-Zayn-
I held Lizzie in my arms, her heart pounding against my chest, each beat reverberating through my own. She was trembling. I could see the tears welling in her eyes, and my own heart twisted at the sight. She had spoken of herself as cursed, as if she were some doomed character in a tragedy. I couldn't reconcile the image of the girl I loved so fiercely with the notion that she was somehow unworthy of happiness.
"Stop it," I shouted, my voice trembling under the weight of raw frustration. The volume surprised us both, and for a moment, everything froze. Our families stood around us, wide eyes affixed to the scene unfolding, unsure whether to step in or silently bear witness to a moment that felt far too intimate.
"Zayn…" she began, but I squeezed her tighter, almost desperate, and
