RedNovelChapter 239
Chapter 239
Tslips by in quiet routines that turn into our normal. The days are soft, happy. It makesforget all the
other things happening around us.
Therapy gets easier, and then harder. It's like a roller coaster, depending on what new trauma Cami wants to
crack open in our sessions. | settle for going to her once a week and | never miss it, never cancel it.
| find myself waking up in Zaid's bed more often than not. Listening to him
breathe, to the beat of his heart, is the best way to ward off the nightmares, and to
make sure | sleep
enough to function.
The mornings are still. | usually go into the art room first thing and open the curtains wide to let the light spill
into the room. | never stop being amazed at the sight. | never stop feeling emotional when | step inside and feel
loved for being known so well.
| never stop thanking him for it.
Actually, | forced him to move his desk in here last week. He foughtfor a full day until | physically dragged
his laptop and wires in here and dared him to stop
me.
He usually sits across fromwhile | paint, headphones on, lost in lines of code or whatever it is that makes
him mutter under his breath and rake his fingers through his
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt
hair. Sometimes we don't speak for hours, just exist in the sspace.
And that's enough.
We haven't had sex again.
It's not sdecision we made or boundary we set, it's just something unspoken. Right now, we're focused. On
ourselves. On healing. But still, there are nights when | climb into his bed without a word, and he opens his arms
like he was waiting for me.
And | sleep better than | ever have,
Today, after breakfast, we went shopping.
Elena cwith us, as she insisted on buyingnew clothes for our trip. | don't have the heart to tell her that |
haven't made up my mind yet. Zaid is insisting | go, so |
1/3
Chapter 239
haven't really told him about my doubts either.
I don't want to leave him.
Zaid follows us around the stores and pretends to care about suitcase sizes but then gets very serious about
which ones have the most compartments. | try not to laugh.
Later, we go out for dinner, just the two of us. A little place with string lights on the patio
and candles on the table.
| twirl my fork in my pasta and glance at him over the rim of my glass. "How's school
been? And work?"
Zaid leans back in his chair and sighs. "I'm ready to be done with senior year, I'm sure you are, too. Just a few
more weeks of classes, but it feels like forever."
"Yeah, but | bet it's worst for you. You would've been done last year. But you're almost there," | smile.
"Yeah.” He shrugs, pushing food around on his plate. "And work, well, I'm tired of the company I'm with. | don't
know, it's not bad, I'm just not growing there anymore. I've been thinking about looking for something new."
| smile. "Why don't you just start your own?"
He looks up sharply, surprised. “My own company?"
"Why not? You could do something incredible. You're smart and-"
| catch him looking atwith a smile growing on his face. "I'm smart?"
| chew on my lip so that | don't laugh and nod.
He lets out a breath, serious once again. "You think so?"
I nod, meaning every word. "Completely."
We fall quiet again. | take a sip of my water and trace the edge of my plate with
my fingertip. "Aiden's coming in a few weeks," | say casually, watching him closely.
Zaid glances up and nods, not missing a beat. "I know. I'm happy. I've missed him."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
2/3
Chapter 239
There's something tight in my chest. | swallow around it. "I've been meaning to ask you, how do you feel about
His fork slips out of his hand and clatters onto the plate. He doesn't flinch, just looks atfor a long moment,
eyes calm and steady. "Are you asking if I'm okay with it?"
I nod slowly, nervous. "I don't feel the way | felt about Jake. | don't feel like | need to distance myself. It might
change when | see Aiden, but that's not how | feel now."
Zaid reaches across the table and takes my hand. His thumb brushes across my knuckles as he studies my face,
like he's memorizing every twitch and blink.
"Love," he says softly, "you have complete autonomy. Always. I'm not here to sway you or guilt you or make you
feel like you oweanything. Your relationships are yours. And | want you to live them out, not walk on
eggshells for me. | haven't changed how | feel."
Something stings behind my eyes, and | squeeze his hand. "But you didn't likebeing with Jake. | don't want
this to separate us further."
He holds my gaze, firm and quiet. "That was different."
A tear slips free before | can catch it. | laugh softly, shaking my head. "Thank you."
Zaid squeezes my hand back, and that smile of his spreads across his face. "You don't have to thank me. | love
you. That's it. That's all that matters."
My heart leaps in my chest, but it's still saddled with guilt. | look away, trying to hide the confusion bubbling
inside me.
We finish dinner quietly and head home. That night, | don't slip into his head, but I also don't sleep at all.
Visit our social media platform to read fascinating stories every day and connect with the community!
