When Destiny Hesitates [ZARRY]

Chapter 7

Zayn's POV

"What the actual fuck," I mutter, glaring daggers at my phone screen. Calum just posted an Instagram story looking cozy as hell sharing milkshakes with Harry. Harry's usually guarded expression is relaxed for once, smiling easily back at Calum with stars in his eyes.

I hurl my phone away in disgust. Is this why Harry's been avoiding me since our kiss, because he was just biding his time until he could get with Calum instead? He kissed both of us at the party that night after all!

Falling back on my bed with a furious groan, I scrub hands over my face. I must be losing my damn mind feeling this heated over Harry. We barely know each other! Sure, we had crazy chemistry and that kiss rocked my world for a minute. But Harry clearly didn't feel the same if it was so easy for him to move on.

Still...seeing him look at Calum like that ignites something fiery in my blood I wish I could extinguish. But the heart wants what it wants I guess, logical or not. And for some inexplicable reason mine wants Harry Styles, complicated knots and all.

I know I should back off now. If he's with Calum, out of loyalty to my friendship with Calum, I should forget whatever I feel right now. But when my phone lights up with another coy Instagram story of them clinking milkshake glasses, laughing with their dark heads bent together, all my rational thoughts burn to ash.

Screw this. Harry needs to know how I feel whether he returns those feelings or not. Tomorrow at school I'm telling him exactly what's going on in my head. And damn the consequences.

Harry's POV

I slide into Luke's backseat the next morning, surprised when he doesn't greet me with his usual cheerful smile. His fingers strum an aimless tune on the steering wheel, eyes focused ahead.

"So...how was your day...or maybe...night?" I venture tentatively.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing special. Hung out with family and stuff," Luke replies neutrally.

An awkward beat passes. I debate mentioning my date with Calum but something in Luke's tense posture makes me hesitate.

"You okay? You seem a little off," I say instead.

Luke's eyes meet mine briefly in the rearview mirror before returning to the road. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired I guess."

I nod slowly, the stilted energy confusing me. Luke has gone out of his way to make me feel welcomed since I moved here. Now it's like I'm sitting with a polite stranger instead of my usual exuberant neighbour.

My thoughts drift back to my date yesterday. Did Luke see Calum's Instagram stories of us together and feel weird about it? Surely, he can't be jealous...can he?

As we pull up to Zayn's house, the knot in my stomach tightens further. No cheek kiss or flirty banter passes between them when Zayn gets in either. Just terse greetings before silence fills the car.

What the hell happened to make everything suddenly so tense and strange? Is it because of my date with Calum?

Luke's POV

I keep my eyes fixed ahead as we drive, though my curiosity is killing me. Are things getting serious between Harry and Calum so quickly yesterday? Is that why he suddenly asked about my day? To flaunt his date?

Glancing in the rearview mirror at a stoplight, I see Harry staring thoughtfully out his window. His brows are slightly pinched like when he works on difficult math problems.