Thorns

chapter forty-two.

zayn.

"Where have you been?" Perrie frowns at me, before reluctantly accepting my kiss on her cheek.

"I went out for a smoke." I tell her, which wasn't a lie.

"People don't smoke for two hours." She said blankly, crossing her arms.

"I was looking after Lucy as well." 

"I thought once her mum came they would both bugger off, that's what you said."

"Per- I'm sorry. It's complicated okay?"

"And is she really your child? You don't say anything when she calls you dad."

"No- Her dad's Carl." I tell her, not looking her in the eye.

"Carl? Carl Jenkins?" 

"How do you know who he is?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

~*~ 

"I swear Perrie's slept with Carl, I recognise her face when she isn't wearing makeup!" Rose tells me quietly. 

I let out a bitter laugh automatically covering my mouth with my hand, not realising I had laughed. 

"Are you that jealous of our relationship you make up lies to destroy it? How the fück would Perrie of met up with Carl who lives in London without me noticing! If she knew him I would've met you earlier!" I retort loudly, watching her shake from the volume of my voice.

"Y-you were supposed to meet up with me though- y-you promised, remember?"  Her voice shook and trembled, causing me to feel weak inside. 

"Oh, back to that promise, Ro! We were fifteen! All of that was nothing, do you hear me? Nothing! I've changed from then! I'm different now! I don't do things that are illegal! You do know we took drugs and drank alcohol when we were fifteen! We had séx, when we were fifteen!" I find the anger talking and Rose looks like she might cry. I walk away quickly, feeling the thorn throb dangerously beside my heart.

~*~

"Are you even listening to me?" Perrie snapped.

"Sorry, what?" I say, snapping out of my flashback

"What should I wear for tonight. Nothing too flashy, don't want you staring at me throughout the concert again." She grins, taking my hand and leading me to our room.

"Come help me pick something to wear." She gives me a sultry smile, thowing off the top she was wearing currently and looking through her suitcase for something else to wear.

"C'mon, you've seen all this before." She winks, forcing me to kneel down and look through her clothes.

"What about this?" I ask, grabbing a random shirt.

"I have nothing to wear!" She suddenly whined, throwing everything back in.

"Zaaaayynnn." She drawls out my name, her fingertips brushing down my jawline.

"Yes?" I chuckle, amused by her actions.

"Can I borrow one of your shirts?" She gives me a cheesy grin, causing me to lean in and kiss her.

"Sure." I smile, leading her to my suitcase.

She grabs a shirt and puts it on, making me wonder why she didn't wear my clothes more often.

Rose. Rose. Rose. 

I shake my thoughts away, enveloping Perrie into a hug.

"We need to plan our wedding." Perrie says softly, fingers running over the shaved areas of my head.