FRidAY? ↠ zarry AU

chapter 53

Life comes at you fast.

Staying stagnant for five months leaves no surprise that one would be bound to lose their muscle and fitness level that they've worked hard to build up. Looking down, Zayn could immediately tell that that had happened to him. His legs were now thinner and he could feel how weak his arms were, even though the one had completely healed up perfectly.

"You wanna try and take a step forward?"

Perspiration dotted Zayn's forehead and upper lip. He struggled immensely to hold up his body on the parallel walking bars. He merely adjusted his hand and felt himself slipping. "I can't." He shook his head and felt his nurse hold onto his waist.

"I've got you, Zayn. Nothing's going to happen. Just try, please." Anyone would understand her frustration, especially when Zayn hadn't been willing to attempt to move his body yet remain upset about its condition.

"Alison, just forget it, I can't."

She moved from behind Zayn to now come and stand in front of him. "Listen, you need to start by helping yourself because no one else will be able to do this for you, okay? Now all that I'm asking for you is to try one step." She said in a gentle yet firm voice.

Zayn exhaled a shaky breath and first moved his arms, then his good leg. Before, when those light tingled pulsed through his right leg, signalling sensation, he cried. He was over the moon. He could feel his leg again - of course that's when the pain set in too, but he didn't care. He was going to walk again.

"You're doing well, Zayn." Alison said moving backwards as Zayn crept forward, inch by inch. But it was all too much weight for him to handle and he falls for what must have been the millionth time and like time and time again, he wants to call this session quits.

"Are you okay?"

He snatched his hand away from Alison's caring hand, annoyed and fed. "I'm fine."

She stood up from her crouched position, next to Zayn, having patience as to when he wants to offer her his hand so that she can help him up on his feet again.

"I'm never going to be the same again."

"Zayn, come on."

"I'm serious." He could feel it in his body. His mind... Everything had changed and he knew it.

"Come on, on three." Alison pushed aside his negativity and offered her hand, which Zayn did actually accept.

"Zayn, if you won't try for yourself, will your try for all those kids who still look up to you no matter what? To them you are their everything."

She just couldn't resist using that line.

*

After his 55 minute session, Zayn grabbed his crutches and headed outside. In the parking lot was Liam and Harry kicking around a soccer ball to each other.

"Stop kicking it so hard." Harry said, slightly winded because he's had to run after the ball which he unfortunately let roll down a hill.

"Try stopping the ball this time." Liam laughed and kicked it softly towards Harry. "Keep your eye on the ball." And Harry did, however his Chelsea boots were not meant to help him with any fast movements and as soon as he juts his left foot out, his right slips, heading away from him and he's flat on his backside in ten seconds.

"Oh... Oh my God, are you okay?" Liam ran over to ask Harry who hadn't gotten up yet.

"I think... I think I've ripped my jeans." He pants and Liam cannot contain his laughter. Harry's let's out an exhausted laugh and touches his inner thigh, feeling the new hole in his pants.

He stares at the light blue, cloudless sky. The corners of his eyes pooling with tears because of how bright it is out today.

"Oh man, I better get on both my feet soon before Harry takes my place."

Liam and Harry both turn to look at Zayn.

"Hey, cripple." Liam greets before helping Harry up off the dusty ground.

Zayn gives him the finger and walks towards his friends. "You okay?" He asks Harry, slight humour filtering through his voice and Harry doesn't want know if he wants to smack the smirk off of his face, or mirror it.

"Just peachy." He smiles back and dusts the back of his pants with his hands. "Coming for that jersey of yours." Harry jokes back.

"Oh, yea? Well I'll be waiting."

Liam clears his throat and rubs the back of his neck, feeling like a candle holder between the pair. Zayn licks his lips and in that moment, wonders if it would be clichéd to call this relationship 'complicated'. He had told Harry about him abound GiGi the same day he felt the diamond on her ring hit his sternum... But Harry hadn't made a move and gave no hints that he wanted to.

"Let's get going, yea?" Liam clapped his hands together as if snapping Harry and Zayn back to earth and out of their little 'zarry' world.

***

"Harry?"

"Mm?" Harry spun around, eyebrows raised, bottom lip between his teeth.

"Can we do dinner, sometime?" Zayn asked before Harry could speed off into his apartment. Liam was in the car, occupying himself with some music after he basically chewed off Zayn's ear about going after Harry before it was too late. Zayn was panting for the second time that day and not just because he had to walk as fast as he could on crutches but because he felt like his heart was in his throat.

"One, don't run in your state." Harry scolded as he walked closer to Zayn. "And two, I'm feeling like Italian, so, pick you up at eight?" He smiled and yet again, gave nothing away. Was he being friendly and taking pity on Zayn or -

"Great. That's great. See you then." Zayn smiled, baring his teeth and Harry walked him back to Liam's car, a small smile on his face.