27. jealousy pt. 2

The walk home was quiet, tension crackling in the air between us like static. Hamzah's hands were shoved into his jacket pockets, his shoulders stiff. I tried to keep pace with him, but he was walking faster than usual, his long strides eating up the pavement.

"You're upset," I said finally, breaking the silence. "I'm not upset," he replied sharply, though the edge in his voice told a different story. I stopped walking, crossing my arms. "You're literally storming down the street, Hamzah. You're clearly upset." He turned back to face me, his expression hard. "What do you want me to say, Cora? That I didn't like watching you flirt with some random guy all night?" I frowned, my own temper flaring. "I wasn't flirting. He was just being friendly." "Friendly?" he repeated, a humorless laugh escaping him. "Come on, Cora. That guy wasn't interested in being your buddy." "And why does it matter?!" I snapped. "You don't get to decide who I talk to, Hamzah." He ran a hand through his hair, frustration radiating off him. "I'm not trying to decide anything for you. I just..." He trailed off, his voice softening. "It's hard watching someone else get your attention."

His words hung in the air, their weight settling between us. My anger faltered, replaced by confusion and something warmer, deeper.

"Hamzah," I started, my voice quieter now, "if this is about... us, then maybe we should actually talk about it instead of playing this weird game where you get mad but won't say why." He took a step closer, his eyes searching mine. "I don't want to play games, Cora. But you-" He stopped himself, exhaling sharply. "You drive me crazy, you know that? You're this mix of infuriating and... and irresistible, and I don't know what to do with that."

My breath caught, the tension between us thickening. His gaze was intense, the kind that made my pulse race and my thoughts scatter.

"Then stop overthinking it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes darkened, and in an instant, he closed the space between us. His hands cupped my face, his lips crashing against mine with a desperate, consuming heat. I gasped, my hands instinctively grabbing his jacket to steady myself as he kissed me like he'd been holding back for too long.

We stumbled backward into the apartment, the door slamming shut behind us. Neither of us said a word as we made our way to the couch, our kisses growing deeper, more frantic.

"You're so-" Hamzah murmured against my lips, his voice rough.

I didn't let him finish, pulling him closer as his hands slid to my waist, holding me firmly like he was afraid I'd disappear. My heart was pounding, every nerve in my body alive and electric under his touch.

We broke apart for air, our foreheads pressed together. His breathing was ragged, his hands still gripping my waist.

"This is what I mean," he said hoarsely, his thumb brushing against my skin. "I can't stand the thought of you with anyone else, Cora." I looked up at him, my own emotions swirling too fast to untangle. "Then don't," I whispered, pulling him back into another kiss.

This time, it was slower, less desperate but no less intense. It was like we were pouring all the things we hadn't said into that moment, into each other.

Eventually, we ended up on the couch, tangled together in a mess of limbs and emotions. His fingers absentmindedly traced patterns on my arm as my head rested against his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat grounding me.

"You're infuriating, you know that?" I teased softly. He chuckled, the sound vibrating through me. "Yeah, but you like me anyway." I tilted my head up to look at him, unable to stop the smile that tugged at my lips. "Maybe." He leaned down, brushing a soft kiss against my forehead. "Good. Because I don't plan on going anywhere."