-Elizabeth-
Sitting in the dimly lit corner of the hotel bar, the soft thrum of jazz wrapped around me like an old, comforting blanket, contrasting sharply with the turmoil swirling in my heart. I nursed the sweet rum drink the bartender had suggested, feeling its warmth seep into my veins, momentarily dulling the edge of my thoughts. The city felt like a world away, and yet the weight of its memories lingered like a stubborn shadow. My dinner with Zayn's family had been a mix of warmth, laughter, and a precarious tension I could still feel resting tightly in my chest.
I had declared I needed some air, needing a space to breathe and collect my thoughts after the evening's events. Zayn was sweet about it, always understanding, but even he couldn't know the storm brewing beneath my calm ex
