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No one spoke. The only sound was the city’s noise outside, echoing through the hollow space of the car. From the moment Zeraiah had driven off, silence hung thick in the air, drowning me in my thoughts.
Tsabinu and I exchanged looks now and then. I could feel the sheer awkwardness pressing on us, the strange heaviness of it.
It felt… familiar.
The familiar ache crawled back, gnawing at me. I turned to the window, hiding in the blur of passing streets, and through the gap between the seats, I saw Zioh. His face turned to the glass, his back upright.
And I never felt anything this profound when the silence was shattered by music blasting through the car.
AC/DC. “Highway to Hell.”
The familiar guitar riff punched straight through me, dragging me backwards in time. I knew every note, every lyric, because it was always on Zeraiah’s playlists. Memories slammed into me, our eternal fights over music, the teasing, the laughter…
My throat felt thick. I squeezed my fingers together.
“If you don’t like it, get the hell out of my car,” Zeraiah barked. I couldn’t tell who it was meant for, though he shot a glare at Zioh.
Zioh let out a sharp breath. “Nobody’s complaining, Zer.” His tone was quiet, but the sting was there. “Stop being so bloody sensitive like you’ve got some hormone disorder.”
Zeraiah scoffed, sneering in silence. Tsabinu and I glanced at each other. Then Zeraiah pressed a button, and the car’s roof began to fold back. Instantly, sunlight and hot midday air poured in, blasting us.
My hair whipped in the sudden wind, the sun scorching my skin. I squinted against the harsh light while my hands reached up to restrain my hair as it was flying in all directions. I knew Zeraiah did it because he was annoyed about getting back at his brother. But the problem was, it was still midday inJakarta.
A low growl came out of Zioh. “Stop being childish and close that damn roof.”
Zeraiah shrugged. “As I said, if you don’t like it, get out of my car.” His smirk spread wide, mocking.
Fury flashed in Zioh’s voice. “Right. Highway to hell, indeed, Zeraiah.” His voice was sharp as a blade, and through the rear-view mirror, Zioh was tugging at the loose black shirt clinging to his sunlit skin.
“Of course, Highway to hell,” Zeraiah shot back. “We’re off to lunch with that old man. If that’s not hell, what is it?”
His words hung heavy, silencing us again, and the music was roaring through.
Constantly readjusting my position, I was unsure if I was trying to escape the sun or something within myself—until I looked up and found Zioh. He was watching me through the rearview mirror. For a second, our gazes locked. Then, he turned away, breaking the connection.
I clenched my fingers, and even with unlimited oxygen, it still felt like it wasn’t enough to fill my lungs. The contrast burned my eyes. Once, I wished time would stop and the moments with them would last forever. Now, all I wanted was to escape.
I startled when something warm settled around my shoulders. I glanced to the side and found my brother placing his jacket over me. “Thanks, Mas,” I murmured.
Then, suddenly, a hand reached back from the front. Zioh held out a pair of sunglasses toward me, and the gesture caught me off guard. I blanked, glancing between him and my brother. Tsabinu looked as confused.
Zioh spared us a glance. “My arm is aching, Tshabina, take it.” His eyes flicked to Tsabinu. “I only have one.”
My brother shook his head. I took the sunglasses, and the moment our skin brushed, a shaky breath escaped me. That tiny contact was enough to make my skin prickle, especially as Zioh’s fingers pressed down before pulling away with a lingering, tender touch.
I slipped them on hesitantly. “Thanks, Zi—” I paused. “I mean, thank you, sir.”
He nodded. For a second, his eyes locked with mine before they settled back on the road ahead.
I caught another stare, this time from Zeraiah, through the rear-view mirror. But like his brother, he looked away at once and avoided it.
Avoiding me.
The silence fell between us again, heavy and suffocated. Through the open roof, the city unfurled above us, the sunlight harsh and the skyline sharp.
And then, the music changed.
