"See?" » Zarry ✔

14: Is It A Real Thing?

"Wait a minute. Zayn, you're not... You're not serious, right? No, you're not serious."

"What do you mean? Of course I am."

"But do you not know how random this feels? And why do I have to go with you? If you want to date the girl, just date the girl."

Louis held Peanut up to his face and kissed his back.

"I don't want to date her... per se. I just want to see."

"See what? You met her. You liked her. You exchanged numbers. What more is there to see?"

Zayn stood up from the couch. "If it's the same. That's all."

"The same as what?"

He hesitated. "The same..."

Louis rubbed the hamster's back with his index finger as he looked at him. "You really confuse me. Sometimes you talk about me like I'm the weird one but look at yourself. You don't have to be afraid of women just because of Heidi. Not all women will cheat on you."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. I am not afraid of women."

"Well, let me rephrase that. It's not that you're afraid of them in general. You just don't trust them anymore."

"Also not the truth."

"Then why do you always want me to go with you? Hm?"

"Because you're my friend. Duh."

"Yeah, right."

"But you are."

"I know. That 'yeah right' was not because I don't believe we're friends. It was because I know that's not the reason you want me to come with you."

"So that means you won't?"

"I didn't say that."

Zayn perked up as Louis returned Peanut to his hamster ball, which he had taken him out of earlier. "So you will?"

He sighed. "Sure. But if you want to hold hands and kiss and all that, I don't want to be there. I am not going to be a third wheel. I'm sorry."

Zayn shoved his hands in his pockets. "You won't be a third wheel."

"I better not be."

"I promise."

Louis folded his arms and watched his hamster roll out of the room. "Fine. Come back and pick me up at six. I won't promise I'll dress nice though."

"You don't have to. It's literally just an early dinner at the mall. As friends. Sort of."

Louis let out a noise that let Zayn know he didn't believe him but that was just fine with Zayn. He'd rather Louis not believe him than know the truth behind it all. It wasn't time yet. Not until he himself was sure of what was going on.

* * *

"Okay, so maybe I didn't want to do this at first," Louis whispered to Zayn. "But we just passed the book store, so this is a win for me."

"The book store?"

"Yes. You say that like it's bad but reading makes the brain stronger."

Zayn shrugged his shoulders. "Well, you can go in there if you want. But not now. I don't want to be left alone with her just yet."

He pumped his fist. "Yes."

Maitea sighed happily, not having heard a word of what they just said. "You know... I was surprised when you texted me, Zayn." She said. "I didn't have anything to do today, so I thought what the heck. I might as well go hang out with you. You were really nice last time. Plus I was excited about getting to spend time with Louis too since he didn't come with us last time when we went for ice cream."