Dark Star

Chapter 20: Exposed

Zayn Malik

I blinked against the bright sunlight as I hopped out of the van. The entrance to LAX was already packed with a few paparazzi and fan-girls. I never quite understood how they always managed to know where we were.

"Looks like they got our tweets, Lou," Liam said proudly, waving at a few girls who ran up to us.

So that explained it.

I walked slowly on purpose, allowing myself to fall behind the rest of the boys. They shook hands, gave hugs, and even signed a few quick autographs. All I did was fake a smile until we were safely escorted inside by our security guards. They took our luggage and followed close behind us as we made our way to our flight.

We met up with Paul in the airplane lot, where our private jet was waiting for us. He counted us off with his eyes as we walked up to him, and he froze when his eyes didn't meet the sixth face that should have been there.

"Where's the girl?" he asked, pausing for a moment and snapping his fingers together. "Lilly!" He shouted suddenly. "Her name is Lilly, right?"

"Lola." I snapped with a rough edge to my tone. "Her name is Lola. At least get it right."

The boys stared at me with their mouths hanging open slightly, and Paul's eyes widened in disbelief. I surprised even myself; I never talked to people that way.

Liam quickly came to the rescue, whether it was for Paul or me I didn't know. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and nodded for the boys to follow us as we walked toward the stairs that led up to our jet.

"Zayn," he said seriously. "Stop being a twat about things."

"A twat?" I spat out. "I have every right to be a twat about things, Liam!"

"Zayn, calm down, mate," Harry said as he joined the rest of the boys in surrounding me by the stairs. "You're not the only one who's hurt from her leaving."

I laughed sarcastically. "You're insane, Harry."

He raised his eyebrows a slight bit. "Tell me how, Zayn."

"You think you're in love with her," I said, waving him off. I shrugged Liam's arm off of my shoulders and grabbed the railing so I could ascend the stairs. Harry grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop mid-step. I looked down at him furiously and he glared back up at me.

Today was not a good day to mess with my temper. I didn't know what I would say... or do.

"If you loved her," he said, "you'd do anything to be next to her right now, instead of frowning and wining like a four year old."

My eyes widened and I clenched my jaw.

Did he really think I didn't want to be next to her at that moment? Did he honestly believe that I wanted to be there, leaving LA and Lola behind?

"Then why aren't you," I asked him irritably, "if you love her so damn much?"

"Lads," Niall interjected softly, putting a hand on Harry's arm. "Can we just get on with the flight? We all know that the reason Zayn is with us is because he doesn't want to disappoint all of those fans."

Harry snorted before rushing up the stairs and into the jet, having pushed Niall's gentle hand away roughly.

I sighed angrily, trying desperately to take a deep breath and get a hold of myself. All that talk about Lola made me miss her dreadfully. I wanted to appear beside her at that exact moment. Just sit with her while she was with her mother.

"You're doin' the right thing," Niall said to me, smiling faintly before climbing up the stairs and disappearing into the jet as well.

Louis and Liam nodded at me encouragingly, agreeing with Niall's comment.