Retrograde | ZS

VIII. Tears

Maintaining his hair into a quiff and buttoning up his polkadot shirt all the way to his neck, Zayn completes his appearance with a spritz of cologne onto his left wrist.

If he's going to be verbally mauled, he might as well look nice. Zayn is truthfully excited to attend another lunch with Harry, only this time he'll be meeting his sister─ not to mention, the sister that he's met before. But Harry doesn't know that.

The ringing steers him out of his thoughts, "Hey did you forget? You're picking me up from school Zayn, then we're meeting my sister there. You forgot didn't you?" Zayn can hear the stress and wordiness in Harry's voice.

"Calm your breathing and I'll be there. I'll only be like ten minutes late." Zayn hurriedly dashes to his key rack, tripping over a chew toy that squeaks. "Ugh! Jaxx! Okay Harry, we're going to be twenty minutes late."

Zayn's parents were suppose to pick up Jaxx two days ago but he hasn't had the chance, nor does he have any regular classes week, only one final and that day yesterday he brought Jaxx to the daycare.

Driving out the drive way, Zayn rushes to the daycare, "Don't make me sign another form. Just pull up my profile. Pick him up in a few hours!" Zayn stampers off to his car in a wild rush to get to Harry.

"Harry? You there? I had to drop off Jaxx, be there soon, I promise!" Zayn rushes towards the highway as he exits the freeway that leads to Harry's high school from what he remembers the last time. "So where do I pick you up, Harry?"

"The main office isn't busy so I'll walk there. It's easier to drive in and leave. Gemma is almost at the restaurant, don't want her to wait too long." Harry's voice is quivering and Zayn grips on the steering wheel, personally feeling guilty for the distress he's caused to Harry.

Zayn pulls up at the office parking lot where he sees Harry sitting on the ground with his knees to his chest. With one honk from his steering wheel's horn, Harry snaps his neck upwards and starts running into the car.

"I'm sorry Harry." Zayn speaks up cautiously, his voice still on the edge of fear that if he says something it might sorrow Harry even more. "Harry?" Zayn averts his eyes to Harry in the passenger seat. A perspective of a worrisome and ready eyed boy sits aside him.

Without a doubt, Zayn trails on hand to Harry's cheek and the other onto his thigh while wiping Harry's face, "I was trying to look a little impressive then had to drop off Jaxx. Forgot that I needed to pick you up from school instead of just meeting you there."

"It's not your fault. I always have this fear of people forgetting about me. It's normal, not normal for people I guess but it's normal for just me to be easily upset about being forgotten." Harry mumbles, his breath hitching but the pace of his words is picking up as the shakiness trails away.

"I can relate." Zayn whispers to himself, only to himself but apparently Harry heard because he pats Zayn's hand that still has a thumb padding a soothing motion onto his thigh. "I'm glad we get each other."

Though Harry thinks this is a compatibility situation, Zayn reminds himself that he's miserably forgotten by Harry. But he's relieved, it isn't Harry's fault for loosing memories of his past boyfriend, it's Harry's amnesia.

"There's Gems!" Zayn looks to the direction of Harry's finger to see a slim girl with light blonde hair and red lip stick, a matching polkadot shirt like Zayn's, though she looks more formal than he does.

"If you could hold my hand or something? So we look affectionate?" Harry furrows his eyebrows, speaking slower than usual, probably because he's trying to find the proper words so Zayn won't lash out. He's totally not, he actually finds it flattering, Harry's being a dainty cute little cutie.