Crossing a Line
We’re frozen.
Suspended in time. I can’t breathe, can’t think. My heart is pounding hard enough that I
can hear it in my ears.
Nikki and I stare at each other, wide eyed and breathless, tying to smooth our faces so we
don’t have the truth of our conversation written in our eyes.
She motions with her hands for me to take a deep breath, so I do.
I take a breath. Then another. I smooth my hands over my hair, adjust my shirt like that’s going to help anything, and make my way to the door. Nikki makes a dramatic motion of zipping her lips shut, throwing away the key, and sitting back against my pillows with the most innocent look I’ve ever seen.
I almost laugh.
I pull open the door. Shock spreads through me at seeing Zaid standing there.
He’s got something behind his back, his jaw working like he’s in the middle of chewing something bitter. His dark eyes soften when they land on me, and my
entire body reacts.
My spine shudders.
My breath turns light.
My heart stutters.
I miss him.
For a second, it’s just us. I forget that Nikki.is there. I forget about Sadie, about all the shit happening around us.
But then his eyes flick past me and catch Nikki sitting in my room. The bubble around me
bursts.
“Hey, didn’t know you were here,” he says politely, dipping his chin at her.
1/5
4:24 pm f
Crossing a Line
Nikki raises her hand in a casual wave. “Hey.”
She’s trying just a bit too hard to not look like she’s hiding something. She looks ridiculous.
Zaid shifts his weight, eyes turning back to me. “Can we talk privately?”
His tone is tight, and I can feel the weight of impatience pulling on it. I glance back at Nikki, who’s watching us like she’s at the movies.
“We were just about to leave,” I say.
Zaid’s frown deepens. “Please. Just for a minute.”
The air between us tightens. He looks nervous, ticking, eyes shifting between mine like he
. can’t stand still. I cross my arms loosely and tilt my head. “Are you okay?”
His throat works, and he gives me a small, jerky nod. “I’m fine. I’m worried about you right now.”
That makes something in my chest twist. Nikki clears her throat behind me. “I can step out.”
I hesitate for half a second before sighing. “Okay.”
I step aside as Nikki slides off the bed and gives me a quick squeeze on my arm on the
way out.
When she’s gone, Zaid steps inside, closing the door behind him with a gentle, careful movement, like he’s afraid of breaking something. He exhales slowly, his hand dragging through his hair as he stares at the ground. Then at me.
His nerves are written all over him.
I’ve never really seen him like this.
“I might be crossing a line,” he starts. His voice is thick. “And you can tell me to fuck off
if this is too much.”
I stare at him, confused. “Zaid, what-?”
2/5
Crossing a Line
He pulls his hand from behind his back. It’s a box.
A box of pregnancy tests.
The room goes very still. My brain does this dumb stuttering thing where all I can do is blink at the box like it’s going to spontaneously explain itself. I lift my eyes to him, catching the way he’s anxious for my reaction.
Without thinking, I swing the door open again. “Nikki.”
She’s right there on the other side, arms crossed and clearly eavesdropping. She jumps a little when I call her, but walks back in immediately. “What?”
Zaid looks equally confused, glancing between us. He still holds the box out awkwardly, his fingers tight around the edges.
Nikki follows my line of sight, and the second she sees it, her eyes widen. “Oh, my god.”
We all stand there for a moment, like we’re trying to figure something out.
Then Nikki looks at Zaid. “You think she’s pregnant too?”
He blinks. “What?”
I close the door again, leaning my back against it while Nikki throws herself into the middle of the room like this is all normal.
“We were just talking about that,” Nikki says, pointing between herself and me. “We were literally about to go get tests.”
Zaid’s mouth parts in surprise as his gaze snaps back to me. His face is soft in that way it only ever is when he’s caught off guard, like he’s just been hit in the chest with something. “You were?”
I shrug, forcing a weak laugh. “Guess you saved us a trip. And some money.”
Nikki grins, but Zaid’s eyes don’t leave me. His expression darkens, but not in a bad way. More like he’s thinking through every possible scenario at once. I feel it like a current under my skin.
“Did you tell Jake or Aiden?” I ask quietly.
3/5
Crossing a Line
He shakes his head once. “No. I wanted to talk to you first. I noticed that you were feeling
off.”
Something warm curls in my stomach, strange and heavy. I step closer and take the box from his hands, my fingers brushing his.
“Is it okay if I do this on my own?” My voice drops at the end, hesitant.
He frowns, his hand falling back to his side. “Of course. This is about you. Whatever you need.”
I nod, biting my lip. Then he reaches for me, and I don’t stop him. I lean into him, his arms closing around me with a kind of relief that’s hard to explain. He sighs into my hair, his breath warm against my temple like he’s been holding this in for too long.
I close my eyes and let myself feel it. His chest against mine. The weight of his hand at my lower back. The faint, familiar scent of him that makes my stomach twist.
“I’ve missed you,” he murmurs, his lips brushing the top of my head.
I smile against him, breathing him in, and wrap my arms around him a little tighter. “Me too.”
When we finally pull apart, his fingers trail down my arm like he’s reluctant to let go. His eyes hold mine, dark and full of something that looks like longing. “I’ll be home.”
I nod.
Then, he quietly adds, “If you need me.”
He takes one last look at me before stepping out, closing the door, his eyes on me the
entire time, like he’s afraid I’ll break.
Nikki lets out a long breath beside me, her hands on her hips. “Well, guess we’re doing
this.”
I hold up the box and stare at it like it might explode.
“Yeah,” I say. “We are.”
