Alina’s POV
“You know, Zayn, you don’t have to follow me everywhere. You can just stay in your room,” I said, stopping mid-step and turning to face him. He wore that wide-eyed, puppy-like expression that always made it hard to stay annoyed.
“Zayn, you’re embarrassing me,” I added, lowering my voice. “You know what Naomi calls you? My personal golden retriever—one that never leaves my side.”
“She isn’t wrong, princess. I’ll never leave you alone,” he said without hesitation. His sincerity made my chest tighten, but I rolled my eyes anyway, trying not to let him see how it affected me. Sometimes, his constant shadowing was cute. Other times, it was maddening.
“You’re still recovering,” he went on, flashing a grin that showed off his perfectly straight, white teeth. “I need to be close in
