Hidden Beneath Brown Eyes (A Zayn Malik Fanfiction)

Chapter 37 - Irony

"Jack's father?" My mother questioned in shock as she put Jack down and told him to go wake up my dad.

"But I thought you didn't know who he was." She said.

"I know, mom. I'll explain everything later. But right now, I need you to watch Jack while I take care of it." I pleaded in a hurry.

"Honey, are you sure you know what you're doing?" She asked, obviously worried. For all she knew, Jack's father could be a serial killer.

"I'm pretty sure. I'll be back in a few hours. I love you." I rushed.

I quickly turned around and practically ran back to my car. As I pulled out of the driveway, I could see that my mother was still standing at the door. I couldn't imagine how concerned she must have been knowing that I was going to talk with a man whose son I'd hidden from him for four years.

As I sped down the road, going at least seventy, all I could think of was the fear of Zayn's reaction when I told him that Jack was his son.

His reaction is what had kept me from telling him all these years. I was terrified that he wouldn't want Jack or that he would want Jack and I'd be forced to be around him everyday.

I knew it was incredibly selfish of me to think that way, but that's how I felt. And the guilt was what drove me to seek Zayn out anyway.

I made a sharp turn into the parking lot of my apartment complex, and nearly hit the car in the spot next to me as I parked. The front bumper of my car went up over the curb, but that was the least of my worries at the moment.

I locked my car and ran towards the building. I took the stairs two steps at a time, not even caring that my heart was about ready to rupture.

I looked down the walkway and I felt like someone had kicked me in the gut when I didn't see Zayn standing by my door. It felt like a shot to the heart when i realized that he hadn't listened to me, and it stopped me dead in my tracks.

I looked all around, spinning my body in a complete 360, frantically searching for the tall man in the leather jacket.

I ran up and down the second floor, searching for any sign of him.

"Zayn! Zayn!" I screamed as I leaned over the railing, looking out over the parking lot, but I couldn't see him anywhere.

He was gone.

I was distraught. I ran my fingers through my hair, ripping some of it out as it caught on my fingernails. I leaned against my door, chest heaving up and down as I gasped for air, mind racing as I thought about where he could have gone and why he would have left. Thinking about what I was going to do now that he was gone.

I didn't have his phone number and I didn't even know how much longer he would be in Charleston. He probably had already checked out of his hotel.

I slid down the door and pulled my knees into my chest as my butt hit the icy floor. I let out hushed sobs as my body shook. I rested my chin on top of my knees and just looked up at the winter sky through blurred eyes.

I could feel my chest collapsing in on itself and my brain exploding from all the stress. I had had two separate chances to say something to him and I didn't take either one. I blew it both times.

I could completely understand why he would have left, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt like hell.

I cried and cried, doing my best to stifle the loud sobs that threatened to escape from my mouth. I felt cold, inside and out. My lips were dry and chapped, my fingers were numb, and my cheeks had tears frozen onto them.