Chapter 33

Mabel’s POV

I felt the weight of Vivian’s gaze on me as she braided my hair, the strands pulling and tugging with a gentle rhythm.

“All done,” she said with a satisfied hum.

I glanced at the braids falling neatly over my shoulder, my fingers brushing them. "Thank you. This is beautiful," I said, my voice quieter than I intended, still caught up in the surprise of how well it turned out.

“You’re welcome,” she replied, her smile softening. But then, her voice dropped to a whisper as she leaned closer. “You have gorgeous eyes, you know. Let me do your makeup next time?”

I blinked, unsure if I should take the compliment or the offer. Both caught me off guard.

Seeing my hesitation, Vivian chuckled and patted my shoulder. “No worries. We’ll do it later. We should go now.”

She sent a quick thought to Zane via mind-link that we were ready to leave, and it wasn’t long before he appeared in the doorway.

I could feel his eyes on me even before I looked up. There he was, standing in the doorway like some kind of immovable wall, his gaze locked on me. I tried to look away, but his silence made the air in the room thick.

What did he think of me now? Was it the food I was packing? Maybe I should’ve worn something different? Or was it just the way I looked, still wrapped up in bruises and discomfort?

I adjusted my shirt, straightened my shoulders, and cleared my throat. “Is something wrong?”

Zane blinked, his focus snapping away from me to something else. “No. Everything’s fine,” he muttered, his tone clipped, but there was something more in his eyes—something I couldn’t quite place.

His eyes didn’t leave me as I finished packing the food, making sure everything was wrapped neatly. I couldn’t stop the flutter in my chest as I noticed how he watched me. For someone so quiet, Zane had a way of making everything feel too intense.

Vivian broke the silence with a playful giggle and a tap on Zane’s shoulder. “You’re welcome,” she said with a teasing grin, before she and Tyler turned to leave. “We’re heading out now. Meet us by the car, yeah?”

I shot Zane one last glance, still unsure if he was pleased or irritated with me. I smiled nervously. “Vivian kept some things in your suitcase,” I added, trying to fill the awkward space.

Zane gave a distracted nod, his mind clearly elsewhere.

“Is it alright if I pack some of the leftovers? I’d hate to let them go to waste,” I asked, hoping he wouldn’t mind.

Zane paused, then waved his hand dismissively. “Take your time. We’re not in a rush.”

I blinked, unsure how to take that. Vivian had mentioned that Zane hated waiting, but now he was asking me to take my time. I felt grateful that he was allowing it, so I busied myself with making sure everything fit perfectly.

As I packed, I noticed how Zane’s eyes were still on me. He looked like he was lost in thought, but his focus on me made my palms sweat. Was this the same Zane who always seemed so put together, so controlled?

Once I finished, Zane grabbed the bag and gestured for me to follow him. We walked down the hall, and as we reached the door, he suddenly stopped. Without saying a word, he snatched the leftover food from my hands, and I froze, not sure what to do. Should I thank him? Should I ask him what was going on?

But Zane didn’t give me a chance to ask anything. He just walked out, leaving me standing there, unsure of what just happened.

We finally settled in the car, the cool night air swirling in, and instead of the usual exhaustion setting in, I stayed awake, my eyes scanning the scenery outside. Occasionally, I grabbed a granola bar or a piece of fruit from the bag, but even that didn’t distract me from the tension coiling in my stomach.

I could feel Zane’s frustration, even though he said nothing. Every time I tried to engage, he’d answer curtly, and every time I spoke with Vivian, he’d grow quieter.

It wasn’t like before. Before, he seemed to enjoy being around me, but now? It felt like I was drifting further from him, and it bothered me more than I wanted to admit.

After the second stop, Zane slid into the driver’s seat, his body stiff with annoyance. I noticed Vivian shifted to the back seat, leaving me with Tyler.

I didn’t understand. Why wouldn’t Zane ask me to come to the front? I wasn’t uncomfortable—at least not that much—but maybe he was too proud to ask. Vivian’s mind-link reached my thoughts.

“Can you believe he won’t ask Mabel to sit with him up front?” she laughed quietly, but I could feel the bite of her words.

I didn’t know how to respond, so I stayed silent, my thoughts spinning in my head. Why was Zane acting like this?

“Why did we stop?” Tyler suddenly groaned, breaking the tension.

“I need to grab something,” Zane muttered as he dashed into a roadside store.

I barely had time to process before Zane returned with snacks—chips and mixed nuts—holding them out toward me. “Want to sit in front?” he asked, the offer almost nonchalant.

I hesitated. Sitting next to him? I wasn’t sure if it would help or make things worse. But I didn’t want Tyler to feel uncomfortable, so I agreed.

Once I slid into the front seat, Zane gave me the snacks. “Can you feed me?” he asked, his voice teasing yet oddly sincere.

I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. “What happened to your hand being hurt?” I pointed to the bandaged wrist he had claimed earlier.

“Those were for utensils. You can put food in my mouth, right?”

A glance passed between Tyler and Zane, and even Vivian chuckled softly from the back.

I didn’t answer him. I just gave him some chips, and Tyler, ever the instigator, leaned forward, asking for his share too.

“You can have some too, if you want,” Zane added, much to his surprise.

The shift was subtle, but I could feel it. Something was changing between us. But I couldn’t tell yet if it was good or bad.