Thorns

chapter forty-seven.

zayn.

Lucy's arms wrap tightly around my neck after walking aimlessly around for two and a half hours, looking for a place where Rose would be hiding. Lucy murmurs quietly in my ear, telling me that she was hungry, causing me to change the direction I was heading to bring her into a cafe, seating her at a free table. I then queue up, ordering a muffin for Lucy and I get water. Whilst drinking I see someone I hoped to myself that I would never see again.

"Hey, Lu." She looks up, melted chocolate sticking on her cheeks and crumbs scattered around the table, I couldn't help but pull out my phone and snap a picture of her before quickly sliding out from my chair and making my way out the cafe quickly, not taking a second glance back. He rounds the corner into an alley before I grab at his arm, spinning him round and pressing him against the brick wall. His eyes show fear before he's looking down at me, his lips curling into a smirk.

"Where the fùck is she?" I demand, my spit hitting his face not even provoking flinch. He knew he had the upper hand and I was left in oblivion on where Rose was.

"Stupid boys like you should know not to mess around." He chortled, only boiling my blood even more. I shove him against the wall and knocking the air out of his lungs.

"She's coming home with me, our flight is tonight."

"Don't you even think about it, she's coming with me." I snap, causing him to laugh.

"She doesn't want to be with you, she told me herself."

"I don't believe a single twisted word you say!" 

"Ask for yourself." He moves his chin to direct my attention to behind us where I see Rose, her arms wrapping around her torso as if hugging herself.

"Rosie." I release Carl, watching his arms wrap around her small figure.

"We're leaving tonight." She told me, Carl's sick smile only making me feel worse.

"Ro, you know you don't want to go with him, he abuses you. You might not know but he's doing it now, he's manipulating you. He doesn't love you."

"He told me he loves me. That means more to me than you'll ever know Z." She sighed, looking down at her scuffed shoes.

"Ro- listen. I-. I love-"

"Right, we should head back now, better finish my packing then we can get an early start to the airport." Carl tugs at Rose's arm but she yanks it away, her hands shaking as she turns to face me once more.

"Babe, we should go now-" Carl spoke hurriedly as my mouth stayed half open as Rose gazed into my eyes, the thorn embedded in me seeming the grow in size, blocking up my throat and causing sweat to seep out of my pores.

"Ro-" I sigh, my hands taking hers in mine.

"I fùcking love you so much I-" Everything blacks out, Rose's scream the last thing I hear before everything slips into oblivion, my head throbbing with intense pain.

-*-

"Z? Zayn please." My heavily drugged body refuses to move as my heavy eyelids move, eyelashes flickering as I see Rose and Lucy, my heart swelling at seeing them, my hand moving slightly before I groan, my head feeling heavy and achey. 

My lips were cracked, my throat dry as I eyed them, the only physical action I could actually act out were the warm salty tears that slid down my cheeks.

"Daddy?" Lucy scrabbles to move but Rose restrains her immediately, scolding her quietly.

"Don't touch him, it'll just make him feel worse." Rose tells the small girl, causing tears to form in her eyes as she bites at her fingers.