Ntr: Living With My Stepmom[HIATUS]

The Weight of Silence

Zack woke up late, hoping to avoid the breakfast rush. The previous day's events played in his mind like a haunting echo, and every time he thought about Ashley, his chest tightened. He couldn't look her in the eyes without the memory surfacing—her flushed face, her trembling body, her hurried escape.

He crept into the kitchen, hoping for solitude, but the sight of Grace and Kara at the table immediately shattered that illusion.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Grace said, her tone teasing. She was sipping coffee, her sharp eyes locking onto him.

Kara turned from the stove, raising an eyebrow. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Zack mumbled something unintelligible, avoiding eye contact as he grabbed a mug and poured himself coffee.

Just as he was about to retreat, Ashley strolled into the kitchen, her mismatched eyes widening slightly when she saw him. She hesitated for a moment before stepping inside, her movements unusually cautious.

"Morning," Ashley said, her voice soft, barely audible.

Zack froze, his hand tightening around the mug. "Morning."

Grace exchanged a glance with Kara, her lips curling into a sly smile. "Okay, what's going on with you two?"

"Nothing!" Zack and Ashley said in unison, their voices too loud, too panicked.

Kara crossed her arms, her motherly intuition kicking in. "You've both been acting strange. Is there something we need to talk about?"

"Nope," Ashley said quickly, grabbing a glass of water. Her hands were trembling slightly, and Zack noticed her avoiding everyone's gaze.

Grace leaned back in her chair, smirking. "You know, when my girls act this weird, it's usually because they've done something they don't want me to find out about."

"Grace!" Kara said, though her eyes were full of curiosity.

Ashley turned red, mumbling, "Can we not?" before retreating to the living room.

---

The Living Room Interrogation

Zack wasn't so lucky. As soon as Ashley left, Grace turned her full attention to him.

"You're not off the hook, either," Grace said, her tone playful but firm.

"I didn't do anything," Zack said, though his voice cracked slightly.

Kara squinted at him. "You're both so jumpy. It's like you're walking on eggshells around each other."

Grace leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Did you two fight? Or... something else?"

Zack nearly choked on his coffee. "No! Nothing like that."

Grace laughed, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "Relax, kid. I'm just teasing."

But Zack couldn't relax. The weight of their prying eyes made his skin crawl. He quickly excused himself, mumbling something about needing fresh air.

---

Afternoon by the Pool

Later, Zack found himself by the pool, hoping to escape the relentless questioning. The cool breeze and sparkling water offered some relief, but it wasn't long before Ashley appeared, her presence as magnetic as ever.

She sat down on a lounge chair across from him, her legs tucked beneath her. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence between them heavy and awkward.

"We need to talk," Ashley said finally, her voice low.

Zack sighed, running a hand through his hair. "About what?"

Ashley shot him an exasperated look. "About... yesterday. About how weird things are now."

Zack swallowed hard, his throat dry. "There's nothing to talk about. Let's just forget it happened."

Ashley's mismatched eyes flashed with frustration. "You think I can just forget? Zack, this isn't something you can ignore."

Before Zack could respond, Sarah and Jasmine appeared, carrying towels and snacks.

"Oh, look at you two, all serious and brooding," Sarah teased, sitting on the edge of the pool.

"Yeah," Jasmine added, smirking. "What's up with you guys lately? You've been acting so weird."

"Nothing's up," Zack said quickly, standing up.

"Uh-huh," Jasmine said, narrowing her eyes. "You're such a bad liar."

Ashley groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Can you guys just leave it alone?"

Sarah and Jasmine exchanged a knowing glance, their smirks widening.

"Okay, fine," Sarah said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "We'll leave you two alone to... brood or whatever."

---

Evening Tensions

By dinner, the entire house was buzzing with unspoken tension. Zack and Ashley sat on opposite ends of the table, both of them avoiding eye contact. Grace, however, seemed determined to stir the pot.

"So, Ashley," Grace began, her tone casual but mischievous. "You've been awfully quiet today. Something on your mind?"

Ashley stabbed at her salad, her cheeks turning pink. "Nope. Just tired."

"And Zack," Grace continued, turning her attention to him. "You've been jumpy all day. Care to explain?"

"I'm fine," Zack muttered, wishing the ground would swallow him whole.

Kara frowned, her gaze shifting between the two of them. "Seriously, what's going on? You're both acting like you've done something terrible."

Jasmine snorted, earning a glare from Ashley.

"It's nothing," Ashley said, her voice tight. "Can we just eat?"

The table fell into an uneasy silence, the tension so thick it was almost suffocating. Zack kept his head down, focusing on his plate, but he could feel everyone's eyes on him.

---

A Midnight Confession

That night, Zack sat on the porch, staring out at the dark yard. The cool night air did little to calm his nerves. He heard the creak of the door behind him and knew Ashley had followed him out.

She sat down beside him, wrapping her arms around her knees. For a while, they sat in silence, the only sound the chirping of crickets.

"I hate this," Ashley said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Me too," Zack admitted.

Ashley glanced at him, her mismatched eyes soft but sad. "We can't keep avoiding each other. It's making everything worse."

Zack sighed, leaning back against the chair. "I don't know what to do, Ash."

She hesitated, then said, "Maybe we just... need time. To figure out what this means. Or if it even means anything."

Zack looked at her, his chest tightening. "Do you think it means something?"

Ashley didn't answer, but the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes