Strings and Schemes

Chapter 35

I lean against the counter, sipping my coffee. "So what's on the agenda for today?"

Liam answers first. "Work stuff, then we're dragging this idiot out for a proper night out."

Zayn scoffs. "Dragging?"

Louis grins. "The Ember Room, mate. Drinks, music, and bad decisions."

I arch a brow. "Sounds chaotic."

Zayn leans in, voice teasing. "Chaos is where I thrive, love."

I try to laugh, but something in my chest tightens. Maybe it's the way his fingers tighten slightly around his coffee mug. Or maybe it's just the ghost of my father's words still sitting heavy on my shoulders.

"You sure you're okay?" Zayn asks suddenly, eyes flicking to mine.

I school my features into something neutral. "Yeah. Just... long night."

He doesn't look convinced, but he doesn't push.

As they get ready to leave, Zayn lingers.

Liam and Louis are already heading toward the door, but Zayn stays rooted in place, watching me.

His fingers brush my wrist. "I don't know why, but something about tonight doesn't sit right with me."

I force a smile. "You just don't like the idea of me having fun without you."

He doesn't laugh. Instead, he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch lingering. "Be safe, okay?"

I squeeze his hand. "You too."

He leans in, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to my forehead. I breathe him in, letting the moment stretch, committing it to memory.

Then he's gone.

The night falls too quickly.

I throw on a dress, touch up my makeup, and meet my university friends at a rooftop bar. Laughter bubbles easily around me, drinks clink, and the city stretches endlessly beyond the glass railings.

But something feels off.

I check my phone. No messages from Zayn.

I tell myself not to overthink it.

Somewhere across the city, Zayn is laughing with Louis and Liam, probably nursing a drink and rolling his eyes at whatever nonsense Louis is spouting.

I take a sip of my cocktail, pushing down the unease. Everything is fine. It has to be. As I step outside for some air, my phone buzzes.

Unknown Number: Leaving the embassy so late last night? Thought you had a curfew, princess.

A chill runs down my spine. I glance around. The street is crowded, filled with noise and movement. I shake my head, slipping my phone back into my clutch. Just a joke. A weird, coincidental joke. Behind me, the city hums with life.

Somewhere, unseen hands are moving the pieces into place. By the time the night is over, nothing will ever be the same.

Before everything got complicated, before my father's words settled into my chest like a ticking time bomb, before I started feeling like the walls around me were closing in, there was this moment.

The kind I wanted to live in forever.

It had been a rare night where our worlds weren't at odds—where Zayn's friends, our friends, pulled me into their chaos without hesitation.

We had met up at a tucked-away bar, one of those dimly lit places that only regulars knew about. Niall had insisted on picking the venue, claiming "this place has the best whiskey in town and I won't hear otherwise."