus stand, and Ewan arrived. They both got on the bus just as Zain’s car passed by. Zain noticed them boarding together, his curiosity instantly piqued.

Earlier, Zain had offered Ewan a ride home, but Ewan had declined, saying he had some work to do. Now, seeing Ewan with Zayra, Zain couldn’t help but wonder why Ewan hadn’t mentioned going out with her when he refused the ride. A knot of jealousy began to tighten in his chest.

Frustrated and curious, Zain decided to call Ewan. He kept his tone casual, masking his true feelings. “Hey, Ewan, what’s up? Are you with someone right now?”

Ewan, trying to keep his tone light and casual, responded, “Oh, hey Zain. Yeah, I’m just heading to the mall with my friend . Got some errands to run.”

Zain's grip on his phone tightened. “Right, okay,” he muttered before ending the call abruptly.

As he hung up, Zain felt a surge of jealousy and irritation. The idea of Ewan and Zayra being together, especially when they were hiding it from him, gnawed at him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, and it bothered him more than he wanted to admit.