Brandon's POV
My eyes darted back to where Zoe stood. Again.
I had lost count of how many times I had looked over in her direction that night. At some point, I stopped pretending it was accidental. It wasn't. Not even close.
It didn't matter that I was surrounded by my friends—laughing, drinking, soaking in the energy of the party I had spent days planning. Because the truth was—
My body was here.
But everything else?
It was right there with her.
She stood across the pool now, surrounded by her friends, her head tilted slightly as she listened to something Ashley was saying. Her laughter carried faintly through the music—soft but distinct enough to reach me. She looked... Happy. Or at least—she looked like she was trying to be.
