Something In The Way-SYLUS X MC X ZAYNE

Chapter 26 "It's No Secret"

The waiting room is a hollow, sterile place. The ticking of the wall clock seems to grow louder as the minutes turn into hours. Fingers gnaw on nails, a nervous habit I had long abandoned but now find impossible to resist. I wait for someone, anyone, to give me an update. The fluorescent lights above hum relentlessly, and the hard chair beneath me has become an unwelcome companion.

Greyson was here earlier, his voice soft but firm, informing me that the surgery had been successful. Zayne was going to make it. He had to leave shortly after, his duties pulling him away, but the weight of his words has lingered.

Zayne was going to make it.

Relief had washed over me then, a momentary reprieve from the tightening anxiety that had settled in my chest since I heard the news. But now, as I sit here, my thoughts twist and tangle, and that relief fades into something heavier—something more uncertain.

My mind drifts, replaying the events over and over, the sight of him lying there, wounded and fragile. The terror that gripped me at the thought of losing him was paralyzing, a kind of fear that burrowed deep and refused to let go. It felt like everything was unraveling in that instant, like I was losing a part of myself. And then, just as quickly, the guilt settled in—guilt that there was another who occupied my thoughts just as much, if not more.

I pull out my phone, my thumb hovering over his name. The screen glows softly in the dim light of the waiting room. I know I should call him. I know he would want to know. But I can't bring myself to do it. Not now. Not with my emotions spiraling the way they are. I let out a shaky breath and slip the phone back into my pocket, my heart pounding in time with the ticking clock.

My thoughts spiral again, and suddenly I remember the file. The one I had seen in Zayne's drawer before Greyson burst in to tell me that Zayne was going to be okay. The folder had a logo on it—EVER Corp. A name that had haunted me for so long, the company I suspected had ties to my grandmother's death, and Caleb's. I feel the guilt gnawing at me for having given up on uncovering the truth, for allowing myself to be consumed by other things. But why did Zayne have it? And what was printed on those papers?

Before I can dwell on it any further, a nurse approaches, her expression kind but tired. "You can see him now," she says, her voice cutting through the haze of my thoughts. I nod, my heart suddenly lodged in my throat.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself, and rise to my feet. My legs feel heavy, like they might give out beneath me at any moment, but I force myself forward. Each step toward his room feels like a thousand. When I finally reach the door, I hesitate for a moment before pushing it open.

The room is dim, the only light coming from the machines that beep and hum softly around him. He looks so still, his face pale against the white sheets. I feel my chest tighten, and I swallow hard, trying to steady my breathing. I take a seat beside him, my hand slowly reaching out to rest on his.

His fingers twitch slightly, and his voice, barely a whisper, reaches my ears. "Your hands are always so warm," he murmurs, his eyes still closed.

A rush of emotion swells within me, and I can't help the tear that escapes down my cheek. "You're awake," I say, my voice trembling.

His lips curve into a faint smile. "You came."

"Of course," I whisper, my voice breaking. Tears brim in my eyes as I take in the sight of him, alive and here with me.

He opens his eyes then, and they lock onto mine. We stare at each other for a long moment, the silence between us filled with unspoken words, emotions too complex to put into sentences. It's as if we're speaking without speaking, understanding each other in a way only we can.

I finally break the silence, my voice barely audible. "You really did a number on me..."

He groans softly, his face contorting in pain as he tries to respond. "Why? Worried you wouldn't have someone to..."

I cut him off, my voice firmer this time. "Zayne."

He stops, his gaze softening as he looks at me. There's a vulnerability in his eyes that makes my heart clench.

"I couldn't bear it... losing you," I admit, my voice cracking under the weight of the words.

"You haven't lost me," he replies, his voice gentle but filled with conviction.

Another silence falls between us, and I can feel the weight of everything we've left unsaid pressing down on us. I want to ask him why. Why did he fight that Wanderer alone? Why did he put himself in danger like that?

"Why did you fight a Wanderer? Alone at that... you were reckless," I finally say, my voice breaking the silence.

A small, wry smile tugs at his lips. "How the tables turn," he says, a hint of humor in his tone.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady the emotions swirling within me. "How are you feeling?"

He looks at me for a moment, the sound of the machines around us drowning out the ache in my heart. "Relieved," he says quietly.

I furrow my brow, confusion clear on my face. "Relieved?"

"That you're here," he replies, his voice raw and honest.

The words pierce through me, and I can't hold back the tears any longer. I squeeze his hand, my voice trembling. "I'll always be here for you. No matter what."

He looks at me, his eyes searching mine. "Does he know that?"

My heart freezes, and I know exactly who he's referring to. I pull my gaze away from his, my throat tightening. I don't know what to say.

"I don't care if you're with him anymore," he says, his voice strained. "It made me bitter, yes... but... I'm not angry anymore."

He groans again, pain evident in his expression, but he continues. "I understand you... more than anyone. Your happiness means everything to me. But I have to ask... why him?"

My eyes sting as I look down, struggling to find the right words. After a moment, I answer quietly, "Because he was always sure it was me."

His eyes glisten, and I can see the tears he's fighting to hold back. "You love him?"

My chest feels like it's being torn apart as I watch the pain flicker across his face. "Zayne, you just had an accident..."

"I need to know," he insists, his voice cracking. "I deserve to know."

A tear slips down my cheek, and I nod, my voice barely a whisper. "Yes."

He looks away, his gaze dropping to our hands still intertwined. The silence that follows is heavy, filled with the weight of everything we can't say.

"But I care for you so much," I add, my voice trembling. "And I don't know what to do with that."

He closes his eyes, his breath shaky. We sit in silence, the sound of the machines the only thing filling the void between us.

"We need to let go," he finally says, his voice breaking, the words barely above a whisper.

My heart aches at the thought. Let go. The idea of letting go of him, of everything we shared, feels impossible. My feelings for Sylus are undeniable, strong and consuming, but my feelings for Zayne linger, pulling me in a direction that leaves me confused and torn.

I don't know how to move forward, how to reconcile the love I have for Sylus with the care I have for Zayne. I feel like I'm standing on the edge of a precipice, the ground crumbling beneath me, unsure which way to fall.

But as I look at him now, the pain etched across his face, I know he's right. We can't keep holding onto something that keeps us in limbo, unable to move forward.

We need to let go. But as I sit there, his hand still in mine, I wonder if I have the strength to do it.

With a sad smile on my lips I say, "I think we're just gonna have to be secretly in love with each other and leave it at that."

His head slowly shakes, his eyes filled with love. "It's no secret."