Page 45 of All The Pretty Little Lies

Zaire appears in the doorway, his gaze taking in the scene. There's something in his gaze, a flicker of understanding that makes my chest tighten. He looks at Oscar and nods slightly, some unspoken communication passing between the twins.

"I'll get you some water," Oscar says, retreating into the house.

Zaire steps onto the porch, his presence solid and grounding. "Want to take a walk?" he asks, his voice low and calm. "Might help clear your head."

I glance down at my bare feet, toes curling against the rough wood. "I don't have any shoes," I mutter, embarrassed by how unprepared I am for even the simplest things.

Without a word, Zaire disappears into the house. He returns moments later with a pair of well-worn boots, setting them down in front of me. "They might be a bit big, but they'll do."

I slip them on, the leather soft and warm against my skin. They smell faintly of pine and motor oil, an oddly comforting scent. As I stand, Zaire offers his arm, not insisting but simply making it available if I need it.

For a moment, I hesitate. Then, swallowing my pride, I loop my arm through his. Together, we descend the creaky steps and set off down the overgrown path, leaving behind the beach house and the bitter taste of my fears, if only for a little while.

As we walk, the tall grass brushes against my legs, tickling my skin through the fabric of my jeans. The path is narrow, barely visible, a testament to how rarely it's used. Wildflowers dot the landscape, splashes of purple and yellow amidst the sea of green. Their sweet scent mingles with the earthy aroma of damp soil and sun-warmed grass.

The ground beneath our feet gradually changes from soft earth to gravel, crunching with each step. I can hear it now, a rhythmic whisper growing louder with each passing moment, the sound of waves lapping against a shore. The salty tang of sea air fills my lungs, sharp and invigorating.

Zaire's arm is warm against mine, his steady presence a silent comfort as we navigate the uneven terrain. I steal a glance at him, noticing how the sunlight catches the dark rings in his eyes, making them seem to glow. His face is set in concentration, jaw clenched slightly as if he's deep in thought.

We round a bend, and suddenly, the world opens up before us. The grass gives way to a rocky shoreline, jagged stones of various sizes scattered across the beach. The water stretches outto the horizon, a vast expanse of deep blue meeting the lighter hue of the sky. White-capped waves roll in, crashing against the larger rocks with a thunderous roar before retreating, leaving behind a frothy residue.

Zaire guides me carefully down a natural stairway formed by flat stones, his hand on my elbow to steady me. The boots, slightly too big, slap against the rocks with each step. We pick our way across the beach until we reach the water's edge, where the pebbles are smooth and gleaming, polished by countless tides.

I bend down, picking up a flat stone and turning it over in my hand. It's cool to the touch, its surface marbled with streaks of gray and white. Without thinking, I fling it towards the water, watching as it skips once, twice, three times before sinking beneath the waves.

"Nice throw," Zaire comments, his voice barely audible over the crash of the waves.

I turn to look at him, and our eyes meet. There's something in his gaze, an intensity that makes my breath catch in my throat. He's watching me closely, his eyes roaming over my face as if searching for something. I wonder what he sees - a broken girl, trying desperately to piece herself back together? Or something else entirely?

The wind whips my hair around my face, and I tuck a strand behind my ear, suddenly self-conscious under his scrutiny. "What?" I ask, my voice coming out harsher than I intended.

Zaire shakes his head slightly, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Nothing," he says softly. “It's good to see you out here. Away from everything. Oscar threw a lot at you all at once. Hearing all of that had to be hard.”

I let out a long, shaky breath, my eyes fixed on the horizon where the sea meets the sky. The vastness of it all makes me feel small, but, strangely, not insignificant. "It was hard," Iadmit, my voice barely audible over the rhythmic crash of waves. "But..."

I pause, searching for the right words. The salt-laden breeze caresses my face, carrying with it the calls of distant seabirds. I close my eyes for a moment, letting the sounds and smells of the ocean wash over me. When I open them again, I find Zaire watching me intently, his silver eyes patient and understanding.

"My entire life has been dictated to me since the beginning," I continue, the words tumbling out like the tide rushing to shore. "Who I could be friends with, what I could wear, how I should act. Even my future was mapped out for me: a marriage to Dmitri, a life confined within the gilded cage of the Petrov family.”

I bend down, picking up another smooth stone. It’s cool weight in my palm grounds me as I speak. "And then...the last two years." My voice catches, and I have to swallow hard before continuing. "I had no choices again. None. They were all made for me, by...by him."

The stone flies from my hand, arcing through the air before plunging into the water with a satisfying plop. Zaire remains silent, giving me space to find my words.

"But you and Oscar...you gave me a choice," I say, turning to face him fully. The wind whips my hair around my face, and I push it back impatiently. "You could have kept me in the dark, protected me from the truth. But you didn't.”

Zaire nods slowly, his gaze never leaving mine. "It was your right to know," he says simply.

I laugh, a short, bitter sound that's quickly swallowed by the crash of waves. "My right? Do you know how foreign that concept is to me? To have rights, to have choices?"

I start pacing along the water's edge, my borrowed boots leaving deep imprints in the wet sand. Each step feels like a small act of defiance against the life that was planned for me. "Itwas a lot to take in, and I'm still processing it all. The truth about my father, about Luca, about everything that's happened while I was...away."

I stop abruptly, turning to face Zaire again. He's watching me with an intensity that should make me uncomfortable, but instead, it makes me feel seen. Truly seen, perhaps for the first time in my life.

"But it's the first time someone has given me a choice," I say softly. "The first time in so long that I've felt like...like a person, not a pawn. Even though it hurts, I'm grateful for the truth," I finish, my voice barely above a whisper.

Zaire nods, his eyes softening with understanding. We stand in silence for a moment, the rhythmic crash of waves filling the air between us. A gull cries overhead, wheeling against the cerulean sky, its wings catching the sunlight like polished silver.

I take a deep breath, the salty air filling my lungs, and turn to face Zaire fully. "Can I ask you something?" The words come out hesitantly, my voice barely audible over the ocean's roar.

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