It's a Sign of the Times

Chapter Fourteen: Serendipity

ser·en·dip·i·ty
/ˌserənˈdipədē/
noun
the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

I'm done running. I have to face my problems head on.

I'm at my favorite spot to think. It's a bench near a cliff in the woods that Jobeth showed me. I'm just breathing the air, really feeling the sun on my face when I hear a rustling behind me. I whirl around and see Zayn standing there. I let out an incredulous laugh.

"You're kidding. I thought you guys were gone on tour!" I exclaim. I hop up and we do that weird half-hug, half-dap thing that guys do.

"We were supposed to, but the other band's bus broke down so we postponed the dates for another week," he explains.

"But weren't you in Columbus? What are you doing all the way over here?" I ask, confused. I sit down on the bench and make a motion for him to join me, which he does.

"I like to run," he says flatly. He's sitting forward with his elbows resting on his knees when I notice how hard he's breathing.

"You...you ran all this way? Is that even safe for you to do? I mean what if something happened and no one was around?"

"Chloe, I..." he drifts off. "Can I tell you something? I trust you because Harry does, but aside from that I just genuinely believe that you're a good person." He looks deep into my eyes and I realize that this is no normal conversation.

"Of course! Tell me anything. I'm here to listen."

He takes a deep breath. "I just...i have to run, you know? I can't not run. And not because it's an athletic thing, because I'm no athlete but because..." he's struggling for words, but I completely understand what he's trying to say.

"You don't have to say it. I know." I place a reassuring hand on his arm and he gives me a small smile.

"Thank you," he whispers.

We sit in silence for a few minutes before I decide to tell him.

"Me too." His head whips up and he stares at me. "It's infrequent, but i was diagnosed a couple years ago. It kind of comes and goes and gets progressively worse when my mental health dips." I'm jumping around the actual word and any details because I don't want to trigger Zayn at all, but deep down I hope that me trying to relate to him is of some comfort.

"How...how do you fix it?" He asks softly. "I can't eat without feeling guilty."

I shrug. "I don't know what to tell you. I'm not the right person to talk to about this, really. I just have to shut out the voices and tell myself that it's not wrong to eat and my body is going to thank and accept me no matter what I do. But please Zayn, I'm not going to tell anyone that you're struggling with...this. But I think you should talk to someone. Maybe a close friend. Or a doctor."

He slowly nods. "This is bigger than me."

I shake my head at him. "None of your problems will ever be bigger than you, Zayn, but sometimes we need help to get out of them." I give his hand a squeeze.

I stand up and brush off my pants. "Want to come with me?"

He shakes his head. "No thanks. I think I want to stay and think for a while."

"I understand," I say, turning away and beginning the walk home.

"Chloe," he calls after me. I look at him and see that he's wiping tears away from his face. "Thank you."

• • • • •

I finally get the courage to pick up my phone again five hours after I get home. My nerves are getting the best of me and I have to actually force myself to look at my phone.

I have 22 unread texts from the groupchat but also a new text from a new number.

Anxiously, I open it.

'hey, its luke i got your number from mikey.'

Of course he texts in all lowercase. What is it with boys and refusing to use proper grammar? Mikey must be Michael. I'll have to bring that up to him next time I see him.

Whoa. I have to stop myself. Why would I ever see him again? It's not like I'll ever see any of these boys ever again. They're literally famous all over the world and I live in Ohio working a minimum wage paying job. Our worlds will probably never collide again and even if they do, they won't remember.

I push all the logic in my brain aside and compose a text back to him.

'Hey Luke, it's Chloe.'
'I heard your bus broke down.'

I put my phone down and decide to try and calm myself down by making a cup of tea. I set the kettle on the stove and wait for it to boil. I hear my phone chime and my heart begins racing again. I force myself to walk slowly to the other room and bring my phone to the kitchen before opening it.

'sure did. now we're stuck here for a few more days'

I smile to myself. 'What a shame,' I text back.

My phone dings again just as I'm pouring the boiling water over my teabag.

'not really. the girls in ohio are pretty cool xo'

I laugh. Maybe meeting the boys was chance. Maybe it was fate. Maybe running into Zayn today was luck. Or maybe their bus breaking down was destiny.

I don't really care why any of what has happened has actually happened. But I do know that I'm going to make the best out of it.

My phone chimes again.

'heard you & your bf broke up. how's my heartbreak girl doing?'