THE HIDDEN LOVE 🥀🖤

Tension...

---

**Zeke's POV:**

My heart raced as I saw Esme approaching. She looked even more stunning than I remembered—her long brown hair shimmering in the sun, her brown eyes filled with nervousness. I noticed her glance at Sage, and her expression seemed to falter. The last thing I wanted was for Esme to feel uncomfortable, especially not with Sage around.

Just as I was lost in thought, my best friend Liam snapped me back to reality. "Hey, Zeke. Esme, Grace, and Sofia are here with their parents."

Before I could process his words, I saw Esme across the yard. Her presence was magnetic. She was dressed casually in a black long-sleeve shirt, gray pants, and blue Jordans. She looked like she had walked straight out of my memories, but with an added touch of elegance and grace. Her nerves were palpable, and I wondered how she'd react to Sage.

Grace, ever the enthusiastic one, came over to me with a wide grin. "Hey, Zeke, come play with us! It's team Esme and Sofia versus me."

I agreed, and soon I was engrossed in a friendly competition with Grace against Esme and Sofia. Esme's laughter was like a balm for my soul, calming and infectious. It reminded me of how much I had missed her.

As we moved to the dining table, my mom broke the silence with a simple question. "Esme, how was the flight back?"

"It was okay," Esme replied, her gaze drifting off. "I couldn't stop thinking..."

I was dying to know what was on her mind, but the moment was fleeting. After dinner, Esme helped my mom clean up, and Sage asked for a ride home. Liam volunteered, leaving me with a rare opportunity for some alone time with Esme.

In the kitchen, as we cleaned, Esme accidentally sprayed me with water. Her apology was quick, but before she could react, I laughed and retaliated, turning the incident into another water fight. The kitchen turned into a hilarious mess, but the joy of the moment was worth it. Grace and Sofia joined in, and the room echoed with our laughter.

I hadn't laughed like this since Esme left, and I realized how much I missed her.

---

**Esme's POV:**

When it was finally time to leave, I was reluctant to say goodbye. The evening had been a whirlwind of laughter and nostalgia. Despite the mess, the kitchen felt like the safest place to be, surrounded by familiar faces and laughter.

As I walked upstairs to my room, my thoughts raced. I couldn't stop replaying the evening in my mind. Zeke's smile, the way his eyes softened when he looked at me, the easy camaraderie we shared—it all made me question everything. Did he still have feelings for me? Did I?

In bed, I stared at the ceiling, unable to quiet my restless mind. Zeke's presence had stirred up emotions I thought I had buried. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face, heard his laughter. The memory of our playful water fight lingered, making me ache for more moments like these.

The clock ticked on, but sleep eluded me. My heart felt heavy with unanswered questions and the lingering warmth of his touch. I wanted to believe that we could find our way back to what we once had, but the uncertainty of it all kept me awake.

All I could think about was how much I missed him and whether we could ever really go back to being just friends—or something more.