Two Can Keep a Secret if One of Them is - Season 1

Episode Nine - Chapter 44: Breath Taking

Zayn POV:

The moment I stepped of the dock and onto the boat I felt uneasy, it could have been the fact that I was surrounded by water the one fear I hadn’t conquered or maybe it was the text I had received the moment I got out of the car. *Zayn I am so sorry for just leaving like that but I am here at the party! Meet me in cabin B201 ~ T* I hadn’t even gotten a chance to say goodbye to the boys when my feet started leading me towards the lower levels of the boat. Each staircase I took made me feel as though the walls were closing in on me like the water was trying to get to me, but I pushed it out of my head. After the break up with Perrie I had got to thinking that maybe Taylah flew back because she knew about my feelings, that I had scared her away; I mean she did keep the secret of our unborn child from me because she didn’t want the fame... The thoughts flew around my head as I searched for room B201, I had been calling her nonstop since she left feeling more nervous each time I reached her voice mail.

The music upstairs made the roof bounce but maybe that was just the people dancing a little too much, I crossed my fingers hoping they wouldn’t drill a hole in the floor. Everything about this boat screamed expensive as I kept my hand running along the wooden railing holding my balance, even though we weren’t out of dock I still felt like I could fall any moment. It never occurred to me as I was walking further away from any sign of people that Taylah couldn’t be here, that it could be some sort of trick because my mind refused to think the worse. I stopped at the door, the letter and numbers of my destination written on it but as I went to open it I saw something move in the corner of my eye, something black... I let go of my grip on the door and walked in the direction I saw the figure go but I only caught the last glimpse of the person running up the stairs. By now warning alarms should have been going off in my head but my judgement was clouded by the thought of Taylah.

I walked back to the room and held my grip tightly on the handle and pulled down lightly letting the door swing open to reveal the most shocking sight. To the far right of the room a girl was pulling on something that had her arm restrained to the bolted down desk. “Taylah?” I let out rushing over to her jumping the couch that sat in the way, she looked up at me with tears streaming down her distressed face “Zayn!”. I took her in my arms hugging her tightly but regretfully pulling away as I lift her chin up “where were you? What’s happening?” I asked as I tried releasing her arm from the cuffs that had her locked in place. “I... Zayn I never left the country” she let out the shocking news as I looked up at her “What? Then where were you Tay?” I asked pulling out a bobby pin form her messy hair. “Zayn they are dangerous! They took me... held me captive!” she said in a fit of sobs as I kept my attention on unlocking her, the satisfactory sound of a click allowed me to relax a little. “Tay what are you talking about?” she pulled her arm out and grabbed my hand racing for the door. “I can’t tell you, not here it isn’t safe!” she said going to the door and pushing her weight against it but it wouldn’t budge “I left this door open” I said with a beep of my phone everything came into perspective. *New Years, New Lessons; it’s time to learn to swim without floaties – A* followed by a loud bang screams came from every direction as water started leaking in from the room above. “Zayn.... what is happening?” Taylah asked in horror as water filled her eyes again. “I...” I couldn’t alarm her so I pushed on the door with all my might, how far had I gone down? I think it was 4 decks which meant we were below water and the way a boat sinks is from bottom to top... we were the first to go.

I started panicking as Taylah sat on the couch with her head in her hands “Zayn this was them! This was all their fault! They are trying to kill us!” my head snapped towards her. “Who is they Taylah?!” I said in frustration but she refused to answer so I built up all the rage in me and focused it on the door as the water started creeping up my leg. I pulled my leg up and centred my energy kicking the door with full force multiple times until it weakened and broke “come on” I grabbed Taylah’s arm in her broken down state pulling her out of the room. My shoes were as heavy as ever with the water coming up to my knees but it rose higher the further we came to the stairs, we were walking further into the water. “Zayn, I’m so sorry! You didn’t have to come” she said through her tears but I was focused on getting out. “Tay who was it?” I asked bring her back to the point but she wasn’t listening, “I never left you Zayn! I would never leave you because I...” she trailed off as she looked to the top of the stairs. The safety door was coming down, I ran as fast as I could trying to reach it before it slammed shut jamming it with the heaviest thing I could find “Tay come on!” I yelled as I pulled out my phone and text the boys. “Zayn I... I’m stuck!” she said so I dived into the now chest high water holding my breath and trying to undo her jeans being caught on something sharp. I came back up for air but she pulled my face up to hers crashing her lips down onto mine, I was caught off guard but kissed her back twice as passionately “you have to go! Just go Zayn” she pushed me but I shook my head. “I’m not leaving without you Tay” I dove back under and finally freed her but the pressure started become too much for the item jamming the door.

I pulled Taylah “if I don’t make it out Zayn, I love you” she said looking at me with such honesty I lost my breath. “I love you to, we will make it Tay come on” I said forcing her ahead of me as the door started getting its way, but as we made it up the stairs I heard a familiar voice calling out my name... it was Niall. “Niall down here!” I called out to him and his figure came into view just before the door slammed down in front of my face. My phone lit up the dim hallway as Taylah looked at me with terror.

*Welcome to the new year Zayn, time to learn the first lesson in swimming; hold your breath – A*