Other Side

26 | Alone Together

Zaid's roommates were a familiar sight.

An eerie silence had greeted them when they'd first unlocked the door to his apartment after a day of roaming the streets of Boston. As he'd gone to unload some of his belongings in his bedroom, Talia pondered what it would be like to be truly alone inside with him for the first time in several days. The stretch of time they'd lived without power had cemented the spell of genuine feelings building between them, ones so intoxicating, she wanted them to consume her.

"Oh my god, an American. It's been so long."

Paul threw his arms around her and squeezed her into a firm hug for a solid five seconds, before her lack of response had him awkwardly backing away. The humor registered when she turned her head to the right and found both Zaid and Fahed staring blankly ahead.

"What the hell did you hug her for?" Fahed growled, speaking on behalf of his unsettled friend. "I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate someone touching your precious little Jessica."

Paul released a sardonic chuckle, throwing his head back. "Oh, dear God, someone please take her. You're describing the best thing that could ever happen to me, man. At this point, my parents have been dating her for the past three years, not me."

"And I am dating no one yet, so the hug was acceptable," Talia cut in, sensing a rebuttal from either of the two men next to him. Maybe she just wanted to start a little drama. "A little awkward, yeah, but we can move on."

Fahed's deep brown eyes flickered to his friend at her remarks, but Zaid pushed past him to the fridge and grumbled something about his roommates' uselessness as he found it mostly empty. The only drinks perched on the top shelf were two bottles of iced tea, one of which he handed to Talia.

"What are your plans for the day?" Zaid asked, leaning over the other side of the countertop.

"Isn't it your birthday, man?" Fahed arched a thick brow and slid onto the barstool one seat away from Talia. "Figured you'd be giving us some damn plans."

Paul wedged himself between the two of them and planted his hands on the countertop. "Well, if neither of you know what you want to do today, I have some plans. A bunch of students at the international house are throwing a party this afternoon, and there are way too many hot French girls over there for me to miss it."

"Is one of those girls named Jessica?" Talia asked, guilting him.

"If I ask around enough." He turned back to Zaid. "Are you in, dude? I'm not sure how else you think twenty-first birthdays go around here, but usually you're not supposed to be so"—he waved a hand in front of his dour stare—"aware."

Fahed snorted into his fist. "Zaid reads for fun, Paul. How did you think he planned on spending his twenty-first? Because I, for one, know it'll look a lot more like a glass of aged wine and a Victorian novel than body shots and a DUI."

"I don't like English literature," Zaid said.

"See," he finished, rolling his eyes and turning back to Paul. "Go cheat on your girlfriend yourself, man."

"Kol khara," Paul spat, telling him to eat shit. Facing her, he added, "Talia, you're welcome to join me at the FOB party."

Holding back an unattractive snort, Talia opened her mouth to politely decline, but Zaid spoke over her.

"I didn't say she could."

Paul stilled, a few speculative fingers meeting his chin. "You didn't? Didn't Talia just claim she's single? Or wait..." Blue-green eyes darting between her pursed lips and Zaid's tightening grip on his drink, he finished, "Did you two come here so you could—you know—have a little alone time? Because if so, I'll get the fuck out of here, man."