Tainted Attraction (Ziall)

Chapter 20

Everything was so black and white for Zayn and my world was grey. I was gloomy and upset. The week I had left with Zayn had started and I dreaded leaving this place. And to make things worse, Zayn was being distant again. I wandered around the house and today was the day that I got to take my wrist wrap off. I could move everything properly and the bruises were gone. I stood in front of the large mirror in Zayn's living room and saw that I looked healthy for once in my life. 

I had clear skin, which was something amazing for a sixteen year old. I couldn't find a bruise or scratch on me. Surprisingly, my encounter with Liam in the bathroom didn't give me a bruise on my forehead. I brushed my growing hair out of my face and sighed.

Zayn was out doing things according to Charles, who had been strangely short with me earlier. There wasn't much to do in the house. I didn't know how to work the entertainment system because there were so many buttons. So I just wandered outside to enjoy some sunshine and maybe tan my pale skin. 

When I stepped outside, John was cleaning the pool and dumping different types of chemicals into the water. "I wouldn't go swimming for a couple hours." He told me, looking up and smiling at me. "The pool needed some more chlorine after that party last night." He emptied the bottle into the pool and then threw it in the trash bin.

"I bet." I told him. I wasn't going to go into the pool anyways. There was a little thing called 'I can't swim' that held me back. I took a seat at the small patio table and watched as John silently cleaned up the backyard  after the party trashed the place. "How is your family?" I asked John since he had once mentioned to me he had a wife and children at home. He reminded me of Harry and Ruth. I wondered if the baby was still in and hadn't yet come to see the world. I didn't want to miss that. 

"They're great! Thanks for asking." John set down his work tools and wandered over to me, taking a seat and wiping some sweat from his forehead. It was pretty how outside and he looked like he had been working hard. "You and Zayn should come over sometime for dinner. My wife is an amazing cook." He grinned like mad, praising his wife. 

"Why Zayn and I?" I asked. It wasn't like we were a package deal. 

"Aren't you two together?" He asked.

I started to laugh. It was a little much, but I found it funny since Zayn never wanted to the go the whole way and he sure as hell didn't want me to stick around. "No. We are not." I didn't think John knew what I was there for exactly. Everyone else seemed to know, but I guess John was always outside and out of the way so he didn't see behind the scenes like Charles and Naomi.  "I'm actually leaving in a week." I told him, my voice deepening and cracking a bit at the end. I didn't want to leave. 

"Oh no, you are?" John frowned. "I think I knew that though. That sucks. Zayn is much more relaxed with you around." 

"Is he really? He's always to tense around me, I think."

"No way. He's very relaxed and I think he enjoys your company." John smiled, assuring me that that was what he thought Zayn thought of me. 

"Well it doesn't really matter now. I'm sure I'll never see him again after this." The depression was setting in. Ever since Louis told me that I would be taking part in the Rounds this time around. I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared. I was f.ucking terrified. Anyone could buy me and I wouldn't be Louis' property anymore. There was a slim to no chance that someone nice would buy me. My world didn't work like that. Louis' was a good enough boss and I just wanted things to stay that way until I was able to get away from everything. I didn't think I would get that chance with a new person controlling me.