Rogue (Zayn Malik)

Chapter 2: Coincidental

A week later.

Like a few other things, I had somehow outgrown the idea of spending grand birthdays. Part of the reason could be the failure of my high expectation wishes and the remaining reason could be the reality check. Each birthday was just a reminder that I was growing by a year and I didn't know if I was ready to do so although today wasn't my birthday; but tomorrow. Had Ellie been listening to me, she would say, growing is a part of life; as if I didn't know that. But it was more than just wanting to stay young. I was in a way searching to spend the lost years of childhood with my father which I never could, again.

I stared at ceiling of the attic room that had been my own to call for the last twenty years of my life. I was born in this house but just six years in, my parents split. No one ever, including my aunts and uncles with whom I stayed temporarily while the divorce was being settled, told me why it was all happening. I did not want to stay apart from either my mother or my father. I cried and clung to him so he wouldn't leave but they had a mind set that my wailing could definitely not change. The legal proceedings were done, my father moved out after we had the talk. I was too immature to understand why a marriage would fail but I tried. Being of the age that I was, I don't even remember what happened but I remember that father hated my mother and he had a reason good enough. And that's what my six year old mind grasped. The years that followed the divorce, I pushed my mother away. I blamed her for my dad moving out, my tough childhood and a wrecked family. But she won my custody over him because she could support me. And since then, I've stayed in this attic. We have been two strangers living in the same house, sharing the same food. It hasn't been anything more than that though given a chance, I would change that.

But every time I look at her, I see the woman who snatched all the happiness from my life and fury fuels through my veins. Sadly, I can't do anything about it other than move out.

My internship at the hospital ends in a few months and since my work record is quite good, I am expecting to be a permanent doctor in the Belle Vue Hospital. There's a friend who stays about three blocks from the hospital, in search of a roommate. But there's a catch too, she's engaged and would soon be moving in with her man. It's all perfect for me. The pay as an intern is too low to afford mortgage but once I'm on a permanent doctor's pay, I sure can. It all works out fine. I just need a few days to pack all my stuff from here and move in with her.

"Oh shoot, the date."

My eyes landed on the bold red letters of my table clock and sanity struck me simultaneously. Ellie set me up with this guy from her yoga class. Although I was completely against the idea of going on a dinner with someone I don't even know, Ellie and Niall both thought it was a good idea and unless I had better plans, I couldn't say no to them. So I was stuck with eating out with a man and he was picking me up in ten minutes. It won't take me long to get ready.

I just had to get this blouse on.

And my pants.

And get my hair done.

And my purse.

Only if it were all so simple.

I snatched the yellow low cut blouse off the dresser and slipped it over my head. Not with ease though. Did I put on five to six pounds overnight? On cue, my phone buzzed with Ellie's call. Her inquisitiveness was understandable since she set me up with the guy.

"Hello?"

"Are you ready?" Her tone reeked of excitement.

I looked at myself in the mirror, my yellow blouse was un-zipped, my hair was all over the place, I was still in my creamy pink lacy thong only.