FRidAY? ↠ zarry AU

chapter 9

Harry sat in the small coffee shop waiting for Zayn. He wondered if he should order something or if that would be a rude thing to do since Zayn wasn't here yet.

"Sir, can I get you something?"

"Oh, uhm," Harry bit his lip and nodded. "Can I get a cup of hot chocolate, please." He gives in.

"Sure." The young red haired waitress smiled at him before scribbling down his order and leaving.

Harry leaned his elbows on the table and let one of his hands rest and caress his neck.

He was looking at nothing really when his eyes fell on a girl who had just walked in. She shrugged off her black coat and messily folded it to place on the seat next to her instead of draping it over the back of her chair.

Harry thought she was very pretty. Her petite face was surrounded by small golden ringlets that sat on her shoulders. Her skin was the colour of the coffee beans scent that filled his nose and made him feel so at ease.

Suddenly, just as she sat down, a loud voice grabbed both his and her attention, except Harry had only moved his eyes to see what the commotion was, whereas the young woman had snapped her head up and was now standing to greet another young woman. Someone with olive skin and shoulder length straight brown hair.

The pair embraced tightly, excitement falling from their lips and eyes and the corner of Harry's lips perked up ever so slightly.

How sweet. He thought.

They're having their own moment, their own story like he is. Are they long lost friends, reuniting after years? Are they best friends who have something big planned? -

Harry was unaware that he was staring, and the first girl he saw unintentionally locked eyes with him and blushed at the fact that she's acting like a child on Christmas morning.

He offers her a smile and she returns it before they both avert their gaze.

He heard their excited chatter and checks his watch.

14:15

He would give Zayn five more minutes before getting up and leaving - well, hopefully if his hot chocolate arrived and he finished it withing that time.

Before he could let his thoughts wander any further, in walked Zayn.

He wore a baggy blue hoodie with the hood up, covering half of his face.

He dropped himself in the seat opposite Harry and pushed the hood down and Harry tried to keep his face expressionless.

Louis really didn't hold back.

The right side of Zayn's face was a deep purple with some harsh yellow and his lip bottom was slightly swollen.

He hadn't tied up his hair today and let the black strands fall around that side of his face.

"Sir, your hot ch- oh! Uhm, ca-"

"I'm not having anything." Zayn said to the startled waitress before she could even finish her sentence and waited for her to leave before his eyes were on Harry again.

Harry held Zayn's stare, not breaking it even as he took a sip of his warm beverage.

Zayn pulled his chair in more and laced his fingers together on the table.

"I'm sorry." He said in a low tone and Harry finally broke eye contact, looking at his melted mini marshmallows dissolving in the sea of chocolate. Zayn bounced his leg nervously and looked around the little coffee shop, watching everyone else be concerned with their own conversations. He licked over the cut on his lip and tapped his thumbs together. "I was an arse. I didn't mean what I said. It was just in the heat of the moment - not that that's an excuse... and I understand if you don't accept my apology, but just know that I am sorry." He said looking down at his interlaced fingers, and Harry found himself looking at his fidgety digits, moving to look at the tattoos on his hands. A pair of lips exhaling smoke with a bird on one and some type of design that Harry really liked on the other.

Zayn was going to silently leave if Harry continued to ignore him, not wanting to cause more damage than he already had.

"Are you okay?" Harry finally asked, running his finger gently along the curve of the handle of the mug.

"I'm fine. I deserved it honestly." Zayn laughed, half-heartedly, understanding where Louis was coming from.

"Well, I am sorry about ... that." Harry said, waving a hand in front of Zayn's face. "And, yea.. I accept your apology."

Zayn sighed a small breath of relief and pushed his chair out a bit.

"Do you want to order any-"

"Nah, I can't stay. I've got to be somewhere." Zayn answered, already standing up. "Uhm," He faltered before leaving the table. "We're okay, yeah?"

Harry looked up at Zayn with slightly parted lips and nodded. "... Yeah, we're okay."

"Cool... so then, see you around." He nodded and pulled his hood over his head again.

"... See you around." Harry nodded and rolled his eyes at himself once Zayn had left.

Things just had to get all weird and awkward in the end there.

He just can't figure Zayn out for the life of him - I mean, he's never had a one night stand before. Are they all like this?

Whatever.

He got an apology, and it was sincere, so he was satisfied and didn't really care if he and Zayn would ever see each other again.