Wrong Side of Love (Ziam bodyswap)

Chapter 3

"It's the best I could do on short notice," Louis grumbles. "And we all like bowling. What's the big deal?"

"I thought we were going to a club," Zayn argues. "I didn't agree to spending my night off throwing balls down a lane with the four of you."

"I didn't even know they had bowling in Australia," Niall says, and sometimes Liam wonders if Niall talks just to feel included, because that's —

"We'll go to a club later," Louis bargains, cutting in before Zayn can snort something not so flattering at Niall for that comment. "Bowling first. All of us, like we used to. It'll be fun."

It's the 'like we used to' that gets them all. Liam sees the moment it happens, the way Harry grins, and Zayn shuffles his feet on the ground with his hands buried in his pockets, shoulders drooping. He feels it himself, too, any hesitance pushed away because it'd be nice, actually, to do something like they used to. Before they grew up, changed, got so big that doing things like this was too difficult to plan.

Zayn's gaze lifts, meeting Liam's steadily. Liam chews his bottom lip, and he refuses to be the first one to break eye contact. Zayn seems determined not to break it, either, which leaves them stuck there, in a staring match that's only occasionally paused when one of them blinks.

"Let's get our shoes." Louis claps Liam on the shoulder and Liam finally pulls his eyes away from Zayn, just as Louis nods his head in Zayn's direction. "I'll get yours and Zayn's. You two talk."

Louis pulls the others away, leaving Zayn and Liam standing there, just inside the bowling alley. There's a claw machine beside them, filled with cheap toys that you'll spend more than they're worth trying to win. The whole alley is rented out for them, the only other people inside being employees, which means it's really, really quiet. In the distance he can hear Harry and Louis arguing while Niall pulls on his bowling shoes, and he wishes it were louder because the quiet feels oppressive.

"Talk about what?" Zayn finally asks, eyebrows raised expectantly, something guarded in his eyes like he's expecting another fight, is already prepared for it.

Liam rubs at the back of his neck. "I'm supposed to apologize."

Zayn snorts. "An apology doesn't count if someone else forced you into it, Liam."

Liam hates that, the cold distance in Zayn's voice. That's not how this is supposed to be. He and Zayn should be over there with the others, laughing with each other while Zayn wrinkles his nose at the bowling shoes, and Liam nearly trips trying pulling his own on. They're supposed to ruffle each other's hair until it's a mess, playfully shove at each other's shoulders, laugh like they mean it. Not glare at each other, tensed and ready for another argument, separated from the group.

"I mean it," Liam says, honest and sincere. "I'm sorry for — everything lately."

Zayn glares at him for about two more seconds before a smile twitches at his lips, and then he gives in, full on grinning at Liam. "Really?"

"I don't like fighting with you," Liam admits. "I actually hate it. It's the worst."

"Yeah," Zayn agrees. "It sucks." He drops his gaze. "I don't even really, like, know what started it in the first place."

Liam swallows, thinking that he knows, at least. But he's not going to say it out loud, because if he says it out loud that'll make it true. And that'll ruin everything. "So, bowling?" Liam says instead.

Zayn bumps their shoulders together. "Get ready to have your ass kicked, Liam."

Liam scoffs. "You're a shit bowler, Zayn, and you know it."