Secrets (Zayn Malik)

Chapter 64

I was gonna wait TIL 5k reads but it's cool lol

"I'm sure you're wondering if I feel the same." I lower my voice to a soft whisper, for only he and I to hear.

"Actually I don't." He sits up, leaning back on the palms of his hands.

"Wait, what?"

"I don't want to know. For some reason, it feels better that way." He smiles, and pinches my cheeks with one hand playfully.

"Zayn, I-"

"No, no I don't want to know! When the time is right, I'll know whether or not you feel the same." He smiles kindly, making his eyes squint again and I feel myself becoming mesmerized by the sight of him.

I'm not sure why he doesn't want my answer, but I respect his wish anyway and keep quiet about it. Although, the air between us immediately shifts to discomfort and I'm lost as to what to say now.

"Let's go." I stand from the grass, and extend my hand for him to take.

"Where are we going?"

"For a walk. You said yourself we need to enjoy each others company. So that's what I plan to do. Let's take a walk around London."

"You realize how massive this city is right?"

"Do I look like I give a damn?" I point at my face, completely straight and cold, earning a laugh from him as he shakes his head.

"Anything for you." He takes my hand, and helps me pull him up from the ground. As if it's natural now, he laces his hand with mine, and we make our way out of the park.

--

"I still don't see how you could possibly like hot chocolate." He frowns at my steaming cup in disgust while he sits across from me in the booth with his tea.

"What is your problem with chocolate? It's like the number one comfort food for all mankind." He wrinkles his nose in disgust as I take a sip again.

"First off, it's not a food. Second of all, I'm not the only one on this planet who hates chocolate. Third of all, wait a damn minute, aren't you lactose intolerant?"

I remember mentioning to him the first time I was in the hospital, and he tried to give me cream cheese with a bagel that I was lactose intolerant. Which is true, but clearly the boy has never heard of lactaid milk.

" I am. You've never seen someone drink hot chocolate with milk created specifically for people like me? Huge rock you live under."

He sits back, and eyes me carefully, biting the inside of his cheek. I prefer that, instead of him chewing on his bottom lip with the metal ring attached.

"Touché Ella, touché."

The waitress approaches our table with the check in her hand, but holds back from handing it to us just yet. "Could I get you anything babe?"

She turns her back to me, and glances down at Zayn, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. He turns to me, and I shrug it off casually, but inside I'm waiting for him to flirt back.

Just like last time.

I look at him, puzzled. Although I'm not too sure what I'm thinking anymore, because I'm too distracted by him. I regret letting him give me my jacket, because now his fitted black suit shirt is on display. It's actually funny how he contradicts himself physically. The tousled, untouched black hair with a metal ring wrapped around his bottom lip. The surplus of tattoos covering his body, which although unseen, I know they're there. Yet here he is, dressed to perfection. The black fitted suit shirt, with one button undone at the top, revealing a bit of the artwork covering his body.