Just Like An Avalanche [Zarry AU]

Chapter Nine

Harry hates this. It's almost his birthday and he had to fight with the one he was looking forward to meet. He's at a frat party, scowling from the balcony along with Josh who's smoking something illegal. "You're turning twenty, Harry. Be happier about it. Management Science is sad enough." Josh tells him.

"Hilarious."

"You fought with your boyfriend for the first time, I think." Josh says. "You've never been this grumpy and sarcastic."

Harry grunts in response. "It's my birthday in two days. Zayn was going to come over and now it's just shit."

"You had a little fight. Why do you think he won't come over? Delta Chi is going to throw you a party!"

"Fuck Delta Chi."

"Don't let anybody hear you. We're at a Delta Chi party." Josh tells him with a laugh. Harry chuckles and nods along. He drinks a little, lets Joshua carry him home and doesn't listen when his mother yells at him for partying too much. Gemma laughs and takes his pictures when he falls down on the stairs.

Zayn doesn't try to call him after that. It's weird, and Harry hates it.

It's the night before his birthday. Josh had told him to spend it in the dorms, people actually liked him and were planning on staying up but he refused. He was sad enough for that. He's staring at the ceiling above his bed, the clock on his wall striking at 11:30 pm.

It was indeed my fault for not answering his calls. Fuck, I'm stupid.

He keeps on repeating in his head, his eyes closing. When he opens it, somebody is shaking him. "Fuck, Gem," He says, looking up at the intruder.

"Sorry, Gem is downstairs. She's working on something, so she yelled at me when I called her." Zayn rambles on. Harry's just looking at him, wondering if he was real. He reaches out to poke Zayn's nose. "You're really here." Harry says.

Zayn chuckles at that. "Of course I am. Happy Birthday."

Harry looks at the clock which was at 12.

"You actually came, I can't... thank you." Harry sits up with a smile. Zayn is just nodding along, muttering something under his breath before sitting down opposite to him on the bed. "Now, just listen to me. Okay?"

Harry nods.

"So, what are you planning on doing after you get your degree?"

"Uh," Harry smiles a little. "Look for jobs? Work as an intern, basically. That's what my professors told me."

"Okay, nice." Zayn smiles too. "You know, when I first met you, I thought you were this hot teenager who wanted to seduce me for fun. And you were actually doing that, so yeah. But then we both fucked up, and as much as I want to say I regret it, I don't. We were wrong, yes, but life is quite strange for everything to be perfect. I understand that you were busy, I remembered that this was your last year and you're going to be graduating soon, and I realized I'm in love with you. I really am, and this might be too soon but waiting won't change anything,"

Harry raises an eyebrow. Zayn just shakes his head and kisses him. Harry grins, his hands on Zayn's neck, licking his bottom lip.

But Zayn pulls a little too soon. Harry groans, but Zayn continues to talk. "Okay, I was just calming my nerves."

"You're weird." Harry tells him. Zayn nods approvingly. But then he takes out a ring, which Harry hasn't seen before. It's pretty, shining brightly and Zayn's looking at him. "Zayn..." Harry starts off but Zayn shushes him.