Stay With Me


    The next few days pass in exactly the same way.


    It''s all a haze.


    I wake up, go to school,e home and pretend like everything is fine. Even if it''s not. February always does this to me. Just the reminder of that day sends me into a mental


    and physical spiral.


    The weight of it settles deep inside, pressing down on me.


    It''s been two years. Two years since the ident. Two years since I lost my dad and my brother. And still, no matter how much time passes, no matter how much love I have surrounding me, February drags me down into a ce I don''t know how to escape from.


    Zaid tries to shake me from my mood, but not even hisfort is enough to chase my demons away. Aiden knows something is up, but he never really questions me, even when


    we talk.


    Jake has been avoiding mepletely.


    I avoid intimacy, flinching at the thought of letting myself feel too much. But every night,


    like clockwork, when the loneliness bes unbearable, I find myself in Zaid''s bed.


    He never asks questions. He just holds me.


    I make it as far as Tuesday before Jake has had enough


    We''re all sitting at the dinner table, the quiet sound of forks clinking against tes filling the air. I barely pick at my food, my appetite nonexistent.


    Then Jake sets his fork down. The sound is deafening.


    "I need to know what''s going on," he says, his voice steady.


    I tense when I lift my gaze to his. He''s not angry, just hurt, and he''s looking right at me.


    "You''ve been distant. You get home from school and barely say a word to us. You haven''t


    been sleeping with me. Is something wrong? Did- Did I do something?"


    Stay With Me


    Aiden and Zaid are quiet, neither of them saying or doing anything.


    My throat tightens. I stare at my te, my fingers clenching in myp.


    I feel Zaid''s eyes on me. When I nce at him, his gaze is gentle but urging, silently telling me that it''s okay.


    Aiden notices the look, his brows furrowing as he nces between us. "What is going


    on?"


    I inhale.


    Aiden pins his look at Zaid. "What do you know that she hasn''t been telling us?"


    I swallow hard, my voice barely above a whisper when I finally speak. "The ident.......It happened on Valentine''s Day. Two years ago."


    Silence. I can feel their eyes burning into me.


    Aiden exhales sharply, and Jake leans back in his chair, running a hand through his hair.


    "February is tough, and when you were talking about Valentine''s Day-"


    "Shit, Alina. I''m so sorry," Jake trails off, his expression shifting to something softer.


    Aiden pushes back his chair and walks around the table, wrapping his arms around me from behind. His chin rests on my shoulder, and he squeezes me tight. "You should''ve told us. We would have understood your need for space."


    I shrug, blinking back the burning in my eyes. "I didn''t want to bring it up. I didn''t want it to ruin anything. I don''t know if I want to do anything on Valentine''s."


    Jake shakes his head. "You''re not ruining anything. We just-" He sighs, rubbing a hand over his jaw. "We want to help."


    I nod, because I know that. I do. But how can they help? What can they do?


    Jake takes over, changing the conversation so that we can move on from the heavy topic. I''m thankful that I don''t have to talk about it anymore, but that doesn''t stop my mind from spinning.


    Stay With Me


    After dinner, we move to the living room, pulling out board games and cards to keep my mind busy. It works.


    I getpetitive.


    So do they.


    We''re screaming at each other over the coffee table when we all suspect Aiden of cheating. He justughs. "What? Because I''m winning I have to be cheating?"


    "Aiden, you''re winning by way toorge a margin,” Jake shakes his head, wrapping an arm around my waist to draw me onto hisp.


    Iy back against his chest andugh. "Aiden,e on, be honest."


    He barks augh, taking out a stack of cards from his back pocket.


    Zaid leans back, throwing his cards on the table. "I knew you weren''t that smart." That makes us allugh.


    Jake''s fingers run absentmindedly through my hair, and the steady beat of his heart is soothing. We listen as Zaid and Aiden recount stories from when they were younger, about how many times Zaid caught Aiden cheating at games.


    Jake lowers his hand and draws circles on my waist. His breath fans my ear and he whispers. "Stay with me tonight."


    I close my eyes, letting myself focus on his warmth. On his touch. I can''t avoid


    him


    forever. My body is ready for whatever distraction he can offer. I''m done with the wallowing.


    I nod.


    He breathes out in relief. "Shower?"


    I nod.


    He nts a hot kiss on my neck and helps me up. Zaid and Aiden understand immediately


    and we all say our goodnights, not missing Aiden''s annoyance and


    Stay With Me


    Zaid''s worry.


    We all make our way upstairs.


    "I''ll meet you in there, Jake," I say, staying behind to talk to Zaid.


    Jake looks between us and nods, heading into his room.


    Zaid''s dark eyes shift to me, his throat moving as he swallows thickly. "You''re okay?"


    I nod, taking his hand in mine. "Yes."


    "You sure?"


    I smile at the sentiment in his voice and step closer, wrapping my arms around his waist. “Yes. I just wanted to say thank you for helping me thesest few days."


    He wraps his arms around me.


    "I know you understand better than most." My voice trembles.


    He exhales, kissing the crown of my head.


    "But I don''t want to wallow forever."


    He nods. "I know. I just- just as long as you''re okay. And you want this."


    "You don''t have to worry about me when I''m with Jake or Aiden."


    He pulls back, looking down at me, his eyes on mine. He finally nods and kisses


    me softly before heading into his room.