𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐲 » 𝐳.𝐬. ✔️

chapter sixteen

Harry Styles

When we walk back outside, Nick and Louis are staring at us with completely different expressions. Louis has a giant smirk on his face as his eyes rake over my slightly disheveled appearance, but Nick looks horrified at the sight of us both.

"Harry? What happened? Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" Nick asks, shooting up out of his chair and grabbing my arm, pulling me away from Zayn.

Before I can answer, Zayn interrupts and grabs my wrist, glaring at the younger boy.

"Of course I didn't hurt him, idiot." He grumbles, yanking me towards his muscular chest. If I wasn't in such an awkward situation, I would take the time to feel his muscles flexing underneath his thin black shirt and leather jacket.

I blush fiercely at the thought before shaking my head and stepping away from both of the men, looking between them.

"Yes, I'm okay. And no, he didn't hurt me." I say, resting my hand on Nick's folded arms to try and reassure him that I was okay. However, Zayn grits his teeth together and looks like he's about to say something to Nick before his slutty waitress walks past us with a tray of food, I assume for Zayn and his friend, swaying her hips (even though she's about as curvy as a flat board.)

"Zayn, come on!" Zayn's friend calls from their table and I sigh heavily at the sight of Zayn watching the waitress bend over the table provocatively (and unnecessarily.)

I shake my head. I can't believe I let him kiss me like that in the bathroom, and now here he was eye-fucking that waitress again like it never happened.

Zayn looks at me and he must see my solemn expression because he reaches out but I step away to avoid his touch. "Just go. You're food will get cold." I tell him bitterly before turning away from him and walking over to mine and Nick's table.

I look down at my half eaten plate and sigh. "I'm gonna get this to go. I don't feel like being out anymore." I say quietly to Nick, trying my hardest not to watch as Zayn slowly walks past us and over to his table in the corner of the gated area.

"Okay. Just wait here, I'll go ask the waitress for some boxes." Nick says, reaching up and squeezing my shoulder gently. I want to pull away, but I just let him because it is comforting to have someone around.

I stand there awkwardly staring at the concrete ground, only glancing up when Zayn's waitress walks past me and gives me a nasty sneer. I'd punch her if I could, but seeing as I'm a boy and she's a girl, that could go very wrong very fast.

Nick comes back a few minutes later with some boxes and we pack our food up before quickly leaving. I don't want to be around Zayn any longer than absolutely necessary.

"Wait! We forgot to pay!" I say suddenly, about to turn around when Nick grabs my hand.

"It's okay. I paid when I went to get the boxes." Nick tells me, making me blush. He doesn't let go of my hand either, which I don't know how to feel about.

"Oh. I could have paid." I whisper quietly, staring down at my white Keds as we walk.

"Of course not. I asked you to come out with me, remember?" He says, chuckling slightly and making a small smile appear on my lips.

We finally reach his car and I get inside, buckling up and resting both of our boxes on my lap.

"So..." Nick hums awkwardly as he starts his car and begins to pull out of the parking lot. "Who was that guy back there?" He asks curiously, glancing at me occasionally.

I keep my eyes trained out the windshield, sighing heavily because I don't want to talk about Zayn anymore.

"He's just this guy I met at a college party." I mumble quietly.

"You went to a college party?" Nick asks incredulously, the surprise evident in his voice.

"Yeah, on Friday. I went with Carmen and Amy." I explain, leaning my elbow against the window ledge and propping my chin on my hand.

"Oh, yeah. Carmen is always going down to college parties. Lately she's been trying to get with this guy, I can't remember his name though. Jake? Zack?" He continues thinking of names out loud, and my eyes widen because I know exactly who he is talking about.

"Zayn?" I say, and he nods eagerly.

"That's it! She's been like obsessed with him. She told me she slept with him and she thinks things might be getting more serious." Nick says, glancing over at me. My jaw drops, my heart pounding in my chest.

"W-When did she tell you that?" I stutter, clenching my jaw. I feel kind of bad that I've been talking to Zayn, but I also think he's made it pretty clear that he wants nothing to do with her anymore.

"Last week. She said she wanted to go see him on Friday, so I guess that's why she went down there." Nick shrugs nonchalantly.

"I guess." I mutter.

"Weird. High schoolers shouldn't be going out with college students." Nick spoke after a few moments a silence.

"If you hadn't gotten held-back, you'd be in college right now." I point out, raising my eyebrow.

"Touché." Nick laughs, making me smile as well. "I'll make an exception for you, Haz." Nick adds fondly.

My stomach churns uneasily, but I don't know if it's because I'm excited or nauseous.

Sorry again for another filler, but I hope you guys enjoyed it anyway.

ALSO SIGN OF THE TIMES IS THE GREATEST SONG EVER GO BUY IT AND SUPPORT MY LITTLE SUNSHINE SWEETIE CUPCAKE BECAUSE HE DESERVES EVERYTHING AND MORE IN THIS WORLD HE IS SO PRECIOUS OSWMSISOANA LET ME KISS HIS LITTLE NOSE AND TELL HIM HOW SPECIAL HE IS AND HOW MUCH I LOVE HIM 😩😩😩💗💗💗💗