I forced myself to go to school the next day. Trisha told me it was okay if I wanted to stay home. I wanted to, but I knew I couldn't. I couldn't keep on staring at Zayn, just wishing for him to wake up and feeling so fucking guilty for not taking him to the hospital. I spent the night looking at him, playing with his hair and holding back the tears. Which lead to nothing, because his pillows are soaked.
Even thought my body is at school, my mind isn't. I followed to crowd all day long, only wishing to be back home. Lunch time was a pure torture. I was sitting at our lockers, alone. Zayn usually was with me and his absence was even more unbearable. I wasn't able to eat, the only thing I wanted to do was cry. Again and again. Oh God, I was becoming such a girl.
After a while, I just took my phone out and dialed Louis' number. I needed his voice to cheer me up a bit. And that's what he did. After listening to what happened, he told me that Zayn would be okay, because "who the fuck is stronger than this guy ?" It made me laugh sadly.
As the bell rang, I wished for my best friend to be next to me, to hold me in his arms and to look right into my eyes as he'd tell me that everything was going to be okay.
...
As I got home, I wasn't expecting any good news. Wishing, yes, but not expecting. Expectations hurt too much.
Zayn's mom was in the kitchen, leaving it to see who was home. It was only me, Waliyha was still at her friend's house. It probably was better for her not to feel the atmosphere that was in the house. Atmosphere that got a little bit lighter when I saw the smile on Trisha's lips.
"He woke up for a little while this morning." She told me and I almost fell on my knees with relieve. "He wanted me to tell you to go see him."
"Okay." I whispered. "Thank you."
I dropped my bag on the floor next to the stairs, before climbing them four by four. I just wanted to see him, to see his eyes staring right at me, to see his smile, to have him holding me... I wanted him awake and well-being. But, as I entered to room, all I could see was him, laying in his bed, sleeping. My heart broke because, in the few hours I had been away, I forgot how bruised was his face. I forgot how young he looked like this.
I closed the door behind me, before climbing in his bed. I laid by his side, my eyes never leaving his face, my fingers gently playing in his hair. "Please, love, wake up..." I whispered, my voice arsh from the tears I was holding on. And, as he had heard me, he started to move a bit. Slow, little moves, until he opened his eyes. I wanted him to believe everything was alright, so I tried to smile. But it wasn't a convincing one, I just couldn't do it. I was worried as fuck, I was trying to hold back my tears and I wanted to know who was the damn bastard that did this to him.
"I'm alright, Lex..." He whispered, his eyes finally meeting mines. I bit my lip, containing the urge to be wrapped in his arms.
"Zayn... What happened ? Seriously ?" I had been under so much stress in the last days, everything was breaking now. I was shaking, my voice was way to high, I was trying not to scream as I went on. "This time, you can't just escape with a 'it's going to be alright Lex, nothing to worry about'. We should have taken you to the hospital, you know ? So you should at least tell me what the fuck happened !" He wanted to protect me, that's why he was never telling me his shits. But right now, I needed to know. I never thought I would be this kind of girl, but Zayn changed everything.
Zayn wrapped an arm around me waist, pulling me to his chest. I hid my face on the fabric of his shirt, I never wanted him to go away. Never again.
"It's just... It's big, okay... ?" He was searching for his words, it looked painful for him to tell me that. "But I don't want that to take over my life... I'm tired of always doing that. That the bad things always bring me down... I don't want that, this time..."
I understood. Clearly. But I still wanted to know. Just to make this bastard pay. I nodded slowly, before looking up to his face. Our eyes met, mines still full of tears. I wasn't crying, but... Oh fucking hell, how much did I wanted to.
"Just tell me who..." I whispered, not really believing he would tell me. But he did, and it changed everything.
"My dad..."
"Your..." I just couldn't say it. How could someone do this to their child ? Yes, my own father was a bastard of his own, my mother wasn't really better, but they never laid a hand on me. I couldn't picture it.
"Don't say anything, Lex... Just..." His finger ran up to my cheek, brushing it softly. Then he brought his lips to mines, kissing me gently.
By this simple kiss, he mended my heart a little bit. Calming his racing pace. Making me breath with a little more ease.
I stayed with him, by his side, until the night came. And even then, I couldn't leave his side.
...
"Alexis !" I heard behind me as I was leaving school, after an other day there without Zayn. I turned my face to see a beautiful brunette running toward me. I slowed my pace down, to let Waliyha join me.
"Hey, Waliyha. You're staying at your friend's today too ?" I asked and she shook her head no.
"Nah, I've been away for too long, I'm missing you guys !" she said and let out a laugh as she wrapped her arm around my shoulder. Even though she was a few years younger than I, she was taller – even without the high heels boots she was wearing. "What have I missed at la casa ?"
I looked at her, and remembered she had no clue what happened to Zayn. As much as I wished she could stay blind to this, I knew she would have to face it sooner or later. But I couldn't look at her as I was telling her.
"Zayn got... Beaten up."
Her arm fell back to her side as the words made their way up to her mind.
"Wh... What ? Is he alright ? Why do I never know about stuff like this ?" She was screaming, taping her foot to the ground like every good cheerleader in an American TV show.
"Don't make a scene !" I told her as I grabbed her arm and lead her out of the school propriety. "He's good, now. He's just... A bit shaken up."
"What happened ?" She asked me, her big brown eyes – the same as her brother – started to fill up with tears. Breaking my heart. Why was I the one who needed to tell her ?
"He doesn't want to talk about it..." I whispered and she nodded. She then took a deep breath and started to walk toward her house. I followed her, and silence filled the room between us until we got there. I was afraid she would make a scene as soon as we would take a step inside of the house, but she surprised me. When we entered, Zayn was laying on the couch, listening to some music videos. Waliyha smiled at him, hiding the worry she showed me earlier far away. She walked up to him, kissed his forehead and went into the dining room to do some homework.
"Hey, love..." Zayn said, before patting the spot next to him on the couch. It didn't took me long before I joined him, my back facing him. He wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed the back of my neck. I tried not to shiver, which was quite hard. He easily saw it, and kissed me once more. I turned around so my face was buried in his chest, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. This... This was the perfect spot. The perfect setting of things.
With the music playing in the background, Zayn softly humming on my ear, my nose full of his incredible scent, his strong arms wrapped around me... It was perfect. I was feeling protected. Like nothing could happened to me. Or to him, for that matter. Like nothing could get to us, to our little balloon of love. Like it was just him and me, nothing else.
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