One Night (Book 1) - Zayn Malik

Chapter 4

"He cheated?" He repeats my words in shock. His mouth is open and his caramel eyes wide and staring. I shift under his gaze and let out a heavy breath.

No one really knew he cheated on me except for Sarah of course. I intertwine my fingers, memorizing the lines on them as I spoke.

"Yeah I mean... We loved each other... at least I thought we did." I breathe, looking at my hands. "He was my best friend growing up... he knew me so well, sometimes better than I knew myself. I thought I loved him, I'm pretty sure I did... But close to graduation time I found out he was cheating on me and... my whole world came crashing down." I laugh at how silly it seems.

"I'm sorry that happened to you." His voice is soft and warming. I look at him and his eyes are dwelling into me. "I would never cheat on a girl like you." I smile but then his next words make me just stare, "I would never date though." he laughs lightly. "So the bastard cheated on you?" He brings me back to the conversation.

"Yeah..." I trail off, collecting my thoughts again. "I know it sounds like the stereotypical naive girl falling in love in high school just to be crushed by a boy." I shrug. "But I was in love... and he broke my heart that day... I spent the summer moping, my friend downstairs helped the most she could. Spent the night and took care of me." I mumble not sure where I'm going with this.

"I was hurt by what he did... but not to the point of not being able to function or think. I managed to still make a few good memories of high school thanks to my friend." That was a great thing about Sarah, even though I took care of her, she returned the favor anytime. She would do anything for me, we were sisters.

"Do you still love him?"

"I..." I pause, did I? Of course I still loved him. It hurt though to think about the time when I didn't know what to do.

The betrayal of when I found out, the way I thought I wasn't going to be able to have a life without him. Though here I was, talking to a handsome guy who was making flirty comments to me, at a party, having a life.

I knit my eyebrows together and focus on my fingers. "In some way, for some reason... I do..." I lift my head meet his caramel eyes that watch me with sincerity. "But after him breaking my heart... I just don't know about things anymore. I was so sure of us and after Matt doing that... I just have a hard time trusting people now."

"You're trusting a stranger." He points out.

"A stranger I'll never meet again." I counter with a smirk. "So what about you? Are you simply a frat boy player? Nothing else?" He bites his lip and I can tell he's debating what to say to me. "You can tell me." I breathe lightly, I slip my hand across the distance and rest it on his knee. His eyes shoot up and stare at me,

"Sorry." I pull my hand back but his hand quickly catches it. I feel a warmth growing in my stomach and my heart beating out of my chest as his touch ignites my skin.

"No.... it's fine." He breathes, placing my hand on his knee again. I smile at the small gesture. "I um... I have these memories and nightmares." He admits.

"Of what?" I ask softly, I can tell this is a hard subject for him.

"My dad used to beat my mum... real bad... I couldn't do much to ever help her but one day he finally left and... I was left with my mum and sisters." He doesn't look at me as he talks.

"I have nightmares of the nights at home when I heard my mum begging my dad to stop. I remember telling my sisters to stay in their room, under their beds. I tried helping once but he threw me to the side with ease..."

There are tears in his eyes. His hands are in tight fists, his knuckles turning white. I move my hand from his knee and take his hand.

He doesn't mind, his fingers intertwine with mine and I smile at our hands. His skin warms mine and it feels perfect... it feels right.