Obvious Truth, Oblivious Mind {ZIAM}

Ch. 10: The "Ex" Couple

❝

Dear Liam,

I thought when we started drifting apart that it was because I was burdening you and Danielle. Funny enough, she actually knew about my feelings for you before I completely accepted them. Well you're never going to see this so I can say whatever I want right? Liam James Payne, I like you, a lot, like in "that" way. As if you couldn't see that coming. I would say I love you, but those words still kind of scare me. If I say I love you, it might make me fall harder, and my feelings for you are already painful enough as it is. You see, I thought it was normal to care about your best mate more than anyone or anything else in the world. I thought it was normal to feel like you would jump in front of a train for your best mate and do it a hundred times over if that's what it took. It's only after we stopped talking that I realized what you were to me. I felt like everything in my life lost meaning and for the longest time I refused it had anything to do with you. It was only when Danielle approached me after school that I stopped denying my feelings for you. Beautiful girl, Danielle. I'm thankful that if a girl had to come between us it was her. She was so kind to me, you wouldn't expect that from the person who was dating the one you're in love with. We talked about you a lot, only good things. I promise. One day I got really carried away and ended up telling her everything, like word vomit.

She started crying, and I didn't understand why until exactly two weeks later. I'm sorry, Liam. I'm sorry.

❞

After school Liam invited me to go with Danielle and him to the Soda Parlor. The "Soda Parlor" is a shop that sells amazing ice cream floats and shirts and stuff. It was opened by a man called Olan who was a friend of Liam's sister. He was really eccentric and funny when he took our orders. We all laughed and for the first time I wondered if maybe you dating Danielle wasn't the worst thing in the world. The feeling only lasted for a second before your fuzzy jacket brushed my hand and goosebumps shot down my arms. I don't like the effect you have on me Liam, it's too much.

Ever since that night at your house you've been very conscious about me and making sure that I wasn't left out. You kept turning to me or saying things like, "That reminds me of when Z and I..." or "Zaynie, you were there right?"

I kept catching Danielle looking at me, and it was one of those stares where I felt like she knew something. Something I hardly even knew. My heart beat just a bit harder, and I swore she could hear it as Liam came back from his car. He insisted on paying so I obliged. When we left the shop, I made my way towards the backseat of Liam's car, but Danielle said that I should take the front. I said okay, and we played good music all the way to my house, Liam was dropping me off first because I was closest. I thanked them for letting me hang around and Liam said of course-- of course. Walking into my house I began to wonder about those two and why they were acting so weird around me. I found out the answer soon enough.

~~

As the school year peddled along, final exams approached. You were so stressed, trying to get all your A Levels, which was ridiculous because you're the smartest person I've ever met.

They came and went, Liam passed with flying colors, probably the best in our class. Needless to say I got to say "I told you so". His grades didn't come without a price; he got really sick once the stress caught up with him. The next few days at school I hung out with Dani at lunch. I missed Liam a lot, so I just kind of went through the motions. Dani had tests coming up, and she asked me one day after school if I could study with her. I told her it wasn't a problem, I wasn't training with Marshall until four o'clock. Nobody bullied me after the incident the year before, but I began to like boxing, and I had seen all the Rocky Balboa movies a thousand times.