Coward {A Ziall Fan Fic}

Chapter 22

"I've missed you son."

The man dares to call me his son. I'm so sick of his voice that I cringe when it enters my ear. I haven't seen him since I was bloody seven years old, and here he is thinking I'd be over it? What even is today, a fucking family reunion?

 After realizing that he's been holding me longer than I've wanted him to, I shove him away from me, mortified at his presence.

He stares at me with a rejected look in his eyes. Hey, he left me, I didn't make him do that.

"Zayn, if only you'd let me explain..." His voice is so similar to my own, I feel like I'm going to vomit.

"No!" I shout, causing poshy, rich people to stare at our direction. "NO!"

His eyes reflect my own. "Son, please let me talk to you.."

My hands cover my ears. "Shut up! Just shut up!"

His face is so symmetrical to my own, just slightly aged, and it wrinkles into a somber frown. Memories of my mom crying and glaring at the world fill my head, and I can't help but be intrigued at this man who is my father. But I can't be his son after what he's done to my family. He's a selfish asshole who left us with nothing.

"Zayn, if only you hear what I have to say." He cautiously smiles. "You've grown into such a fine man. I knew you were my son any day."

His words infuriate me. I pull at my hair. "SHUT UP! Stop acting like this! You're making it seem after all these years it would be fucking sunshine and rainbows, well it isn't! You left my mum, you left your family. I never thought I'd ever see you again, and I was so fine about that. Yet, here you are, pretending that all of this never happened. Well let me tell you, it did happen, and you ruined my life!"

I pull Niall and myself away from this burden, chasing after the front door. Niall is silent, but I know he wants to ask questions or comfort me, but he is afraid to.

If only we didn't need a fucking cab, I would've walked home. And I regret not buying a car when my old man comes after me. 

"Just listen to me! I just need to talk to you!" He raises his voice, and flashbacks of hugging Doniya in our shared bedroom flash behind my eyelids. This is the voice I remember most, the one where he was yelling at my mum.

"Niall, call a cab."

"But Zayn I think we ought to-"

"Now!" I demand. He slowly nods his head and I mentally remind myself to apologize to him later.

As Niall quickly dials a number into his phone, I glare at my so-called daddy. His gaze now focuses quietly on my boyfriend, which adds on to my anger.

“Why are you looking at him?" My protectiveness takes over.

He looks back at me. “Is he your boyfriend?"

I slowly nod my head.

And he fucking smiles.

“That's very sweet. Hi, I'm-"

I step in front of his open hand. “Don't you dare come close to him."

He gets the picture. His hand slowly falls limp. “I see. Nice to meet you." He decides to wave at Niall instead.

Him being the nice person he is, Niall waves back, but gets disrupted when the cab company picks up their phone.

“Listen, erm, Dad. It was nice to see you and all, but I'd really appreciate it if you were just another figment of my imagination again. We're going to be heading home."