stars and terrain (zayn malik)

Chapter 58

Zayn

"Charlie's not leaving my side," I warn Holly, when she eyes the way we're linked upon arriving to my meet and greets.

Holly and Charlie exchange a look and Holly just shrugs "fine by me."

I didn't think anyone would dare tell me no, but I needed my assistant to understand Charlie was meant to stay here the entire time.

Charlie leads me to the corner where she settles into a chair out of the way and squeezes my hand before she pulls hers away.

"How long are these?" she asks, when Holly joins her.

"Usually 'bout an hour," I reply, feeling a little guilty for dragging her here. But I physically can't be without her right now. I can't trust that she's not going to bolt to an airport and fly herself back to Los Angeles. I wouldn't even blame her.

Seeing Rebecca was one of my worst nightmares come to life. I'd never wanted Charlie to come face to face with any of them, because I knew how she assumed they were in the same position as she once had been and I'd never been able to change her mind about that.

I should have just kept walking, but I was so shocked to see her that I froze. I should have kept Charlie at my side and introduced her, right out. Maybe then Rebecca wouldn't have been bold enough to slip her number.

I glance over at Charlie, seated in the corner, eyes fixed on her phone. She has one knee tucked to her chest, and it reminds me of the way she sat that night in Los Angeles, when we looked at stars and everything changed.

"Alright, Zayn, you've got two minutes," Holly warns, eyeing me because I know she senses the tension. "You good?"

"Yeah." I nod. I went to my hair and makeup artist before and asked her to cover up any signs of my puffy eyes and I asked Charlie a thousand times on the walk here if we were fine, so I really was alright.

"Okay," Holly backs off and I get ready to look happier and interact with the hundreds of fans about to pass through the door.

It goes quickly, and it's a lot easier to smile when Charlie is positioned perfectly to the right of the camera.

She stays seated the whole time, eyes popping up to find mine every now and then and giving me a small smile or a wink and I'm in awe of how tough she is. I know I need to make this up to her. I need to do something special tonight.

~*~

"Don't peek," I warn, keeping my arm folded in front of my notebook.

"Can you just tell me what you're doing?" Charlie asks, nosily, trying to crane her neck to see what I've been writing.

"No. I love you and I've never said this before and I probably never will again, but please leave me alone for five more minutes." I beg, peering up at her through my lashes and keeping my arms protectively around the perimeter of the notebook.

"Alright, alright," she throws up her hands and steps away from the table of my dressing room. "I'll go find Holly. She's been dying to know what happened earlier anyway."

I know she's baiting me, but I don't fall for it.

"Fine with me. I know how you two gossip, it's going to come out sooner or later."

Charlie stalls, putting her hands on her hips. "You don't even care?"

She's used to me getting mad when I invade their girl talk, so I know she thought that was a good tactic.

"Nope, go head and tell her." Holly probably found out from Preston already anyway, so it really doesn't bother me this time around. "And then you should probably get to your seat. I go on soon."