Secret

Mira walked into the kitchen, her mind still buzzing from the recent encounter with Zack and the tension that lingered between her and Zamian. She pulled open the refrigerator, scanning its contents with a small sigh. There wasn't much to offer, just a few basics. Her hand reached for the box of grape juice. It wasn't as cold as she would have liked since it hadn't been stored in the freezer, but it would have to do. She grabbed it and then reached for a glass cup from the cupboard. Noticing it hadn't been used in a while, she quickly rewashed and dried it to make sure it was clean.

Next, she opened another cupboard and pulled out a box of crackers—simple, but better than nothing. With her makeshift meal in hand, she returned to the dining area where Zamian was seated. His quiet intensity filled the room, making the small apartment feel even more confined.

"I know this isn't what you're used to," Mira said apologetically as she placed the grape juice and crackers on the table, "but I think this will hold you over for the night."

She turned to leave, her body tense with the desire to escape to the solitude of her bedroom. But just as she was about to step away, she felt a firm yet gentle grasp on her wrist, halting her in her tracks. She turned back to face Zamian, who looked up at her with an unreadable expression.

"Aren't you going to eat?" he asked, his voice low and even.

Mira hesitated, caught off guard by his unexpected concern. She had expected cold indifference, not this. "I will," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "I just want to go freshen up first."

Zamian's released her wrist. She quickly turned on her heel and made her way to the bathroom. The door clicked shut behind her, and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. The small bathroom, though cramped compared to the expansive ones in Zamian's mansion, offered a brief refuge from the complicated emotions swirling inside her.

She undressed and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water wash away the day's tension. As she stood under the spray, her thoughts drifted back to Zamian. There was something different about him tonight—something that made her heart beat faster and her thoughts scatter in every direction. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind, and focused on finishing her shower.

When Mira finally emerged from the bathroom, she felt a bit more composed. She had thrown on a baggy t-shirt and a pair of comfortable shorts, the casual outfit helping to ground her a bit after everything that had happened. Returning to the dining area, she grabbed another glass of grape juice and a few crackers, hoping the simple meal would be enough to settle her nerves.

As she ate, she noticed Zamian had moved to sit on the sofa, his gaze distant, as if lost in thought. She couldn't help but wonder what was going through his mind. The silence between them was thick, filled with all the things left unsaid. Despite the simplicity of the meal, Zamian ate quietly, not complaining or showing any sign of discomfort.

After a few moments of quiet eating, Mira broke the silence. "Are you going to sleep now?" she asked, her voice soft.

Zamian looked up at her and nodded. The simple gesture held more weight than it should have, given their circumstances.

"Follow me," Mira said, standing up and leading Zamian to her room. If only she had a guest room for him, things would have been simpler. But her apartment was modest, and her bedroom wasn't nearly as spacious as the king-size bed back in Zamian's mansion. The reality of the situation made her nervous.

As they entered the room, she turned to him, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I don't know if you'll be comfortable on the bed since it's not like the ones you're used to. But if you'd rather stay here, I can sleep on the sofa. It would be okay with me."

Zamian looked at her, his expression calm as he responded, "Don't worry, we can stay here."

Mira tried to keep her composure, but she had half-expected him to suggest that she take the sofa instead. The thought of sharing her bed with him made her heart race, and she found herself struggling to mask her nervousness. There was something she had been holding back since she arrived at the mansion, something she hadn't wanted to admit to herself. The truth was, she wasn't the best sleeper. She moved around a lot in her sleep, a habit that was easily ignored in the vast expanse of her bed at the mansion. But here, in the confines of her small bed, she worried it would become all too obvious.

Determined not to embarrass herself further, Mira resolved to stay as still as possible. She nodded slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Okay," she replied, and then carefully laid down on the bed.

Zamian lay down beside her, and despite the bed not being overly small, it felt almost cramped with the two of them on it. Mira turned to face the other side, trying to create as much space between them as possible. She knew that any movement she made would bring their bodies into contact, a thought that only added to her tension. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to sleep, but her mind was racing.

Despite her efforts to stay awake and alert, the events of the day caught up with Mira. Gradually, the exhaustion overcame her, and her tense muscles began to relax. Her breathing became steady and slow as she drifted off to sleep. She hadn't even realized when it happened, but soon enough, she was completely lost in slumber.

Zamian, on the other hand, remained awake, his thoughts far from sleep as he lay there, aware of Mira's every movement, or lack thereof. The situation was unusual, to say the least, but there was something about being close to her that he couldn't quite define. He was used to solitude, to the cold, empty expanses of his own space. But here, in this small room, with Mira just inches away, there was a warmth he hadn't anticipated.

As he listened to the quiet sounds of the night, Zamian found himself strangely at peace, something he hadn't felt in a long time. The closeness of Mira, her presence beside him, was unexpectedly comforting. It was a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time, if ever. Watching her sleep so peacefully beside him, Zamian felt a wave of unfamiliar emotions wash over him.

After some time, the exhaustion of the day began to catch up with him too. Zamian, still lost in thought, finally allowed his eyes to close, following Mira into sleep. The tension that had filled the room earlier was now replaced by a quiet, shared sense of calm, the warmth of their shared presence easing them into rest.

The next morning, Mira slowly woke up as the soft morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtain, casting a gentle glow over the room. She blinked a few times, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. But as her vision cleared, she realized something startling.

Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the scene before her. Somehow, during the night, she had ended up in an incredibly awkward position. Her leg was draped over Zamian's stomach, her hand rested on his chest, and her head was nestled against him. It looked as though she was almost... strangling him with her embrace.

Panic surged through her as she processed the situation. How could she have ended up like this? The mortification was almost too much to bear. She quickly decided she needed to move, to extricate herself from this embarrassing position before he woke up and noticed.

But just as she began to shift, she heard a deep, calm voice that froze her in place.

"Stay"