Terminal Four (Z.M)

t w e l v e .

C A D E N  L A U R E N  S M I T H

If Caden had to pick two words to describe Harry's apartment, it would be fluffy and tumblr.

The place wasn't the biggest- it had a living room, a tiny kitchenette, a bathroom, a bedroom and a balcony. But Harry had decorated it into something so beautiful that Caden fell in love with it immediately. Fairy lights were strung all over the ceiling, setting the place with a lovely, warm glow. The sofas were white and very fluffy, completely covered with colorful throw pillows. Everything was so tumblr that even Caden (who was pretty tumblr af) was jealous.

Zayn, on the other hand, looked slightly taken back and uncomfortable as he sat on the hot pink cupcake stool, taking in everything around him. Caden laughed at how bewildered he looked. Did he expect Harry to live in a pre-furnished three bedroom condo or something?

Harry shut the front door behind him, beaming at them. "Welcome to Harry's humble home."

"It's lovely," Caden said, admiring the fairy lights. "When I buy a home, you're designing it for me."

Louis sank into a chair, clearly comfortable to be here, before smirking at Zayn. "Are you sure about that chair, mate?"

Zayn tapped the cupcake seat twice before getting up awkwardly. "Yeah, I'll just sit on the recliner."

Harry busily rushed in and out of the kitchen. "Caden and Zayn, you don't mind eating gourmet do you? I'm cooking dinner tonight."

"Harry, we don't want to of be too much of trouble," Caden said, getting to her feet. "We'll be fine with anything. Don't hassle yourself."

"Yeah, can't we just order chinese or something?" Louis frowned at how stressed Harry seemed to be.

"We can't do that to our guests, love," Harry responded from the kitchen. "And Caden, please, you're anything but trouble. I want to cook you a good meal."

Caden grinned, blowing a kiss to Harry before she sat down and noticed how flustered Louis looked from Harry's response. Zayn boredly scrolled through his phone, not even glancing up.

"Do you live here too?" Caden asked Louis, and Louis shook his head. "Er, no, I live in the city."

"Harry's such a sweetheart," Caden smirked slowly as Louis grew more and more flustered. "You two make a great couple- I mean team."

Louis rolled his eyes at the teasing, but his cheeks were pink. "We're just friends."

"You sure about that, mate?" Zayn, who had been listening to their conversation with a growing smirk over his lips, locked his phone and slipped it back into his pocket. "Because you seem a bit whatdoyacallit, whipped."

Louis didn't respond but just gave him the finger.

Caden laughed out loud, smiling at how comfortable all of them were slowly becoming with each other. But still, this sudden increase of men in her life made her long for her girl bestfriend. Caden pulled out her phone and turned it on to check for texts. To her surprise, she only had one text from Ashley. It wasn't like she had expected her parents to text her or be worried or anything.

Ashley:- Caden, please call me. I won't tell them anything. Nobody knows where you are, all the guards are saying that you're with your boyfriend? I know you don't have a boyfriend, you loser, what's happening? What's the plan? I just need to know that you're safe. PLEASE CALL ME.

Caden didn't call her, she couldn't risk it.

Caden:- i'm safe. i'm sorry.

This was the point when it suddenly hit Caden that she had know utter idea if she was safe. She didn't know who any of the men surrounding her were. She wasn't safe, at all. She was stupid and dumb and was trusting complete strangers.

But then her eyes fell on Zayn, taking in his jawline, his high cheek bones, his brown eyes, the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed, the way he licked his lips, how pink his lips were, the way he ran one hand through his hair while narrowing his eyes slightly, his sarcastic comments, his smartness, the scent of his aftershave, his cologne that she really, really liked.... she trusted him. She wanted to trust him. He understood her. He wanted to help her. He seemed so safe, she felt so safe around him. She had a feeling that he wouldn't hurt her.

Zayn tilted his head in her direction, and she realized that she was staring. Slightly embarassed, she looked away.

"Hey," Zayn spoke softly and Caden looked up to see that they were alone- Louis had disappeared into the kitchen to help Harry out.

"Hi," she replied, biting her lip lightly.

"We need to talk," he said, his eyes almost deep. She nodded. They faced each other, and she blinked. Sudden bravery took hold of her as she finally asked him the question that had been haunting her for a while now. "Zayn, why are you helping me out?"

He looked surprised. "What?"

"Why are you even helping me?" She asked him again, trying to keep her tone un-suspicious. She hoped he wouldn't think she was accusing him or anything.

"To be honest..." he stared at his shoes. "I don't really know."

This wasn't the answer she had been expecting from Zayn. Zayn knew everything. He had a reason for everything. So it was pretty surprising when he told her that he didn't know why he was helping her, why he was tagging along with her on this dangerous ride. She didn't have anything to do with him, they met this morning. Yet it didn't feel that way. Without his help, Caden wouldn't have gotten this far.

Yes, there was this awkwardness between them, the same awkwardness that lingers between two strangers, but there was also this closeness. This closeness that two strangers don't usually have.

Caden didn't know how to respond so she just closed her eyes for a minute and opened them. "Can I trust you?" This was a stupid question, she already did trust him.

He looked a little confused, but nodded. "You can, if you want to."

She didn't know what to make of his answer so she just nodded and stared ahead. The silence was a little strained and she had a feeling that Zayn was going to break it. She was right. 

"Okay, what's up with all these random questions?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows, and leaning back into his chair. 

Caden shrugged. "Zayn, I-"

They were interrupted by Harry and Louis exiting the kitchen, holding plates of food. Caden sighed happily at the sight of it, before they began to feast on a stupendous dinner (which turned out to be pb&j sandwiches, how this was a gourmet dinner Caden didn't know, but she wasn't complaining).

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