~Zayn's POV~
Evric chuckled softly, sliding a hand around my waist. "We're one, Zayn. And besides… did you forget? Nantam is friends with Evans. Dean is friends with me. We are all friends."
"Friends?" I repeated, the word sounding hollow given the tension that had just occurred.
Before Evric could respond, Dean turned toward the door. "I'll get going now, guys. See you later." He gave us a brief nod before heading out.
"Okay," I replied quietly as he walked away.
With Dean gone, Evric gently sat me down and launched into the history lesson I hadn't known I needed. He explained what he meant by the strange, overlapping alliances.
"When Evans first met you and you introduced your friends," Evric began, his voice low, "he immediately took an interest in Nantam, even before knowing he was Nicki's brother. Evans told me how uninhibited Nantam was, and that it was actually Nantam who had invited him to your birthday party back then."
