CHAPTER 15

ZAYN CARTER

What. The. Hell. Just. Happened?

One second, I was watching Ari scream like a maniac over Fay and Blair winning. The next?

She was hugging me.

Like, full-on arms-wrapped-around-me, squeezing-tight kind of hug.

And my entire brain shut down.

I just stood there. Stiff. Hands hovering in the air like I forgot how to function.

I wasn't even sure if I was breathing.

Cole, of course, had to be Cole.

"Did that just happen?" He was grinning like an idiot, looking between me and Ari like this was the greatest thing he'd ever witnessed.

Ari? She looked like she wanted to evaporate into thin air. Her face went from pure excitement to horror in a split second.

"I—THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT!!" she practically screamed, throwing her hands up like she'd just been caught committing a crime.

Huh.

That's all my brain gave me.

Just... Huh.

She whipped around so fast I barely had time to process before she—

HUGGED TWO RANDOM PEOPLE FROM THE MEDICAL TENT.

"EVERYONE GETS HUGS!" she declared, voice cracking slightly.

Cole lost it. He was straight-up bending over laughing, slapping my shoulder like I was supposed to find this funny.

"Oh my god," Fay wheezed, looking at Ari like she was the greatest entertainment of the day. "I LOVE EXCITED ARI."

Blair smirked. "This is officially the best day ever."

Cole finally caught his breath, still grinning like a lunatic. "Zayn, man. You got a free hug. How's it feel?"

I blinked. Looked at Cole. Looked at Ari.

She was still avoiding eye contact like her life depended on it.

I rolled my shoulders back, stuffing my hands into my varsity jacket pockets, my voice coming out way too casual.

"Felt forced," I said, tilting my head slightly.

Ari snapped her head toward me, gasping dramatically. "I DIDN'T FORCE ANYTHING—"

"Pretty sure I got ambushed," I continued, deadpan.

Cole snickered. "Ambushed with affection."

Ari groaned so hard I thought she might actually melt into the ground. "I WAS JUST REALLY EXCITED—"

I raised an eyebrow. "That excited for me?"

Her jaw dropped. "I—YOU—"

She let out an incoherent noise of frustration, turned on her heel, and stormed away.

Fay cackled, linking her arm with Blair. "You broke her."

Cole shook his head, nudging me. "You should've hugged her back, man."

I shrugged. "Didn't wanna traumatize her more."

Truth was?

I was still replaying the moment over in my head. The warmth. The way she fit perfectly against me for that one second before she freaked out.

And for some reason...

I couldn't help but smirk.