ETHEREALLY | 18+

13 | Lie

I opened my eyes, feeling a weight pressing against my stomach. Slowly lifting the covers, I found a familiar arm draped over me.

"What the hell..." I muttered, scanning the room. It dawned on me that I wasn't in my own bed. I was in Zayn's room, in his bed.

I recalled falling asleep in his car after dinner, but in my defense, he took forever to return. There was nothing to do in his car but wait.

Attempting to free myself, I tried to move his arm, only for him to pull me closer. Now, my back was pressed against his shirtless chest. "Where do you think you're going?" he grumbled in his deep morning voice, still half-asleep.

Just the sound of his voice stirred something within me.

I made another attempt to free myself from his grasp, but it was in vain. "Zayn," I sighed. "I really need to use the bathroom."

"Hold it."

Shifting my position, I turned to face him. His fingers began tracing gentle patterns on my back. "Zayn, please, you have to let me go," I insisted.

He snapped his eyes open, meeting mine. "I'm never letting you go." Drawing me in closer, I could feel the warmth of his body radiating against mine. My heart quickened at our proximity.

We lingered in silence for a moment before I spoke up. "Did you find your phone?" I asked, remembering why he went back into the restaurant.

"Yeah, I got it."

"That's good," I murmured softly.

His fingers found their way into my hair, playing with a strand absentmindedly. Slowly, he moved closer, our faces mere inches apart. The mere thought of kissing Zayn sent a surge of nerves through me.

I was conflicted. I wasn't sure if I wanted that moment to happen. After all, I hadn't known him for long. Yet, despite my reservations, I couldn't deny the attraction I felt towards him. My body seemed to have a mind of its own whenever Zayn was near.

Suddenly, his phone rang, interrupting the moment with an unwelcome groan from him. He sat up, running his hands down his face before grabbing the phone. "What?" he grumbled irritably as he answered the call.

Choosing to give him some privacy, I slipped out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. After quickly taking care of business, I stood in front of the sink, assessing myself in the mirror. To my relief, I didn't look like a total mess.

My makeup from last night had surprisingly held up well, but the thought of having slept with it on made me feel a bit gross.

Turning on the tap, I began washing my face. Fortunately, the makeup came off relatively easily without needing a cleanser. After patting my skin dry with a small towel from the counter, I tossed it into the laundry basket.

Exiting the bathroom, I spotted Zayn pulling on his hoodie. He swiftly slipped into his shoes before heading towards the drawer.

"Are we leaving?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and slipping on my shoes.

"Yeah, I'll drop you off home first," he replied casually, reaching into the drawer and retrieving a gun. Did everyone around here casually carry guns? While I understood the need for self-protection, it still struck me as odd.

"Why do you need a gun?" I watched as he concealed it beneath his hoodie.

"You can never be too careful, princess," he stated, turning to face me. "There are a lot of crazy people out there."

He wasn't wrong about that.

I approached him, halting just a few inches away. "Can I hold it?" If I was going to be around Zayn and his friends, I might as well start getting accustomed to seeing their guns.