This Thing Upon Me [Order The eBook] [Harry Styles]

Chapter 20***

(DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. It's important to remember this is all totally fabricated, embellished, and exaggerated for entertainment purposes.)

**********

'Cause I've never loved

I've never loved

I've never loved another like you

Damien Rice | My Favourite Faded Fantasy

***THIS CHAPTER  HAS BEEN EDITED AND IS NO LONGER CENSORED.***

When I left therapy, I got a text from an unsaved number. It simply said "Hey." I knew who it was right away, based on the way my heart speed and slowed simultaneously. Still I replied,

"Hey, who is it?"

"Z" was all that appeared. I took a breath. It was happening. I climbed into the truck with Jeff and kept quiet about the text to avoid betraying my excitement. After he'd finished ranting about Glenne overflowing the toilet because she liked to use unflushable wipes whenever she took off her make-up, I replied to Zayn.

"How are u?"

Z: "Good. U?"

Z: "I missed u." He had doubled down. My heart skipped a few beats, or at least it felt like it did. Missed me already? From just last night?

"Yeah u too. It was really good seeing u again."

Z: "U free tomorrow? I wanted to catch up."

He wasn't wasting any time. He must not have gotten word that I already agreed to meet at noon tomorrow, or he was just making sure I didn't back out. Either way, I was glad he reached out directly. I now had his number and he had mine.

"Of course. Whatever you're up for."

Z: "Coffee?"

"Sounds good."

Z: "Where?"

"Idk. U choose."

Z: "Ok, I've got someplace in mind... kind of private."

Z: "Noon sound ok??"

"Perfect. I'll be there."

Z: "Ok, Haz."

Z: "I'll send over the address in a sec."

Z: "See you tomorrow?

Z: "Ok?" I smiled. I loved when he was impatient and texted 4-5 times in a row. It took me right back to 2013.

"Ok, can't wait, Z. Talk soon." He sent a final thumbs up emoji and that was it.

As we drove along the boulevard, my breath quickened. I had to look away out the window to keep from smiling again. Everything was suddenly awash with color, like treetops in autumn, or blood returning to the cheeks after a pallid stretch of illness. Then suddenly I was transported back to the beginning of everything, remembering the final day at the bungalow which I had recounted for Naomi only moments ago. She was now categorically aware that the "she" was actually a "he".

*********