The A-hole Next Door (completed)

TWENTY SEVEN

"Sorry I'm late." Chloe said as she took the seat across Zayn. "Traffic is mental." She grabbed a bottle of beer from the bucket on the table, her eyes studying Zayn who was all quiet while staring at nowhere.

She cleared her throat. "Did someone die?" She asked. "What's with that sullen face?"

Zayn poked his cheek with his tongue. "Me. You're invited to my funeral." He replied gloomily before drinking his beer straight up.

She just watched him while he opened another bottle of alcohol. The opener slipped from his hands, making Zayn cuss loudly.

"Fucking shit!" He grumbled while picking up the bottle opener from the floor. "Goddamn it you have one fucking job you cunt!" He told the thing, like it could really hear him.

Chloe snatched the opener from his hands. "Jesus, Zayn." She exclaimed calmly as she opened a bottle for him. She gave him his bottle, then sat properly with her full attention on him. "What happened to you?"

He bit his cheek, then slowly shook his head. "Nothing."

Chloe narrowed her eyes. "You're all alone here in this lonely pub, drinking to death, screaming at tiny things that annoy the shit out of you. Don't give me the nothing bullshit."

He didn't respond but continued drinking in silence.

"Fine." She sighed, giving up. "Anyway, I already have the money."

He swallowed hard. "Lauren already paid them." He muttered, his throat closing, churning and burning.

"I thought you don't want her to know about it?"

"She saw Alex and Josh last night. They told her, and she paid them."

Chloe's face dropped. She knew every twist and curve of Zayn's ego, and she now understood why he was drowning himself in alcohol tonight.

"Oh my God." She murmured. "Please tell me you didn't call her something she's not because you're too angry."

When Zayn didn't speak, Chloe exhaled and shut her eyes in dismay.

"You and your potty mouth." She said. "What did you call her?"

"Spoiled brat." Zayn croaked, and he just wanted to shoot himself.

"You're not serious." She gasped, shaking her head. "You fucking idiot. I don't know her much, but I can tell that she's not a brat." She said seriously.

"She's not." He uttered. "I was just so pissed, you know how I am when I'm too angry."

"Yeah, you run your mouth and spit words without tasting them first. But Zayn, you can't hurt people and use that as an excuse forever."

He inhaled deeply to stop the tears from flowing. "I fucking hate myself. I'm the worst human being alive. I don't deserve her."

"It's never too late to improve yourself. You can still work on it." She told him.

"I'm a hopeless case. I always fuck things up."

Chloe frowned. "You're being too harsh. Negativity won't help you."

Zayn didn't speak. He never doubted himself before, but now, he didn't know if he could still make it. He wasn't sure if he could still make Lauren happy, if he could be the right man for her.

"I'm a fucking mess." He spat out, pulling his hair in frustration. "A fucking, miserable, hopeless mess."

"Just in case you forgot, Lauren accepted you in that state. You're a helluvah mess when she fell in love with you."