CHAPTER 33

The night stretched on, and boredom hit me like a truck. Everyone was busy with something—Jenni was chatting with my mom, Lily was running around, and Zayn's parents were still sorting out the food. I sat near the tent, picking at the edge of my sleeve, feeling restless.

That's when I noticed Zayn.

He was leaning against the car, his phone in hand, watching something. His expression was sharp, focused, like whatever was on the screen had his full attention. I had nothing better to do, so I got up, walked over, and leaned in just enough to see.

"What're you watching?" I asked.

"Martial arts highlights," he said without looking at me.

My interest immediately piqued. "Oh? Which fight?"

He glanced at me, then tilted the screen slightly in my direction. "This one's a classic. The goddess versus Valerio."

My stomach flipped.

Of all the fights, he had to pick that one?

I forced myself to stay calm, nodding like it was just another match. "Damn. That's a good one."

He raised a brow. "You watch fights?"

I shrugged. "Sometimes."

Understatement of the century.

On the screen, the camera zoomed in on the fighter known as 'Goddess'—a masked opponent, clad in sleek black, her movements calculated, lethal. Me.

Only Fay, Blair, and my mom knew the truth. No one else, and I planned on keeping it that way.

I watched as the match played out, seeing myself from an outsider's perspective. Valerio was good—fast, aggressive—but Goddess had been better. Every move I made had been precise, my hits clean, my dodges effortless.

Zayn let out an approving hum as the fight intensified. "She's good. Really good."

I smirked, pride swelling in my chest. "Yeah? What do you like about her?"

"She's smart," he said without hesitation. "Doesn't just rely on strength. Reads her opponent, makes them play into her hands. It's not just brute force—it's strategy."

I swallowed, pretending his words didn't make me feel something.

He continued watching, completely engrossed as Goddess landed a brutal roundhouse kick, sending Valerio stumbling. "Damn," he muttered. "I'd love to see her fight in person."

I almost laughed.

If only he knew.

Zayn kept watching the match like it was the best thing he'd ever seen. I stayed quiet, letting him be absorbed in it. Then, out of nowhere, he locked his phone and turned the screen toward me.

His wallpaper popped up.

My breath caught for a second.

It was her. The Goddess.

The same masked fighter from the video—the same person who had just dominated Valerio in the highlights. Me.

I raised a brow, forcing my voice to stay casual. "Really? You got a whole shrine for her now?"

Zayn scoffed. "It's just a wallpaper." But the way he said it, like it was obvious, made me smirk.

"She must be your favorite fighter then."

"She's one of the best," he said simply. "Haven't seen her fight recently, though. You think she retired?"

I leaned back slightly, crossing my arms. "Maybe she just got bored."

Zayn glanced at me. "Or maybe she got scared."

I rolled my eyes. "Doubt it."

There was a flicker of amusement in his eyes, but he didn't push it. He just exhaled and went back to watching the screen, and I took that as my cue to leave.

"I'm taking a break," I muttered, stepping away.

Zayn didn't reply, just glanced at me before turning back to his phone. I took that as my cue and walked off, heading toward the treeline. The forest wasn't dense, just thick enough that I could get a moment alone.

I wasn't stupid—I made sure no one was around before I let out a slow breath. My hair was already coming loose from my makeshift bun, strands falling over my face. Without thinking, I reached up and yanked the pen out, letting my hair spill down.

And then I moved.

Instinct took over as I went through the same sequence I had done in the fight against Valerio. My body flowed into each strike like second nature—a sharp turn, a high kick, a fluid dodge. I could still feel the energy of that match, the way I had read his movements, twisted them against him.

My foot pivoted, and I spun into a roundhouse kick, the exact same one that had made Zayn's lock screen. The air whooshed around me as I struck, steady and fluid, every motion controlled.

I lost myself in it.

Until I heard something behind me.

I froze, my breath still steady, my body alert. Slowly, I turned my head—only to meet a pair of familiar eyes watching me from the shadows.

Zayn.

His expression was unreadable, his posture relaxed but his gaze sharp, focused. Like he had just seen something he wasn't supposed to.

Shit.