Chapter 183: So, you gonna tell her?

The fire crackled low, the waves whispering their rhythm against the shore. The night had settled into a strange kind of quiet, the kind that came when everyone was too full, too sun-drenched, too content to fill the silence with meaningless noise.

Damon sat with his arms stretched behind him, watching Seraphina talk with Alexandra and Tessa, her hair loose from the braid she had tied earlier, her fingers tracing patterns on her glass.

She had that look again—the one where she was thinking too hard, but not saying anything.

Damon knew better than to push.

So, he waited.

And Zayn?

Zayn was doing the same damn thing, except his focus was locked on Tessa Quinn.

She was drinking something dark, legs stretched out in the sand, her body completely relaxed. But he knew her well enough to know that her mind wasn’t.

Something about their conversation earlier hadn’t left him.

Hadn’t let him breathe properly.

Tessa Quinn, the most reckless, dangerous, unpredictable person he knew, was thinking about a future.

And the worst part?

So was he.

**Liam, Predictably, Had No Chill**

"You’re acting weird," Liam muttered, kicking sand in Zayn’s direction.

Zayn didn’t move. "I always act weird."

Liam smirked. "Yeah, but this is different. This is ‘Rivera is thinking about something that terrifies him’ weird."

Zayn exhaled, dragging a hand through his hair. "Shut up, Carter."

Liam’s smirk widened. "Oh, it’s about Tessa, isn’t it?"

Zayn clenched his jaw. "You’re gonna die one day, and I’m gonna make sure it’s painful."

Liam laughed, taking a slow sip of his drink. "Right. So, you gonna tell her?"

Zayn stared at the fire.

And then, too quietly—

"I don’t know how."

Liam froze.

Because, for once, Zayn wasn’t deflecting.

For once, he was just… honest.

Liam sighed, shaking his head. "Damn. You’re in deep, aren’t you?"

Zayn exhaled, the weight of the box in his pocket feeling heavier than ever.

"Yeah," he admitted.

**Meanwhile, Seraphina Had Caught On**

"You two are staring," Seraphina muttered, not looking up from her drink.

Tessa arched a brow. "Who?"

Seraphina smirked. "Zayn and Damon."

Tessa rolled her eyes. "Well, that’s not new. They’re both incapable of minding their own business."

Alexandra grinned. "To be fair, you are acting strange, Tessa."

Tessa scoffed. "I am not—"

Seraphina gave her a pointed look.

Tessa sighed. "Fine. Maybe a little."

Alexandra smirked. "Something on your mind?"

Tessa hesitated.

Because yes.

Yes, something was on her mind.

But she wasn’t ready to say it yet.

So, instead—"I just like the quiet."

Seraphina raised a brow, but didn’t push.

Tessa appreciated that.

Because if she said it out loud, it became real.

And she wasn’t sure she was ready for real.

Not yet.

Zayn had made up his mind.

He was going to say something.

He had no idea what.

But he was going to say something.

So, when Tessa stood, stretching, shaking sand off her legs, Zayn did the same.

And then—

"Walk with me," he muttered.

Tessa blinked at him. "What?"

Zayn sighed. "Just—walk with me."

Tessa narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

Zayn exhaled. "Because I need to talk to you."

Tessa studied him for a long moment.

Then, slowly—"Alright."

So, they walked.

Away from the fire, away from the others, toward the shore where the waves rolled gently against the sand.

Zayn’s heart was pounding.

Which was ridiculous.

He had never been scared of anything.

But this?

This was different.

Tessa glanced at him. "So? Talk."

Zayn inhaled.

This was it.

This was—

Liam, from behind them, shouted something completely idiotic, and the moment shattered.

Tessa turned, rolling her eyes.

Zayn clenched his jaw.

Just like that, the window was gone.

Tessa smirked at him. "Guess whatever it was wasn’t that important, huh?"

Zayn forced a smirk back. "Yeah. Guess not."

But deep down?

Deep down, he knew it was.

And next time?

He wouldn’t miss his chance.