The Cult [h.s]

~seventeen~

"Pulp?" Zayn chuckles. I nod. My tongue feels weird. "Yeah but he keeps on talking nonsense to you right?" I pluck a tissue from the stand on the table.

I wipe my tongue with the tissue. "But he has a nice side in him too, I am sure. I have maybe had a glimpse of it."

Zayn hums, biting on his fries.

"You know you should stop being good to people. If you are too good, they will keep pushing you around," he says to me in his protective big brother voice.

I roll my eyes at this. "It's not like that, okay?"

"Then tell me what it's like." He presses on the subject. Zayn has always been supportive with whatever I had to do, though it wasn't much that I did for which decisions had to be made. I know he wants only good for me.

But I want to do things my way as always. The wrong way obviously.

I sigh. "Enough about me. Talk about you." I change the topic because I am not ready for the upcoming speech from him.

"I know what you are doing," he narrows his eyes at me. "So well, there is this girl who bumped into me when... " Zayn sighs, rubbing his forehead and starts telling his tale.

Thank god he doesn't push on me any further to tell him more about yesterday. He knows me so well that I wouldn't say anything more than that. And I don't want to argue with him when he will repeatedly say that I am too good and I am always good to everyone but everyone betrays me. Honestly, I am sick of that speech. I am glad that he doesn't brings it up now.

Zayn tells me about his latest ongoings in college and how his sister has been doing great at her job.

By the time he finishes eating his stuff and we get out of the place, it is quarter past ten.

"So I am gonna go. Meet you next at work," I say to Zayn as I walk towards my parked car.

"Yeah, bye. And remember what I said, duffer." He waves at me and walks in the opposite direction where he has parked his car.

I get into my car and start driving. The place where I have to go before driving to headquarters isn't too far from here. Just a matter of minutes.

It is quite hot today compared to the other days this week. Summer is approaching I guess. There is no wind making me sweat through my clothes. My clothes cling to my body, wearily. I wipe my hands on my pants, steering with the other. Radio slowing playing in the background.

When I reach, I get out of my car quickly and start walking.

When I enter, the bell in the door rings once and I walk up straight to the counter.

"Oh my god, Alena. Haven't seen you in a long time." Sam turns towards me from behind the counter where she is brewing coffee. She stops her work and runs towards me to the other side wrapping me in a bone crushing hug. My body goes stiff. I am not at all a fan of physical gestures, scares the shit out of me due to reasons.

"Sam, I can't breath," I chuckle, breathing slowly. She keeps her hands around me and I hug her back awkwardly. "But seriously, I can't breath."

She pulls away and smiles at me.

Samantha works at my favorite cafe where my mom worked. The bakery I came the other day when I met Harry here too. She is one of the sweetest, overly dramatic girls I have ever met. She is a year older than me but acts no more than a teenager. I have known her from when I used to come here with mom. She is like an elder sister to me.

"Where have you been?" She asks, slapping my arm.

"I had come here but you weren't there." I shrug and straighten up my shirt.