TJ and I were still sitting on the porch, enjoying the peaceful afternoon, when a car honked loudly, startling us both. Zoe and JJ had returned.
"Here, have this," TJ said, handing me his jumper.
"Why?" I asked, confused.
He leaned closer, his breath brushing against my ear, sending shivers down my spine. "Because I don't want my brother to see the beautiful outline of your breasts," he whispered.
Heat flooded my cheeks as I snatched the jumper from his hands, my embarrassment evident. I turned around quickly, slipping the jumper on, but just as I was about to leave the porch, TJ grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer.
"I love when you blush," he said softly, his voice laced with amusement. Before I could respond, he walked back inside, leaving me flustered and wrecked on the porch.
"Xhani! I got you stuff, come here," Zoe called out as she stepped into the house, her arms full of bags.
I followed her inside, where she dropped the bags onto the floor with a triumphant smile. "These are all yours."
Curious, I opened one of the bags, only to find it stuffed with bikinis and shorts—most of them very revealing.
"Zoe!" I exclaimed, holding up a particularly tiny two-piece bikini.
"Oh, come on! Don't tell me you don't like it," she said, grinning as she pulled out more pieces.
"They're so small and revealing," I said, giving her a deadpan stare.
Zoe rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up! You have an amazing body, so why hide it?"
Placing my hands on my hips, I asked, "Why did you bring so many bikinis?"
"Duh, genius. For you to wear," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I won't be here for long," I replied firmly.
At my words, the entire room fell silent. TJ, Zoe, and JJ all looked at me with sad eyes. JJ was the first to react. He walked over and gently grabbed my wrist.
"Don't tell me you're going to leave after we just found you again," he said softly, his face filled with sadness.
Seeing their disappointment broke my heart. I hadn't realized how much they still cared for me after all these years.
"Okay, okay! I won't leave just yet. Don't cry on me, all of you," I said with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly, and everyone returned to laughing and chatting like before.
"How about we all get some rest and meet up for dinner later?" JJ suggested, distracting us.
"Yeah, I need a shower, so I'll meet you guys at dinner," Zoe said, grabbing her bags and heading upstairs.
"I need to finish some office work. I'll see you at 7," TJ added, turning and walking out of the house.
"JJ, I'll make a few calls, and then I'll come back," I said. JJ nodded gently as he began pulling out ingredients for dinner.
I went back to my house and picked up my phone. The screen lit up, showing dozens of missed calls and messages from Ziya, David, and Zain.
I quickly dialed Ziya's number. She picked up on the second ring, which was surprising considering she never answered her phone so quickly.
"Hey, Xhani! Where are you? Are you okay?" Ziya asked anxiously.
"Hey, baby girl. I'm fine, I promise. I'm so sorry I didn't call earlier," I replied softly.
"That's fine, as long as you're okay," she said, sounding relieved.
"I'm at my family's lake house. I just needed a few days to clear my head," I said, my voice quiet.
"Thank goodness. We were really worried about you, Xhani," she said, the worry still lingering in her tone.
"Do you want me and David to come to you?" she asked quickly.
"No, it's okay. I'm with some old friends," I reassured her. I heard her sigh in relief.
For a moment, there was silence before Ziya spoke again, her voice hesitant. "Zain's been going crazy trying to find you."
Hearing his name made anger bubble up inside me. The memory of him kissing Dana replayed in my head, and my chest tightened.
"Ziya, PLEASE don't mention Zain again," I snapped, my voice sharp with anger.
"I'm sorry, I won't," she said softly. "When are you coming back?"
"I don't know yet. I want to spend more time here before heading back," I replied honestly.
We spoke for a few more minutes before I hung up. I also called David, letting him know I was safe and would be back in a few days.
Just as I was about to put down my phone, a notification popped up. It was a message from Zain:
•"I know you're online. Can you please just answer my calls?"
•"Just tell me where you are. I'll come and explain everything."
•"Please forgive me."
There were so many messages, all pleading and desperate. I wasn't ready to talk to him, so I ignored them and went back to JJ's house to help with dinner.
In the kitchen, JJ was in his element, chopping and stirring with precision. The aroma of the food filled the house, and my stomach rumbled in anticipation.
"Everything smells so good," I said, watching him work.
"It'll taste even better," JJ replied with a proud smile.
And he was right. Within minutes, dinner was ready, and the food was incredible. I'd never tasted anything quite like it. We ate together, laughing and talking late into the night, just like we used to.
Later, I headed back to my room. I lay down, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Being alone in this house brought back so many memories, and my mind wouldn't stop racing.
DING.
A notification lit up my phone. It was a message from TJ:
•"Are you still awake?"
Confused, I stared at the message. How did TJ's number get saved on my phone?
DING.
Another message came through:
•"I'm coming up."
Before I could even respond, the door to my room opened, and TJ walked in. Without saying a word, he climbed into bed and lay down beside me.
He wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tightly. "Go to sleep," he whispered softly.
I didn't know when it happened, but eventually, the warmth of his embrace lulled me to sleep.
For the first time in a long time, I felt safe