The Contract

Second thoughts

Today was the day Zayn and Liam would have a meeting with Geoff, Yaser, And Trisha for the first time all together regarding the contract. The more Zayn thought about it the more he become uneasy. He literally felt sick to his stomach at the thought of being in front of them.

It had been a week since the two found out about the agreement. A week since Zayn stormed out on his parents. He hasn't contacted them at all since the big argument. The only reason he knows they'll be there is because after dinner Liam called his father and told him about Zayn's answer. Geoff being delighted at the news immediately set up a formal meeting with everyone present.

Zayn stands in front of his bathroom mirror taking in his appearance. He doesn't feel like himself. From the surface he looks normal, but deep down he feels empty. Harry says he looks lost in a daze all the time. On their way to class Zayn wouldn't say a word for long periods of time and Harry had to break him out of his thoughts.

While he gets ready for the day he can hear his best friend downstairs in the kitchen already tearing through his groceries. He really hasn't had much of an appetite lately so at least it's getting put to some use.

Harry's been staying with him for a few days now. He swears up and down it's something with his parents, but Zayn knows he's just saying that to comfort him. He doesn't mind him being there even though sometimes Harry can be a bit messy.

"You do know you actually have to show up right?!" Harry yells from below. Finishing getting dressed Zayn looks at the time and gasps. He got super sidetracked thinking about all of it that he's going to be late if he doesn't leave soon.

"I know I just got sidetracked." Zayn says grabbing his phone of the night stand and shuffling down the staircase.

"ArRe U ShhUr abOU Is?" Harry says with a mouthful of cereal.

"Ew can you chew before you talk." Zayn says in disgust. He hates when Harry talks with food in his mouth. He does it pretty often actually.

With a hard swallow Harry continues his sentence. "I said are you sure about this? You don't have to go you know."

"Right because it's just that easy." Zayn says scrambling to put his shoes on, find his wallet, and dig his copy out of the desk drawer.

"It kinda is... you just say no." He shrugs as he sets his now empty bowl into the sink.

"I can't haz. You know that." Zayn asserts. For the past week Harry has been telling him to simply say no. If that was even an option doesn't he think he would've taken it by now.

"I just don't think it'll work. He's an ass and you're well... you." Harry leans on the counter. It was no secret him and Liam weren't fond of each other. Zayn knows he's only being protective though.

"He's not AS bad as you thought." Zayn rolls his eyes.

"You've been around him for like a week and suddenly you think he's perfect!" His best friend throws his hands up in frustration.

This past week the two have been with each other nonstop. After their usual morning at Starbucks then lecture Liam will pick Zayn up from the university and take him to lunch. After lunch the two will head to one of the many shoots for Zayn. They'll then go back to the office to let Liam finish some work. At the office Zayn will help some of the newer signed models get settled in and show them around. Harry popped in for a visit a couple times while Zayn was free. At the end of the day the two will leave the agency and head out to dinner. Soon after dinner Liam will drop Zayn off at his loft where Harry waits for his best friend to arrive.

If you ask Zayn he'll say it's for the press to see him and Liam spend time together to get them on the same page. You could not pay Harry enough to be around Liam that much. He gagged just thinking about it.

"Harry I don't have time for this. I don't have a choice. This is my life okay." Zayn let's out.

He knows Harry believes that when they're together everything's fine and dandy when in fact the two don't even speak more than a couple of sentences when they're together. It's truly just to get the press talking about their relationship. He doesn't tell Harry the truth because he'd rather him not know than to worry anymore about him.

"But you do! All you have to do is just say no."

"I Can't!" Zayn yells. "I just can't okay! I don't expect you to understand but please just trust me! I know what I'm getting myself into." After so many comments from Harry this past week he had it. He feels bad for screaming but he's an adult. He knows he could easily say no he just cant.

With a sigh Harry just walks to the living room.
"I'll be here." Is all he says as he flips the TV on.

Zayn only scoffs and heads out the door. He's quite literally about to sign his life away and the last thing he needs is to escalate this argument further. As he reaches the front door Liam is already there outside waiting for him, impatiently tapping the steering wheel.

"About time." He says as he zooms down the street."

"Sorry Harry couldn't find his presentation that was due." Zayn thinks of some random excuse.

With a firm gaze Liam sets his eyes on the road. He racked his brain with situations on how this meeting would go. All of them practically ending with someone storming out. He couldn't help but think how disastrous this might turn. The Malik's had been over tons of times for dinner but a meeting with them regarding his future with their son made him nauseous

As they near the agency building the two grow tense. Zayn chewing his bottom lip nervously, Liam snapping his fingers anxiously.

Before they reach Geoffs office door Zayn pauses. It's like his whole life flashed before his eyes. He felt the weight of the past present and future on top of him and he couldn't breathe. Could he really go through with this?

"Hey." Liam shakes a bit. "You good?"

"I-I don't know." Zayn responds only looking forward.

The laughs of Geoff, Yaser, and Trisha through the door bring both of them out of their conversation.

"Look I'm not trying to be a dick but you need to decide what the hell you're going to do right now. You're either walking in with me or not." Liam asserts to him. They are literally steps away from the biggest commitment of their lives and here Zayn is ready to head for the exit. "Please." Liam sighs.

With a long inhale and even longer exhale Zayns shoulders drop. He's not sure whats to come out of this meeting but at this point he's exhausted. The past week his life did a whole 180. Things had changed so much that signing this contract felt like the only straight forward answer in his life right now.

Hearing Liam practicality beg to go into that office made him feel bad if he was being honest.

"Okay I'm ready." Zayn says as Liam nods and pushes through office door.