Chapter five

A knock on the front door dragged Amaya from her daze. She was curled up on her bed, phone still in hand, screen dark from the hundredth time she'd checked and gotten no reply. She hadn’t heard the knock at first, but then it came again, louder.

“Coming,” she muttered as she sat up sluggishly, still in her oversized tee and shorts. Her heart wasn’t in anything lately, not school, not her phone, not even herself.

The moment she opened the door, the smell hit her first. Burgers and fries. Zara stood there with a triumphant grin and a brown paper bag held up like a trophy.

“I bring food,” Zara said, stepping in without waiting for an invitation. “And I want gossip.”

Amaya managed a weak smile. “God, I need both.”

They headed upstairs to Amaya’s room, Zara kicking the door shut behind her. As soon as they settled on the bed, Zara opened the bag and handed Amaya a cheeseburger dripping with sauce. Amaya barely took a bite before letting it drop back into the wrapper.

Zara narrowed her eyes. “Okay, what’s going on? This better not be about your sext buddy.”

Amaya avoided her eyes.

Zara scoffed. “Are you freaking serious? Still? You haven’t even seen his face!”

“I know, Zara,” Amaya sighed, pressing the heel of her hand against her forehead. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just... he made me feel something. It was fun at first, mysterious. But now... it’s like I can’t get him out of my head.”

“Amaya,” Zara leaned closer, exasperated, “You haven’t heard from him since the photo, right?”

Amaya’s face fell. “He stopped typing. Just went offline. Poof.”

“Then maybe he’s not who you thought he was. Maybe he’s just some jerk who got what he wanted and disappeared. You can’t keep spiraling like this.”

“I sent my face, Zara,” Amaya muttered. “He knows what I look like now.”

Zara went silent.

“I didn’t mean to. I was adjusting my angle and… boom. My whole damn face was in it.”

“Ohhh damn.” Zara blinked slowly. “Well… that explains why he might’ve ghosted. Maybe he was surprised.”

Amaya clenched her fists. “Surprised? Disgusted, you mean.”

“No! You’re hot, don’t be dumb.” Zara picked up a fry and shoved it in her mouth. “I just mean… maybe he didn’t expect the mystery to end so suddenly. Guys are weird about stuff like that.”

Amaya groaned and lay back on her bed. “I feel like an idiot.”

Zara looked at her for a moment, chewing. Then she shook her head. “Nope. We’re not doing the self-hate pity party today. Tell me something else. Distract me.”

Amaya stared at the ceiling. “My mom’s getting married.”

Zara choked on her fry. “Wait, what?”

Amaya sat up, dragging her fingers through her hair. “Yeah. She told me last night. Said she didn’t want to be alone anymore.”

Zara’s jaw dropped. “Since when has she even been dating anyone?”

“She’s been lowkey about it. Said it wasn’t serious until recently.”

Zara bounced excitedly on the bed. “Okay, this is big news! Wedding! Dresses! Makeup! Shopping!”

“Please,” Amaya grumbled, “Spare me.”

Zara narrowed her eyes mischievously. “What’s his name? Do you like him?”

“His name’s Richard. Haven’t met him yet. And no, I don’t care.”

Zara laughed. “You don’t care? Your mom’s getting a husband. That makes him your—”

“Stepdad. I know.”

Zara smirked. “And that means…”

“He has a son too,” Amaya muttered.

Zara gasped, eyes sparkling. “No. Way. You’re getting a stepbrother?”

“Apparently.”

“Girl, your life is turning into a freaking K-drama,” Zara laughed. “Just wait until he’s tall, dark, and brooding with emotional trauma and a mysterious tattoo on his back.”

Amaya snorted, finally cracking a smile. “Oh my God, shut up.”

Zara leaned forward, wiggling her brows. “I’m just saying... don’t fall for your stepbrother though.”

Amaya picked up the nearest pillow and smacked Zara in the face with it.

“Hey!” Zara shouted, laughing. “I’m joking! But let’s be real, you’d totally have chemistry if he’s hot.”

“Ew!” Amaya shouted back, still giggling.

Zara smirked. “You’re laughing now, but let’s see what happens when you meet him.”

Amaya tossed the pillow aside and flopped back again, her mind drifting despite the humor. She hadn’t thought much about the stepbrother part—she had been too consumed with her mystery guy. But now…

What if he was annoying? Or a brat? Or worse, what if he was actually attractive and everything became even messier?

She closed her eyes.

Her life already felt like it was spiraling. A mystery boy she couldn’t get out of her head, a mom getting remarried, a random new "brother" moving into her world, and a heart that kept wanting things she couldn’t have.

“Earth to Amaya,” Zara said softly. “You’re drifting again.”

Amaya opened her eyes and gave her a small smile. “Sorry.”

“You know I’m here, right?” Zara added, more serious now. “You can obsess and cry and overthink all you want, but I’m not going anywhere.”

“Thanks,” Amaya whispered.

“Now eat your damn burger.”

They sat in silence for a while, eating and scrolling through their phones. Amaya checked her messages again, nothing. Not even a single grey tick.

Still offline.

Still gone.

She didn’t even know his name.

But she was about to meet someone new… someone who might live under the same roof as her.

And she had a weird feeling… that her life was just starting to unravel in ways she never expected.