Chills - Z.M (Book 2, Cold Trilogy) -Editing

Chapter 17 - Better understanding.

Chapter 17

"Is she coming?" I question anxiously.

"Yes. Any minute now." Zayn confirms for the third time and quietly, I sigh to myself as I take down the rest of my wine. I keep asking him and he's probably already aware that I'm nowhere near prepared to see Emma. She'll be here any second to rip my head off because I'm not allowing them to see each other anymore. I don't even want Zayn to talk to her. I blame jealousy. I never use to be so possessive.

As if a distraction from my mind, Zayn grabs my hand reassuringly as he sits on the bar stool beside me. Mrs Conrad quickly, refills my wine, his glass also and finishes of by placing the wine bottle on the bench. Before scurrying away to leave us alone, she places a empty wine glass in front of the empty bar stool space beside Zayn; For Emma I'm guessing.

"Are you nervous?" Zayn asks, voice kitten soft. His thumb skimming across the back of my hand in his own rhythm.

"Why?" I frown.

Zayn releases my bottom lip by tugging on my chin. "Your biting your lip, which is a nervous trait and a dirty habit I'm well aware of."

I perk my lips in pity. "A little." I confess.

"Everything will be okay." He reassures before sipping on his wine.

Oh now he's happy and wants to talk.

Zayn leaves a tentative kiss against the back of my hand. "I hope this gives you an understanding. I wish I could tell you."

I frown but cover it with a small smile. "Open minded." I reply and tap my temple with my index finger.

"Please, no arguing. I know she can be. . . Difficult." Zayn hesitates.

"I'm sure I can stow my anger a lot better than you can Zayn."

Zayn raises his eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"

As if it was an echo to intrude our conversation, I hear the front entrance mahogany door open, followed by a pair of footsteps. Mark is first to come in vision and I hold my breath as I see Emma lingering behind. Her black wedges sounds out the clicking noise each footstep she takes closer towards Zayn and I. And as usual, she's wearing black. All black. Her blonde shiny hair is in a perfect, but messy up do hair bun. She looks. . . well. Zayns grip tightens around my hand and I mentally prepare myself for whatever it is she's going to say. Something snarky I guess.

"Mrs Donaldson." Mark introduces quickly before making a bee line to the staff quarters.

Zayn stands and looks back at me, almost asking for permission to speak to her.

"Never thought I'd be back so soon." Emma says, face cool and regarding the both of us like a pair of old friends who have betrayed her in such ways that have caused her to become so cold towards us.

Hello to you too.

"How are you Emma?" I try to be. . Nice, but I can tell by her deceptive and pitiful icy blue gaze that she's not buying it. So cold that it sends off disarming alarms in my brain as if she was intruding something she wasn't suppose to be snooping on. I never get a good aura off this woman. Maybe last night when she was helping me change, but when we're in situations like this, I don't. She's so heartless in her own way. I can't understand her the way Zayn does, but then again, I can't understand Zayn like she does. Maybe I have to be as fucked up as the both of them to understand the imperfect but perfect couple.

My heart is betraying me with the blindly obvious truth. Both Zayn and I are incompatible, but still acceptable. But that's just it, acceptable just isn't enough. Maybe if I wasn't sexually assaulted by my old best friends fucked up boyfriend, I wouldn't have these kinds of difficulties that I've tried to succumb. But then again, I wouldn't have been Zayn's girlfriend either. I'd either will be or wouldn't be in a sex relationship with him. All because of my little phobia of being touched and my traumatising memories.