A Game of Hearts

The Bangkok sky was turning gold.

The last rays of sunlight slipped between the tall buildings of the university, painting the glass windows in shades of amber and soft orange. A warm breeze moved through the branches of the rain trees, carrying with it the faint sounds of students talking as they made their way across campus.

Rit stood beneath one of those trees, his hands buried deep inside his pockets.

For once, he wasn't looking at his phone.

He wasn't thinking about class.

He wasn't thinking about what he was going to do that night.

He was only looking at the person standing in front of him.

Zayn.

Rit swallowed.

His heart was beating far too loudly.

There was something about the way Zayn looked at him in the fading sunlight that made Rit forget every clever thing he'd ever learned to say. Zayn's dark hair moved slightly in the breeze, and his eyes stayed fixed on Rit with a softness that made Rit nervous.

Rit shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"Zayn..."

His voice came out quieter than he expected.

Zayn tilted his head. "Hmm?"

Rit took a breath.

"I need to tell you something."

Zayn's expression changed immediately. He stepped a little closer.

"What?"

Rit stared at him for a moment.

Then, before courage could disappear, he said it.

"I like you."

Silence.

The sounds of campus seemed to fade into the distance.

Rit could hear nothing except the frantic beating of his own heart.

Zayn didn't move.

Then his lips curved into a small smile.

He reached for Rit.

Rit froze when Zayn's fingers slipped between his own.

Their hands fit together so naturally that Rit almost forgot to breathe.

Zayn stepped closer.

Close enough that Rit could feel the warmth of him.

Close enough that their faces were only inches apart.

Rit's heart stumbled.

Zayn's eyes dropped briefly to his lips.

Rit didn't move.

Neither did Zayn.

Their faces drew closer.

Closer.

Rit closed his eyes—

A hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

"Wake up!"

Rit jerked violently.

The golden campus disappeared.

The rain trees vanished.

Zayn disappeared with them.

Rit opened his eyes to a familiar bedroom ceiling.

For several seconds, he simply stared upward, breathing hard.

Then he blinked.

Once.

Twice.

His bedroom came back into focus.

The curtains were half-open, allowing the pale morning light to spill across the expensive wooden floor. His phone was vibrating violently on the bedside table.

Beside the bed stood his older brother, staring at him with an amused expression.

"Finally."

Rit frowned.

"What?"

"Your phone has been ringing forever."

Rit turned his head.

The screen lit up again.

Jay calling...

His brother glanced at the phone and then back at him.

"You were smiling in your sleep, by the way."

Rit immediately looked away.

"I wasn't."

"You were."

"I don't smile in my sleep."

His brother laughed. "Sure."

Rit grabbed the phone before he could say anything else.

The call was still coming in.

He answered.

"What?"

Jay's voice exploded through the speaker.

"Finally! Are you alive?"

Rit pulled the phone slightly away from his ear.

"I'm alive."

"You didn't answer six times."

"I was sleeping."

"Obviously. I was beginning to think you'd died from being too rich."

Rit rubbed his face.

"Good morning to you too."

"You have fifteen minutes."

"For what?"

"To get ready."

Rit frowned. "For university?"

"Yes, genius."

He glanced at the clock.

His eyes widened.

"Shit."

Jay laughed on the other end.

"I knew it."

The call ended.

Rit threw the blanket aside and dragged himself out of bed.

The dream stayed with him.

Not the details.

Just the feeling.

That strange warmth in his chest.

The way Zayn had looked at him.

The way their hands had fit together.

Rit stood still for a moment before shaking his head.

"It was just a dream."

He headed toward the bathroom.

The shower was one of the few places where Rit could forget about everything.

Warm water ran over his shoulders as he stood beneath it, eyes closed, letting the steam fill the room. He stayed there longer than he needed to, until the memory of the dream had begun to blur.

By the time he stepped out, his hair was still damp.

His wardrobe took up almost an entire wall of his bedroom.

Shirts arranged by color.

Shoes lined neatly beneath them.

Jackets he'd barely worn.

Watches displayed in glass cases.

Rit reached for a black shirt without thinking.

A few minutes later, he stood in front of the mirror fastening an expensive silver watch around his wrist. His hair remained slightly messy, falling naturally across his forehead.

His phone buzzed again.

Jay: Five minutes.

Rit smiled.

Rit: Relax.

Jay: I'm going to leave without you.

Rit: You won't.

A second later:

Jay: Unfortunately, you're right.

Rit laughed quietly.

His life had always been like this.

Easy.

His parents had never been the kind of parents who said no to him very often. If he wanted something, there was usually a way to get it. If he broke something, it could be replaced. If he changed his mind, nobody made him feel guilty about it for long.

They loved him.

They simply hadn't taught him what it felt like to lose.

And Rit had grown comfortable with that.

He wasn't cruel.

He just wasn't used to consequences.

University was no different.

He attended classes because he had to. He submitted assignments because someone eventually reminded him. He spent money without checking prices and made plans without considering what would happen afterward.

To Rit, most problems were temporary.

Most things could be fixed.

Most things could be bought.

He hadn't yet found the thing that proved him wrong.

At breakfast, his mother looked up from her coffee as he walked in.

"You're late."

"I know."

"You have class."

"I know that too."

She sighed.

"You should take university more seriously."

Rit reached for a piece of toast.

"I am serious."

His mother raised an eyebrow.

Rit smiled innocently.

"Sometimes."

His father laughed from across the table.

His mother shook her head, though there was a smile hiding at the corner of her mouth.

"At least try."

Rit grabbed his bag.

"I always try."

"You call sleeping through lectures trying?"

"Depends on the lecture."

His mother gave him a look.

Rit laughed and kissed her cheek before heading toward the door.

"Bye."

"Rit."

He turned.

"Don't forget your responsibilities."

He gave her a lazy salute.

"No promises."

Outside, his car was already waiting.

By the time he reached campus, the morning had become busy.

Students crossed the wide paths between buildings, carrying books, coffee, laptops, and conversations with them. The university grounds were alive with movement.

Rit stepped out of the car and adjusted the strap of his bag.

He heard someone shout his name.

"Rit!"

He turned.

And everything else seemed to slow down.

Zayn was walking toward him.

Rit's fingers tightened around his bag.

There he was.

The same face from the dream.

Only now, there was no golden sunset and no impossible silence.

There were hundreds of students around them.

Zayn smiled.

"Why are you staring?"

Rit quickly looked away.

"I'm not."

"You were."

"I was looking behind you."

Zayn glanced over his shoulder.

"There is nothing behind me."

Rit smiled.

"Exactly."

Zayn laughed.

That laugh.

Rit hated how easily it affected him.

Zayn stepped closer and reached for the strap of Rit's bag.

"It's twisted."

Before Rit could react, Zayn straightened it.

His fingers brushed briefly against Rit's shoulder.

It was such a small thing.

Barely anything.

But Rit felt it anyway.

"Better," Zayn said.

Rit looked at him.

"Thanks."

Zayn smiled.

"No problem."

He started walking beside him as they headed toward the main building.

Rit kept his eyes forward.

His heart wasn't cooperating.

Zayn had no idea.

That was the worst part.

To Zayn, Rit was a friend.

A close friend.

Someone he could tease, call when he needed help, borrow notes from, and casually touch without ever wondering what those little gestures might mean.

For Rit, every one of them mattered.

"You're unusually quiet today," Zayn said.

"I'm always quiet."

Zayn laughed. "That's a lie."

Before Rit could answer, another voice came from behind them.

"Zayn."

They both turned.

Evan approached with two drinks in his hands.

He handed one to Zayn without asking.

"I remembered what you like."

Zayn's expression softened.

"You did?"

"Of course."

Zayn took the cup.

"Thanks."

Evan smiled.

Then, almost casually, he reached up and fixed the collar of Zayn's shirt.

"You missed a button."

Zayn looked down.

"Seriously?"

Evan laughed.

Rit watched them.

They weren't officially together.

At least, not according to anything either of them had said.

But there was something between them.

Something obvious in the little things.

The way Evan remembered Zayn's drink.

The way Zayn smiled differently when Evan was near.

The way neither of them seemed uncomfortable when their hands brushed.

Rit looked away.

His fingers tightened around the strap of his bag.

"Rit?"

He looked back.

Zayn was watching him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"You look weird."

Rit gave him a flat look.

"I'm hungry."

Evan laughed.

"That's probably the problem."

Rit smiled.

"Exactly."

They continued toward class.

Rit kept smiling.

But something inside him had already changed.

---

At lunch, the three of them sat together.

Rit barely touched his food.

Zayn and Evan were talking about something across the table. Rit pretended to listen while scrolling through his phone.

Then he looked up.

Evan was laughing.

There was a small smear of sauce near the corner of his mouth.

Zayn noticed it.

Without hesitation, he reached across and wiped it away with his thumb.

"Here."

Evan blinked.

"Oh."

Zayn smiled.

Rit's fork stopped halfway to his mouth.

He lowered it slowly.

For a moment, he stared at the plate in front of him.

The food suddenly didn't look appealing anymore.

He pushed a few pieces around with his fork.

"You okay?" Jay asked.

Rit glanced up.

Jay was sitting beside him, watching him carefully.

"I'm fine."

Jay looked toward Zayn and Evan.

Then back at Rit.

His expression changed.

He knew.

He didn't say anything immediately.

A few minutes later, Zayn stood.

"I'm getting drinks. Evan?"

Evan nodded and followed him.

The moment they walked away, Jay leaned closer.

"Rit."

"What?"

"Forget him."

Rit continued moving his fork through his food.

"Forget who?"

Jay stared at him.

"Don't do that."

Rit smiled faintly.

"Do what?"

"Pretend you're not miserable."

Rit's smile faded.

Jay's voice softened.

"I'm serious."

Rit looked toward the counter.

Zayn was standing there beside Evan.

Evan said something.

Zayn laughed.

Rit looked away.

Jay sighed.

"You deserve someone who chooses you."

Rit said nothing.

"Someone who looks at you the way you look at them."

Rit swallowed.

Jay leaned back.

"You should date someone else."

Rit finally looked at him.

"I'll think about it."

Jay narrowed his eyes.

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one you're getting."

Jay shook his head.

"You're impossible."

Rit smiled.

"People tell me that a lot."

But when Zayn returned to the table, Rit smiled like nothing had happened.

---

The afternoon passed slowly.

After class, Rit found himself standing outside the library, his back against one of the stone pillars.

His phone was in his hand.

Zayn's chat was open.

He stared at the empty message box.

Typed.

Deleted.

Typed again.

Deleted again.

Can I ask you something?

Delete.

Do you like Evan?

Delete.

Rit locked the phone.

He shoved it into his pocket.

"Pathetic."

"Talking to yourself now?"

Rit looked up.

Jay stood a few steps away, holding two coffees.

He tossed one toward Rit.

Rit caught it.

"You could just talk to him," Jay said.

"About what?"

"You know."

"I don't."

Jay gave him a look.

Rit opened the coffee.

Jay sighed.

"Come out with us tonight."

"Where?"

"Club."

Rit raised an eyebrow.

"Which one?"

"The usual."

Rit took a sip.

"Fine."

Jay smiled.

"Good."

"Why are you smiling?"

"Because I know you're going to regret it tomorrow."

Rit laughed.

"Probably."

Neither of them knew how much the night was about to change.

---

That evening, Rit stood in front of his bedroom mirror again.

The warm lights reflected across the room.

He wore a black shirt, the sleeves pushed casually toward his elbows. His silver watch caught the light whenever he moved his wrist.

His phone buzzed.

Jay: I'm outside.

Rit grabbed his keys.

Rit: Coming.

He was halfway down the stairs when his phone vibrated again.

He almost ignored it.

Then he saw the name.

Zayn.

Rit stopped.

His thumb hovered over the notification.

He opened it.

Zayn: Rit, are you coming to the club tonight?

Rit frowned.

He typed quickly.

Rit: Yeah. Why?

The reply came almost immediately.

Zayn: I'm already here.

Rit's brows drew together.

Another message appeared.

Zayn: Can you come?

Rit stared at the screen.

Then another message arrived.

Zayn: I need your help with something.

The noise of the house seemed to disappear.

Rit read the message again.

And again.

His fingers tightened around the phone.

Whatever Zayn needed—

he had chosen Rit to ask.

For the first time that night, Rit forgot all about the club.

He grabbed his keys more tightly.

Then he headed for the door.