slow it down // zayn malik

chapter twenty // fire in our bones.

zayn's pov

Everyone chats energetically around the bonfire, leaving me alone to sulk by myself, staring into the ashy pit of bonfire remains. 

Though if you asked me why I was so upset, I couldn't give you a straight answer. I'm not entirely sure myself. There's just something about Linley's tweet that made my stomach drop. I shouldn't be all that surprised, that's exactly something Linley would say. 

It's not like I there's even the slimmest possibility of the two of us ever dating. That just would never happen. So when Linley says that she's never ever going to date someone, I shouldn't even blink an eye.

Unfortunately that's not the case...

From across the bonfire, I catch the eyes of Sable, who seems to have been waiting for me to look in her general direction. After our long conversation last night, I can't help but to feel rather bonded with the girl. She sort of understands me in a way I never expected her to. 

Ever-so-slightly the corners of her lips tug downwards as she slowly shakes her head, giving me a complete 'i told you so' look. It takes me a moment to process the meaning behind her expression.

She still believes that Linley's going to break my heart. 

Snorting, I roll my eyes, looking away from Sable with a bitter glare, returning my attention to the deceased fire still gently exuding smoke from the pit.

Minutes pass and I'm stuck staring into the fire, caught in my own thoughts. Though I can't help but to notice that Linley isn't even phased. She's laughing loudly as she talks with Niall - whom she seems to be warming up to rather quickly. The two of them joke around as if they're old mates. 

The peacefulness among the whole group is shattered as a loud voice booms from across the camping site, 

"LINLEY! SABLE!"

Everyone falls silent as our heads snap in the direction of the shout. I catch a glimpse of Linley's face before my gaze follows everyone else's. Linley obviously recognizes the voice, for her face pales immediately. 

Storming in our direction is a tall, lanky man with bright ginger hair. I can't help but to furrow my eyebrows together, not recognizing the incredibly angry man in the slightest. 

"Oh shit," Linley mutters beneath her breath. 

"What the fuck were you two thinking?" He continues to scream at the top of his lungs as he approaches our campsite. 

Shock ripples across all of our faces. I twist around to give Linley a concerned look, knowing very well that a girl like her could easily snag the attention of crazy old men. 

"It's my manager," She hisses back to me as she gets to her feet, Sable following her lead. 

I get to my feet as well - partly because Linley forced me to my feet with her handcuffed wrist, but mostly because I'm not going to let some man shout at her like that. I don't care who he is. 

"Did you two drink so much that you gave yourself brain damage? Because that's the only explanation I can come up with to figure out why the hell you thought it would be okay to bring this random idiot on stage with you!" Linley's manager steps towards her, spit flying from his mouth in his fit of rage. 

Linley goes to open her mouth, a nervous expression on her face, but I cut her off. I've never met such an asshole before, not in my entire life.

"Excuse me?" I step between the two of them, getting in his face as well.