Chapter 1:The Boy At The Party
If Zara had known meeting Daniel Cole would change her life, she would’ve stayed home.
Or faked being sick.
Or literally done anything else.
Instead, she was standing in the middle of a crowded apartment, already regretting every life choice that led her here.
Music thumped through the walls, loud enough to shake her ribs. People laughed too loudly, danced too freely, lived too easily.
Zara didn’t belong here.
She never did.
“This is exactly why I hate parties,” she muttered under her breath, staring down at her phone like it could rescue her.
“You’ve been here for twenty minutes.”
Zara looked up.
Maya was standing there, arms crossed, wearing that annoying satisfied smile.
“And you’ve spent nineteen of those minutes looking like you want to disappear,” Maya added.
“I do.”
Maya rolled her eyes. “One day you’re going to thank me for bringing you out.”
“I’ll apologize to myself first.”
“Rude.”
Before Zara could defend herself, Maya’s name was called from across the room.
“I’ll be back,” Maya said quickly, pointing at her. “Don’t leave.”
Zara lifted her cup slightly. “No promises.”
The moment Maya disappeared into the crowd, Zara exhaled like she’d been holding her breath all night.
Too many people.
Too much noise.
Too much everything.
She moved toward the balcony without thinking twice.
Outside, the air was cooler—quieter. The city stretched beneath her like a sleeping giant, lights blinking softly against the dark sky.
For the first time that night, her thoughts didn’t feel loud.
“Escaping too?”
The voice startled her.
Zara turned quickly.
A guy was already there.
Leaning against the railing like he owned the silence.
Tall.
Dark hair slightly messy like he didn’t care.
Hands tucked into his pockets.
And eyes that looked far too calm for someone at a party like this.
She hadn’t noticed him before.
“Maybe,” she said carefully.
A faint smile tugged at his lips. “Same.”
Silence settled between them—but it wasn’t uncomfortable.
It was… strange.
Like the world inside didn’t exist out here.
“I’m Zara,” she finally said.
“Daniel.”
His voice was calm. Confident. The kind that didn’t try too hard—but still made people listen.
Of course it was Daniel.
“So,” he said after a moment, glancing back at the chaos inside, “why are you hiding out here?”
“I hate crowds.”
He let out a short laugh. “Me too.”
Zara narrowed her eyes slightly. “Yet here you are.”
“You’re here too.”
“…Fair.”
That was the thing about him.
He didn’t talk like he was trying to impress her.
He just… talked.
And somehow that was worse.
Because it felt real.
They stayed there longer than Zara intended.
Talking.
About school.
About annoying people.
About how parties always felt like noise pretending to be fun.
Somewhere between his dry humor and her blunt replies, Zara stopped thinking about leaving.
She even laughed once.
Then again.
And again.
At some point, she noticed something she didn’t like noticing.
Daniel was looking at her differently now.
Not obvious.
Not intense.
Just… longer.
Like he was trying to memorize something.
“What?” she asked finally.
He blinked like he’d been caught. “Nothing.”
“People don’t stare at ‘nothing.’”
A small smile returned to his face. “You think a lot, don’t you?”
Zara scoffed. “You judge fast.”
“Only when I’m right.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re not right.”
“I usually am.”
That made her laugh again despite herself.
And then—just like that—the air shifted.
Not dramatically.
Just enough for her to notice.
Daniel’s expression changed slightly. Softer, but also distant, like he was stepping back even while standing still.
“I should probably say something,” he said.
Zara tilted her head. “That sounds serious.”
“It is and it isn’t.”
She didn’t like that answer.
“What is it?”
Daniel looked away briefly, like the words were heavier than he wanted them to be.
Then he said it.
“I don’t do relationships.”
The sound of the music from inside suddenly felt louder.
Zara blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then she laughed.
Not because it was funny.
But because it was ridiculous.
“That’s your big warning?”
His eyebrow lifted slightly. “Most people take it seriously.”
“Most people are not me.”
For the first time, Daniel looked genuinely amused.
Like she had surprised him.
And maybe he liked that.
But Zara didn’t let herself think about that too long.
Because people like him didn’t say things like that for no reason.
And people like her… didn’t usually stay to find out why.
She should’ve walked away.
She didn’t.
Instead, she stayed.
“So what,” she said slowly, “you just warn every girl you meet at parties?”
“Only the interesting ones.”
Zara frowned. “And I’m interesting?”
Daniel looked at her like the answer was obvious.
“Yes.”
That one word did something annoying to her chest.
Before she could respond, he pushed himself off the railing.
For a second, Zara thought that was it.
Conversation over.
Night done.
But then—
“Give me your number.”
She froze.
“…What?”
“Your number,” he repeated, like it was the simplest thing in the world.
Zara stared at him. “You literally just said you don’t do relationships.”
“I didn’t say I don’t text people.”
“That feels like a loophole.”
“It is.”
She should’ve said no.
That would’ve been smart.
Safe.
Normal.
Instead, she slowly unlocked her phone and handed it over.
“Don’t make me regret this,” she said.
Daniel took it, fingers brushing hers for half a second.
“I’ll try my best.”
She scoffed. “That’s not reassuring.”
A moment later, he handed it back.
His contact was already saved.
Daniel Cole
Of course it was.
“I’ll text you,” he said.
Zara lifted a brow. “You better.”
That small almost-smile appeared again.
“I will.”
Inside, the music got louder, like reality was reminding them where they were supposed to be.
But neither of them moved right away.
Because something had already shifted.
Something quiet.
Something neither of them was ready to name.
Then Daniel finally turned away and walked back into the party.
And Zara stood there a little longer than she should’ve.
Holding her phone like it weighed more than it should.
Like it mattered more than it should.
Like something had just started and she didn’t know how to stop it.
And for reasons she couldn't explain, Zara felt like she had just stepped into a story she didn't yet understand.
One that would change everything
