Nobela ni The ink duo.

Chapter one:Sounds of laughter filled the room and loud music played in the background and talks of guys could be heard in the room teasing and laughing with each other..“Truth or dare “someone shouted.“Dare” Zayn answered with a smirk on his face as he sat back lazily on the couch.That portrayed the type of person he was.Confident and someone who’s always in control…Few people exchanged knowing looks which shows they have something mischievous planned….“Alright then” one of his friends said…..”I dare you to get close to Nuella.There was a pause in the room as the guys stared at his each other not because of the name was not familiar to them but the fact that it actually wasn’t…Across the room one of the guys laughed loudly…”you mean Nuella like seriously”..“Yeah”…another one said…”very quiet girl doesnt even look his way, that might be difficult “.Zayn’s lips curved slightly to show he was intrigued already..“When you say ‘get close’ explain what you mean by that”…He said

Chapter 6. Dinner was a little too quiet. And I knew why the second he called her name.“Steph.”She looked up from her plate. “Yeah?”He didn’t say anything right away. He just looked at her the exact same way he looked at me earlier.He kept measuring…waiting…Then—“You and Aiden okay?”Her hand stilled slightly. It was barely noticeable, but I saw it.“Yeah” she said “Why wouldn’t we be?”It was the same answer, just a different voice. A tighter one. Dad leaned back in his chair. His eyes moving between us.“You both gave me the exact same answer” he said.No one spoke. Because what the fuck were we supposed to say to that?He exhaled slowly. “Listen,” he continued, his voice calmer now, “if there’s tension in this house, I’d rather know than feel it.”“There’s no tension,” Steph said quickly. Quicker than we both needed her to. Dad’s eyes flicked to her. Then to me.Then back to her.“Steph” he said, with a softer voice. That tone.The one that meant he was paying attention.“

The movie ended. The lights in the room stayed dim. No one moved immediately.“Not bad,” dad said, stretching slightly. “We should do this more often.”“Yeah,” I replied.Steph on the other hand, didn’t say anything. She stood up first. A little too quick. “I’ll go get water,” she said, already walking away. I watched her leave. Then looked back at the screen. It was blank now. Reflection staring back at me.Dad stood up beside me and paused for a bit. “You good?” he asked. I glanced up at him. “Yeah”He nodded slowly as he still watched me. Then he walked off. Leaving me alone in the dark.The kitchen light was already on when I walked in. Steph was at the sink.Her back turned, her hands braced against the counter like she needed something solid to hold onto.I didn’t say anything at first. I just… stood there and watched her. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she said finally.Her voice was low. Like she was trying to control it. I leaned against the doorway. “Done what?”She le

The house felt very different the next few days. It became…quieter. But not in the usual type of way.This one had a whole lot of…weight to it. Like something was sitting between all of us, we knew, and acted like it didn’t exist.I barely saw her. And when I eventually did, she kept it brief. Short answers, no eye contact, always moving.But it wasn’t distance, it was control.Forced and tight control. And I could already see it slipping.It happened in the afternoon.Dad was home. That alone should’ve been enough to stop anything.But it wasn’t.I walked into the kitchen and stopped.Steph was by the counter, slicing something. The window was open, light pouring in, catching the side of her face.She didn’t look up when I entered.“I thought you went out” I said.“I did” she replied. “I came back.”Her reply was flat…careful.I leaned against the counter, watching her.“You’ve been avoiding me”“No I haven’t”“Yes…you have!”She sighed, setting the knife down a little harder than ne

Chapter 3. “Aiden” The sound of my own name felt heavier than it should’ve. My father stood in the hallway with a suitcase in one hand and his jumper in another. His eyes all tired like he hadn’t slept for nights. For a moment I just stared at him, trying to figure out why he was back…now…of all times. “Dad” I finally let out in a slow drag. “You’re…back”He nodded once. “I bet you didn’t expect to see me this early, did you?”I shook my head. My heart pounding so loud in my chest I felt like he could hear it. Every thought of Steph, her skin against mine, the awkward silence from that morning, every door upstairs now felt like a crime scene I couldn’t hide. “Where’s Steph” he asked as he glanced towards the hallway. That question landed on him like a bomb. “She’s in her room…” “…I guess” I added, trying to sound not-too-certain. “I tried calling you both, you didn't pick up”“I was asleep” I lied immediately. “I…I don’t know about Steph though”He frowned. “She didn’t come up

Chapter 2. The next morning I woke up to the smell of breakfast. My bed all made up and my room was mess-free. I got out of bed…trying to understand what the fuck was going on, why my bed was laid, why my cum-soaked pants were in the wash, and most importantly…why I didn’t wake up to her next to me. I dragged myself out of bed and walked towards the kitchen, following the smell of breakfast. Steph was obviously the one cooking up something, but for the first time ever…she wasnt wearing her usual big tee and micro shorts combo, she was more…covered up. Like she was trying to hide the same body I was literally in yesterday. I walked up to the counter “uhm…hi Steph”“Oh hi Aiden, I was just making breakfast” she said almost immediately. She then took out a plate and handed it to me quickly. Like she was trying to avoid eye contact. I took the plate from her, our fingers brushing for a second longer than it should’ve. Immediately, she flinched. Like she’d just touch fire or something