I Want It Bad - Narry

Chapter Twenty Eight

It’s been almost two weeks. Louis has managed to calm Liam down, though he’s still sulking around. Louis doesn’t understand what the problem is; Liam was just using Dan for sex to begin with. And so what if he moaned Zayn’s name, it wouldn’t be the first time the Bradford boy wandered into Liam’s mind when it came to something sexual. Louis would know; he’s had the misfortune of having to hear Liam while he wanked when he thought that Louis was asleep. (Or maybe it wasn’t such a misfortune, Louis thinks to himself. Can you blame me? Liam’s hot as hell.)

For Zayn it’s been basically the same as Liam, but more shocked than anything. He doesn’t understand anything right now, doesn’t understand what he’s feeling or thinking on the inside. It’s like this war going on in his head, and he doesn’t know which side he’s rooting for.

He doesn’t want to say he has feelings for Liam, but every time he thinks about him he can’t ignore the way his heart beats a little harder, his stomach twisting tighter into knots. He didn’t want it to come to this. It wasn’t ever supposed to.

He’s been staring at his phone for over an hour outside the dorm building, bottom lip tucked so hard underneath his teeth that it’s almost painful. Liam’s number is pulled up on his phone screen, the call button staring back at him against the dead grass underneath. Other Uni students walk past him to their classes, laughing and radiating happiness and joy despite the cloud-covered sky sitting drearily above them. Its all muffled background noise to Zayn’s ears though because all he can really hear is the heavy thud of his own heart.

He lets two of his fingertips reach down and slide against the screen in a feather light touch, just enough for his phone to start the call. His arm feels stiff as he picks his phone up and presses it to his ear, shoulder supporting it as he lights the cigarette dangling from his mouth.

It rings once, twice, three times and then four. Zayn keeps telling himself that Liam’s not going to answer, and he doesn’t blame him, to be honest. But then there’s this little click, and silence follows after as Zayn watches ash fall from the tip of his cigarette. He swears that he can make out what sounds like breathing, and there’s this pinch of hope that Zayn wishes weren’t there bubbling up when he hears it.

“Hello?” Liam’s voice rings through the speaker. It’s hesitant sounding, almost reluctant. Zayn’s fingers twitch and then curl tightly around his phone, wanting so badly to just jerk it away and hang up, but he can’t bring himself to do it.

“Zayn? You there?”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, hi,” Zayn finally murmurs, wincing with a furrowed brow when he stumbles over his own words. “How’s it goin’, bro?”

It’s silent again, and he can barely hear the hushed whispering in the background, but its there before Liam speaks up and masks it.

“Terrible, if m’being honest,” Liam says, a dry laugh coming out moments after, “I broke up with Dan.”

It’s definitely not the answer Zayn was expecting, rather something on the lines of Liam cussing him out, calling him an asshole for what happened back at the restaurant. Or even a fake ‘I’m fine’. Not that he just broke up, and said in such a blunt way, no less.