Ranked // ziam (boyxboy) COMPLETED

thirteen

The beeping of my alarm awakes me. I moan, in pain for some reason, and turn over to turn it off. When the beeping turns off, I roll out of bed and my feet touch the cold ground. I finally open my eyes and almost let out a scream in surprise. 

Liam is laying in the arm chair, fast sleep; his chest rising slowly, and falling just the same. His face is beaten, the bruises turning purple and blue around his eyes and nose. Blood is everywhere, even his clothes but all is dry. 

And after looking at Liam, it hits me. The fight from yesterday.

I walk over to the bathroom, limping slightly because of the pain in my torso. I turn the light on and let out a breath. All the blood from my face is cleaned off, just leaving the bruises scattered and cuts bandaged. I lift my shirt and pull it off my body gingerly. Along my torso is bruising and a few bandages which are tinted red from the cuts underneath. 

"I'm sorry," Liam says from behind me, making me jump. I look at him through the mirror. His right eye is swollen shut and his nose is completely covered in dried blood. The corner of his mouth dribbled with dried blood. His fist is cut at the knuckles. His eyes give me a sad look. 

"Why aren't you cleaned up?" I ask, my voice scratchy. "I passed out a short time after putting you in bed. When I woke up it was three in the morning so I just fell asleep in the arm chair." Liam says simply, his eye fluttering to a half open position. 

"Thank you, for everything" I say. Liam's face seems to get sadder. "Don't," He says, "please, just don't," He turns and walks out of the bathroom. I watch him until he disappears from my sight. I look down at my hands which are clasped on the edge of the counter. 

Even my hands are cleaned of their blood and even bandaged. I sigh and walk out of the bathroom, not bothering to turn the light off. 

I notice is that Liam's absence and just as I am about to call his name, a door slams shut.

--

I sit down at the booth, clutching my tea tightly with both hands. I ignore the stares from others. They're just looking at my messed up face. It has gotten better, no doubt, the cuts healed and the bruising subsiding. Actually, my face is almost completely healed. 

I want to cry, but I hold it in. 

It is not what is on the outside that is making my want to cry. It are the thousands of cuts on the inside that make me want to just curl in a ball and sob. Sometimes just sleep to shut out the world.  

It's day twenty of Liam's absence. The twentieth day that Liam has not spoken a word to me. The twentieth day that I have seen him and he has just avoided eye contact. 

I feel miserable, yes. But my job as a writer continues and my article is almost finished. I have become this popular figure that Alex wanted me to become. I have taken matters into my own hands and have just changed myself completely around. I am popular now. And I am almost done with this assignment. 

I have rushed it a bit, but it is worth getting out of this hell hole. Out of this situation of seeing Liam every day and him ignoring me. 

"Zayn, babe, how are you?" Zac calls from the doorway. He makes his way towards me and I put on a fake smile. I stand up to greet him. Zac pulls me into a hug, kissing me quickly on the lips. When he pulls back I smile at him and say, "I'm perfect now that you're here with me." Zac smiles, his eyes glowing with happiness. He kisses me again, a little longer than the last. 

I remember our conversation with Zac after I had kissed him in front of the group of lads at lunch two and a half weeks ago. We were on the bleachers, after Harry and I went to watch football practice for Louis and Zac. I had stayed behind and sat and watched as Zac made his way up ten steps towards me.