how to love // z. m.

Chapter Fifty-Three

Chapter Fifty-Three

Air horn?

Too cliche...

Bomb?

Too expensive...

Classic kick in the face?

Chances are, she'd rebound...

Aha, I know.

I quickly grabbed my set of keys from their normal place on the counter, grabbing a banana before I left. One last look at Addison's sleeping body in the middle of my floor, and I raced out to the hallway, across the hall to my neighbor, Mr. Liung's apartment door.

I firmly knocked on it, and patiently waited for him to appear instead of the door. When he did, I saw the usual small, middle-aged Chinese man that is Mr. Liung.

"Hello, Mr. Liung!" I chirped, smiling brightly.

"Ah, Toni..." he said, his accent heavy. My smile started to falter when I thought of 'accents', but I refused to think about that right now. "What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if I could borrow Chan Mon for a moment," I asked. "I need him to wake up a friend for me."

"Alright," Mr. Liung chuckled quietly, even though his expression stayed... well, expressionless. "I will be right back."

A few seconds later, Mr. Liung returned with a blue leash. He handed it to me, and I smiled down at Chan Mon on the other end of the leash, but all I got in return was a beady-eyed stare.

"Uhm, thank you," I smiled politely, nodding at Mr. Liung before turning to go back to my own apartment.

I unlocked my door and walked in, throwing away the banana peel into the little garbage bin by the door. I led Chan Mon up to Addison's sleeping body and knelt down beside them.

"Come on, Chan Mon," I whispered. "Do your thing."

Chan Mon just sat there, staring at Addison.

I was about to open my mouth to ask him to do it again when suddenly a screeching, ear-piercing cockadoodledoo rang out around the apartment.

Oh, yeah. Chan Mon is a rooster.

"What the hell, Toni?!" Addison shrieked when she woke up moments later. "A rooster? Seriously?"

I grinned. "Yep."

Before she could say anything else, I hurried back across the hall and dropped Chan Mon off at Mr. Liung's place, thanking him, then rushed back to my own place.

"Why'd you even wake me up?" Addie grumbled. I shrugged, giggling.

"I just felt like it."

I walked over to the couch and sat down on it, crossing my legs. I let my sleeves ()cover my hands comfortably as I closed my eyes, relaxing.

"I miss Niall..."

I sighed and opened my eyes, looking over to Addison, who'd just spoke. I was about to say something sympathetic, when I realized something.

"Addison, did you know the guys were all leaving for London?"

Addie blinked. "Yeah... Didn't you?"

"No," I muttered through my teeth. "I didn't."

I let myself limply fall into the couch cushion, where I then screamed for a few seconds, then sat back up. Addison was staring at me.

"You like Zayn," she said simply.

Now it was my turn to just stare at her.

"I've been your best friend for who knows how long," she continued, "and I know that you're always happier to be just hanging out with Zayn, compared to making out with David."

I didn't say anything, because...

I don't know why. I just didn't know what to say.

Addison sighed and ran her fingers through her blonde hair. "Well, if you're not going to say anything, at least go get your mail or something."

I stood up and started walking through the door, and as I passed by Addison, she mumbled, "Good talk..." sarcastically. I smirked as I left the apartment.

I jogged down the many stairs to the first floor, and then I took out my key ring, finding the little key that unlocked my personal mailbox on the mail wall.

I unlocked it and looked inside. There was only one letter there. Probably a bill or something. Maybe a letter from one of the many people I've met on my many 'adventures'.

I took the letter out of the mailbox and looked at it, but it was not even close to what I'd expected it to be.

Looking at the return address on the envelope, I reread the words 'Niall Horan' and 'London, England'. After a full minute of doing this, my mind finally processed this:

Niall sent me a letter.

Surprising, because even though he's dating my best female friend, I've barely spoken to him.

I ripped open the envelope and began reading the letter inside.

Toni,

Something happened between you and Zayn. I don't know what; he won't tell me. I do know, though, that something did. He was doing so much better after he met you and you did your thing. He probably never admitted this to you, but he even pulled a few of his own stunts without you.

You changed his world around, you know that, right, Toni? And, well, cheesy as it sounds, I'm pretty sure you are his world. I hope he's yours, too, because you'll never find a guy quite like Zayn anywhere else. Not one that's, you know, perfect for you, anyway.

I'm not really good at writing letters, so bear with me through this. I'm trying to make this all emotional and stuff, but I'm not exactly good at that, either, as you can tell...

Remember that promise we made you when we met and you agreed to help us with Zayn? If we had to go somewhere, we'd find a way to fly you out, too. And we're keeping that promise. Zayn is now pretty much a wreck without you, and so that's why the rest of the lads and I bought you this plane ticket to London, where we --- and most importantly, Zayn --- are. There isn't a return ticket, not yet. We want you to stay as long as you want.

According to the post office I'm sending this from, you should get this the same day as the flight, which is that night. But just check to make sure. If it's too late, we'll get you a refund and then re-book it. We're massively desperate to get you out here. You might try to say no to the ticket, but please, take it. If not for us, for Zayn. You and I both know you can't say no to him.

-Niall

I looked into the envelope again, and sure enough, there was a plane ticket.

'If not for us, for Zayn.'

Then I guess I have to take it, because...

'You and I both know you can't say no to him.'