Run Forest Run (A Zayn Malik Fan Fiction)

Chapter Five - So Sorry

            The first thing I noticed when I entered the coffee shop was Carly’s smile. It had been a month since Lottie and I had last entered the shop, but Carly looked like an entirely new person … or at least her old self.

            “Hey Forest,” she said as I moved toward her, across the always empty store grounds. She had looked up from the girl she was talking to, maybe a new worker I’m not sure, and gave me a small wave. The ring was still on her finger, shining as always. “One hot chocolate?” she asked when I stopped before the register.

            “Two actually,” I replied, getting out some money. Lottie had gone to the record shop for a bit, and I was going to meet her there. The first time I even thought of letting Lottie do her own thing I was scared to death, but as our trust strengthened in each other, we starting making our won rounds.

            “Still have that girl you came in last with?” she asked, and I nodded, looking over at the brunette who I realized wasn’t working at the coffee shop. She had a textbook on the table in front of her, and she wasn’t wearing the mandatory apron that the shop required. “That’s great,” she replied with a smile, turning around to make my drink.

            “It’s just stressful,” the brunette at the table said, piping up for the first time, ignoring my presence, “It’s a lot to handle … for one I don’t think Danielle’s forgiven me yet.“ I saw Carly’s shoulders tense for a moment, but she shrugged it off, pouring heated milk into the cup. “And I barely get to see Lou anymore,” she added, stopping herself for a second, “I mean, I get he’s trying to get her back, and I want her back as well … but it’s just been s hard on him.” Carly gave a sympathetic nod, and I saw the girl fish out her phone.

            “Oh Forest … this is Eleanor,” Carly blurted, realizing that I was simply standing there, watching as the chocolate fell into the cup. The brunette looked up, and despite my talking just moments before she seemed to see me for the first time.

            “I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier it’s just-“ she started, but Carly and I finished it for her.

            “Stressful.” She laughed and hung her head slightly, her fingers zooming in on a picture on her cell. Her wavy hair prevented a decent view, but I saw bits and pieces of the picture, which formed a whole. A whole girl I know as Lottie.

            “Oh my god,” she muttered, her voice shaky and barely audible. Still, as quiet as her voice was, it had power, and Carly looked up, watching as Eleanor rose to her feet. “There’s a picture of her,” she said, her eyes blinking as if she couldn’t believe it, “from just a few days ago.”

            Every inch of my body threatened to shut down at that moment, but in a last ditch effort to save my sanity I spoke up. “A picture of who?” I asked, my voice almost surpassing the level of shakiness in Eleanor’s. Carly looked at me, her eyes reading me when Eleanor looked my way.

            “Charlotte Tomlinson,” she replied, holding up the picture in its full glory. Lottie was alone in that picture, in some sort of twisted miracle I was cropped from the picture. It was obviously Lot though, and that’s when I was about to collapse. Her face was angled toward the direction of the camera and on her shoulders was my jacket, a bit to big on her frame. It had actually been one of her better days, her eyes were shining and we had cleaned up at a public bathroom that day, so we were clean. At least to me she looked healthy. To others she might as well be dead. In the pictures I’d seen from the magazines she was much skinnier, although I made sure se had all of her nutrients so she wasn’t in any trouble. The only thing worse than being on the street is being a girl with an eating disorder on the street when they can’t stand. “She’s my boyfriend’s little sister,” she added, and I looked at the girl to in a new light.