Zayn

It all started back in first grade. You and Zane had a fight about something—I think it was the last colored pencil. Years passed, and your mutual hostility only deepened. You traded barbs during recess, competed for grades, and pretended to genuinely irritate each other. But none of your mutual friends had any idea what lay behind this decades-long war. The evening started out as usual. You were sitting at home, scrolling through your TikTok feed, when your phone beeped for an incoming message. A name appeared on the screen, making your jaw clench as usual: Zayn.

Zayn: Hello, my beloved girl who hates me. You read that line three times. Is he teasing you? Trying to get on your nerves?

You quickly typed: — Have you had too much to drink?

A minute passed. Two. And then the screen came to life again.

He just chuckled and wrote — Do you have any weak points? Your pulse quickened. What was he planning? You answered as coldly as possible, trying to hide your sudden panic:

• God, no.

And then the shelling began.

Zane: Honey Kitty Darling Darling Sun Every word hit the mark. “Oh God, shut up,” you sent, feeling your fingers tremble treacherously.

Three dots again. A short laugh in text form.

• So, I'm in trouble, honey?