Love, Romance And A Boy (bxb)

Part Fifteen

Part Fifteen

•••

Darkness soon consumes everything around us.

The moonlight filters through the trees, casting shadows that dance on the ground. I don't say it, but my heart pounds faster in the dark.

Scott knows. I mask my fear with a frustrated sigh, running my hand down my face, and then bringing the half-empty bottle of tequila to my lips. The burn of the alcohol distracts me, but only for a moment.

Scott rambles beside me, his words slurred and indistinct. I hand him the bottle, my fingers brushing his. A spark shoots through me at the touch.

Our eyes meet. His brown eyes reflect the moonlight, revealing a depth of worry that makes my breath catch. I look away, the intensity too much to bear. I'm already in too deep.

"I never hated you," Scott slurs. "Never did, never think I can. Felt like I hadn't met the right person until you."

His words hang in the air. I keep my eyes fixed ahead, trying to process. "You can't just call someone your soulmate if they don't feel the same."

He takes another swig, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. "We both know that's not true, Zayn. You feel the same."

"Why are you bringing this up?" My voice trembles despite my efforts to steady it. "It's not that I don't wanna hear it. It's just..."

"It's just what?" He stops and turns to face me. The weight of his gaze makes my skin prickle with heat. "You're the least person I hate in this world right now."

He passes me the bottle, and I take it, careful not to let our skin touch.

"You're just saying all these things because you're drunk," I say, running my hands through my hair. "Nothing you say will change how I feel. You can't expect me to reciprocate because it's forbidden."

Scott grabs my wrist and pulls me into his chest. I gulp as he looks down at me. "If it's so forbidden, why do I feel so alive? You ignite the fire in me."

I roll my eyes, pat his chest, and step back. "There you go, off the deep end, amigo," I reply, taking a gulp from the bottle.

He might think I hate him, but I don't. I'm tempted to tell him. To keep us both safe, I'd rather hurt myself than harm him.

"Yeah, I know," he says, chuckling. "But it doesn't hurt to try. I... I don't know if I'll ever be more in love—"

I hold up my hand to stop him. "We're not talking about love right now," I say. "That's cliché and something I don't want to be part of."

"That's where you're wrong," he replies, smirking. "You're in love with someone. I can tell." His gaze pierces through me. "Sometimes it's okay to feel. We're all human and we all make mistakes. It really depends on you what you do with that lesson. We grow as we learn."

Scott talks like I don't already know that. "I understand that—"

"Do you?" he cuts me off. "You don't seem to let people in. I'm trying to show you how much it means to me for you to open up again. To see you smile. To see you happy." His intense gaze makes me squirm. "And I'd like to be that person for you."