Page 64 of Deadly Secrets

Hey.

Zayn

Hey. How’s NY?

Me

Same. Need something from here?

Zayn

Are you really texting me to ask if I need something from home?

Me

Not really. Have you talked to Noah?

Zayn

There’s nothing to talk about.

Me

Don’t be a dick. He’s your friend, and you fucked the girl he likes in front of him.

Zayn

He shouldn’t have come to the kitchen.

Me

*Rolling eyes emoji*

Zayn

Yes, I know. I’ll talk to him.

Chapter 26. THE PACT

(Zayn)

He was probably doing it on purpose to punish me. Twenty minutes. I had been waiting for Noah at The Patio, a local bar, for the past twenty fucking minutes. He left me on read for several hours before replying to my texts. He wouldn’t pick up the phone either. A double blue tick that perfectly said, “Fuck you, Zayn,” without even saying it.

But I’d wait. I was patient.

Ten minutes later, Noah showed up. He wore gray sweats and a black T-shirt—zero point on effort—and his facial expression was as bitter as the IPA I was drinking.

“Hey, thanks for coming,” I said.

“Sure, I had nothing better to do.”

My eyes probably rolled to the back of my head. Noah getting angry was never a fun sight. He’d act like a thirteen-year-old every time.

“What did you want to talk about that was so important?” he asked.

“Really, man? You can’t think about a single thing we need to talk about?”

Like a kid.

---