Chapter 167 The Wine Hangout

Chapter 167 The Wine Hangout
~Jeremy’s POV~

Two weeks.

That was how long it had been since Teyana walked out of my house with my shirt and left without saying a word to me. Two weeks since I’d woken up to a space beside me that felt colder than it had any right to be. Long enough for the world to resume, but not long enough for anything inside me to settle.

I drove to Zayne’s place late afternoon, the city sliding past my windows in familiar blurs. Traffic lights, billboards, pedestrians laughing at things that felt distant to me now. I didn’t play music. I hadn’t in a while. Silence felt more honest.

Zayne was already outside when I pulled up, standing tall in front of his building, weight balanced easily on both legs like nothing had ever been wrong with him. No crutches. No awkward leaning. Just confidence stitched into his posture like he’d earned every inch of it. And he had earned it.

The recent experiences had only driven us closer than we had ever been.

I rolled the window down as he approached my car.

“Look at you,” I said, “Walking like someone who bullied recovery into submission.”

He grinned, wide and unapologetic, before pulling the passenger door open. “Here comes the finalist,” I added, clapping his shoulder lightly. 

Zayne slid into the seat, a small smirk setting on his face. “Relax. You’ll be the one wearing medals in less than two month, bro. I’ll be the one clapping obnoxiously from the sidelines cos I still can’t ride yet.”

I scoffed as I pulled back onto the road. “That’s if you don’t steal my spotlight by just clapping.”

He looked around the car then, scanning the backseat, 

before turning to me. “I thought Teyana would be here with you.”

My hands tightened on the steering wheel for half a second too long.

“She’s not,” I said evenly.

Zayne glanced at me, measuring my expression. “So you were serious when you said you separated?”

“It’s been two weeks, Z,” I replied. “And yes. It’s for the best.”

He didn’t argue. Didn’t pry. Just nodded slowly and reached over to pat my shoulder once, like he was grounding me.

“I’m sorry, man.”

I exhaled through my nose. “It is what it is.” Zayne had also gotten to know about Rebecca and the fact that her face was all over blogs talking bad about us Carters. Especially me. She had lied that I forced her to bed and paid her off- and also that my dad knew but said nothing about it.

This had came from a girl who told me it was my Dad who molested her. I had only wished I recorded it when she was narrating everything to me. Then it hit me suddenly, clearly- the cctv in my house should have captured when she was trying to seduce me. How the fuck had I not thought of that…

“Are you okay? Seemed lost in thought.” Zayne said beside me.

“Yeah yeah…How’s it going with your mum?” I asked, taking the attention away from me.

He paused. Then he said, “It’s getting better I think. We talk now. Not often. But it’s progress.”

I nodded. Progress mattered. “And Stacy?”

Zayne leaned back. “She left with Connor. Her father.”

“What?” I shot him a quick glance. “Left for where? You mean he left his own home?”

Zayne shook his head. “Turns out it’s my mum who owns the penthouse. Not Connor. I only found out recently.”

“Oh wow,” My brows furrowed as I processed the info.“That’s insane.”

“It really is. My mum is the wealthier one. She had only be covering up for him.” We talked about it before we finally pulled into the wine lounge not long after-  The place buzzed  with low music and chatters.

Hartley was seated at a corner table when we walked in, relaxed, one arm draped casually around Carol. I was quite surprised to meet them kissing—They seemed to be unbothered until I cleared my throat.

Zayne laughed. “Get a room, loverbirds.”

Carol smiled brightly at him. “Hello to you too, Zayne.”

She didn’t look at me.

I noticed. Of course I did.

“Hi, Carol,” I said anyway.

She gave a brief nod, her response clipped enough to make a point.

Hartley leaned back in his chair, studying me. “I expected to see my favorite student with you today,” he said lightly. “Since she didn’t come with Carol.”

My eyes met Carol’s and she blinked. 

Before she could speak, I helped out, “Teyana won’t be here. I’m sure Carol already told her I’d be here.”

Carol turned sharply to me. “What do you mean by that?”

Before I could respond, a sudden splash broke the moment.

Liquid soaked into Zayne’s shirt.

“What the—” he jumped back, standing. “Hey!”

We looked up to see a young woman- probably our age, standing there, dressed loudly in a luxurious black gown, her scent mixing with the liquid’s. She looked back to our table, mouth curved like audacity, now holding an almost empty glass. She was beautiful- everyone would notice. Just stating the obvious. 

I expected her to apologize to him, but she rolled her eyes. “Someone bumped into me. This…” she gestured at Zayne’s shirt, “…isn’t my fault.”

Zayne frowned. “The drink still landed on me. You could at least apologize, snowhite.” Oh, Zayne was in for the trouble.

She tilted her head, lips curling. “You probably don’t even know who I am.”

I stepped in before Zayne could lose his temper. I knew him too well to know he never take rudeness lightly.

“Excuse me,” I interfered calmly. “This isn’t an identity contest. And trust me, status doesn’t exempt basic decency.”

She looked me up and down. “I can tell you’re his twin,” she scoffed. “Carrying the issue harder than the actual victim.” Twin? That was new.

Hartley raised his hands then. “Alright, alright. It’s fine, guys. It’s over.”

The girl tossed a handkerchief at Zayne’s chest and turned, strutting away like she’d won something.

“That was rude,” I muttered.

When I glanced back at Zayne, he wasn’t listening.

His head was turned. His eyes were following her.

Carol blinked from where she was seating. “Wait. Don’t tell me you’re admiring her, Z.”

Zayne faced us again, unbothered. “She’s got a worthy-to-look-at ass,” he said plainly. “And she’s sassy. Fine as hell too. My type.”

Sassy…Zayne’s type? I snorted. “That’s new, Zayne. I thought you dislike rude girls.

“Well, this one is got some nice ass. ‘Rude’ can be overlooked.”

Hartley choked on laughter. “You are such a perv, Zayne.”

I shook my head at Zayne. “Unbelievable. I almost fought for your honor.”

He grinned. “I would have also, brother.”

Our drinks arrived then, the clink of glasses calling our attention back to the table.

Zayne decided to switch the discussion then. “Enough about me. How did you two meet?”

Hartley glanced at Carol fondly as he prepared to talk about it. “She was always distracted in my class. Pressing her phone, whispering to Teyana.”

Carol groaned. “Oh, please.”

“Teyana though,” he continued, “was the opposite. She was so focused, and that even made Carol’s unseriousness stand out. I disliked her mannerism at first. For real.”

Carol let out an exaggerated gasp. “You never said you hated my mannerism, Hart.”

He chuckled. “You wouldn’t have liked it. But I really did hate it at first.”

“This is interesting.”Zayne said, sipping from his non-alcoholic wine.

My jaw tightened slightly, but I kept my expression neutral. And that was only because Hartley mentioned Teyana. I came here to take my mind away from her, not to hear them talk about her.

“One day,” Hartley continued, “Carol distracted the entire class with her laughter. I sent her out and barred her from attending my class again. She later came to my office to appeal.”

Carol smiled. “And he realized he wanted me.”

“I still don’t know why,” Hartley added softly.

“Because I’m irresistible,” Carol teased. “I made a joke and he laughed.” The corner of my lips curved at that.

Zayne nodded. “That’s a solid origin story.”

Hartley turned to me then. “I sense you and Teyana are having issues, Jay. If you are, you can always work things out.”

God no. I smiled politely. “Please don’t talk about me and Teyana.”

They paused.

“I’m transferring in less than two months anyway. Doesn’t matter if we never get back together.” That should keep them shut.

Hartley blinked, looking more invested now. “Really?”

I nodded. “Yeah. It’s worked out already. There is this biker international race coming up in two months. I’ll be competing. That’s why I’m still here.”

Zayne punched my shoulder lightly. “I’m still proud of you, man. If I could race right now, I’d be competing too.”

I smiled faintly.

Just then, Zayne stood abruptly as if something just caught his attention. “I’ll be right back.”

We followed his gaze- only to realize it was the rude girl from earlier.

She was heading back to her car. And Zayne was now after her.

I shook my head slowly and looked at Hartley. We both sighed together.

“I guess Zayne just found his girl.” Carol said.