Breathe With Me » Zarry ✔

Part 6

Thirty days passed and the schedule of Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays was a commitment kept by Zayn and Harry. They had their own reasons why they liked hanging around each other. But they were reasons they'd kept to themselves.

The more time they spent around each other, the more Zayn started to get used to the way Harry came and left. There were days that Harry would just show up at his home for no reason just to keep in compliance with seeing what would happen with them. That often resorted in a walk around the neighborhood, going to see Peter or just staying inside and drawing together. But the way Harry would leave sometimes still puzzled him. One moment he would be laughing with him and enjoying himself. Then the next moment he'd suddenly go quiet with a scared look on his face before grabbing his backpack and running out of the house.

Zayn never tried following him but he often wondered why Harry did it. What was the purpose? Harry would never tell him. But he was also afraid to ask.

A month ago, Zayn didn't think he would have gotten in the habit of seeing Harry so often and enjoy learning about him. But that was exactly what was happening. The day he learned that Harry would sneak pastries home to his little sister Gemma from Pete's Sweets even though Anne repeatedly told him not to, he instantly liked him even more. The way he worried about other people before himself and the way he'd light up a room with his bright personality. The boy was just so damn likable and h was very appealing to Zayn.

Over that time, Zayn gradually realized he had rubbed off on Harry a little bit. Even though Harry was usually so upbeat and chatty around him, there were times where he would calm down and be mellow just because Zayn was mellow. Joking became a thing that he did less often but he could never fully let go of his sarcasm. Zayn didn't mind it though. He felt that it did occasionally make for good humor.

But not just that. Zayn wasn't the only one rubbing off on someone. Harry was rubbing off on him as well. He found he was slowly becoming open to certain new things, like walking in the forest where there was no path and going behind the counter with Harry to get those cranberry scones that he found so delightful. No, they weren't award worthy things but the fact that he was doing them at all was big for him because they were new. And one thing Zayn had known was that he didn't really do new.

The world always presented new things and new challenges every day. New wardrobe choices, new school assignments, new people, new activities. There was so much. But Harry himself was slowly becoming a constant for him. He had a little less to worry about. Harry was a pretty cool kid. And that's what Zayn thought he would always be.

"Okay Harry. Just start lightly sketching the edges like this."

Harry nodded as he watched Zayn sketch the edges of a rose in the making on his own paper. "Like this?" Harry put his pencil to his paper and began to sketch.

Zayn nodded in return. "Exactly like that." Harry had given him a huge smile now, showing his pretty teeth. His smile was so beautiful and bright like him. Zayn had noticed that before so it wasn't new. But for some reason today, his smile stood out more than ever before. He had to turn away keep from being immersed in it.

Soon they'd finished sketching the outline of their own roses and and Harry sighed as he looked at his. "Do you think I've improved any from the few times I've drawn with you?"

"Sure. But it takes time to learn to draw. Even, I'm still learning. But at least you are fun to work with."

"Thanks. You're fun to work with too."

Zayn meant to thank him after that but he was so happy to hear Harry enjoyed his company that he couldn't get the words to form. Harry brought him back to life when he laughed and poked at his cheek.