Took Me By Surprise [Zayn Malik] ✓

Chapter 26: Change My Mind

   He just looked at me in awe and didn't reply so I added: "Think about it Harry." I was just about to tap on his shoulder when I reminded myself of the limitations. "But I gotta take that rose, it's beautiful." I grinned and wanted to bend down but he was quicklier than me. He stretched his arm towards me and as soon as I wanted to grab it, the flat's door behind me opened.

   Zayn entered, saw me taking the rose out of Harry's hands and closed the door behind him. The silence which now spread around the room was awkward. Harry shoved his hands back in his pockets, I embraced the stem with my hands and Zayn's eyes kept wandering between the rose, Harry and me again and again.

   I waited for him to greet us or say something, but he didn't. Without a single word, he walked past me and left upstairs. "What's wrong with him?" I asked. Harry shrugged but avoided my gaze.

   He knew more than he let me see.

**

*Zayn*

   I must admit it: I couldn't prevent myself from shooting death glares at Harry over the table during dinner. I didn't know what had happened between him and Jenan. And what about that rose? What did it mean?

   I was currently up in my room, wandering around it and thinking. That case made me furious so I finally ended up in Harry's room.

   "We need to talk." Was all I said. Harry put his phone away and pointed to the spot on his bed infront of him. I sat down and crossed my legs. "What happened between Jenan and you earlier today?" I said, cutting right to the chase of the matter.

   Harry sighed deeply and replied: "I told her that I'm in love with her." And with that, he confirmed my thoughts and fears.

   "What did she tell you?" my voice broke off and my heartbeat increased, waiting for the respond. Harry raised his eyebrows and eyed my face expression.

   Seconds passed before he finally answered: "She said strange things. Like, I don't really love her, more the feelings I get when I'm with her. She told me I should think about it."

   I exhaled in relief and leant a little backwards, feeling a stone falling from my heart. So she doesn't love him back, does she? And does Harry love her in the first place?

   "You love her?" I mumbled.

   Harry shrugged, messed his curls up and said: "I don't know anything. I thought so but now I'm just confused."

   I nodded absentmindedly, feeling all of the pictures of Jenan and Harry dating, disappearing. Wow, this felt good.

**

   I don't know how this happened, but weeks passed. It was different now that Jenan knew the truth but it was a lot easier at the same time. When she didn't have work, she came with us to the studio and watched us writing or recording songs. Our team loved her and she made loads of friends, which didn't surprise me. She was simply charming.

   Management kinda accepted her as well but charged us to be careful. We shouldn't do anything which could make the rumors come back again. I was glad they had kinda stopped the past days.

   Although it had become sorta stressful since we started working on the album, one good thing came with it: Jenan and I had rarely spent more than a few hours apart. We were always around each other, even if we left London she agreed to come with us. She mostly shared the hotel room with Lou Teasdale and spent a lot of time with Lux.

   So today I felt more than awkward because she wasn't around. Can you imagine how I feel? I was so used to being with her that today felt like a torture. But it had been my decision to go and visit my family, I shouldn't complain. I wanted Jenan to come with me but she totally refused.

   "What? You want me to meet your family?!" she had asked hysterically. I spent hours trying to convince her but no way.

   "What's on your mind, my son?" my mother came over to the table and placed two cups and a teapot on it. I drew a cup towards me and waited till she had filled it with steaming tea.

   "Well, actually," I hesitated. Was it the right time to talk to my mother about a girl? I made an effort and added: "Well, it's the girl I had told you about long time ago."

   My mother sat down infront of me and took a sip of her cup. "That Egyptian girl who's living with you?" I nodded and placed my hand around the tea. It was hot so my body started tingling. Never felt like this befo-o-ore, are we friends or are we mo-o-ore..? I mentally started singing the line of Change My Mind.

   "What about her?" she asked and then I started talking.

   I don't know for how long I talked but I told her everything. From the moment I met her first, how I felt about her, how we became friends, how I started to become a better person and how I now feel about her. When I finished, I wondered where my father and my sisters were. They had earlier left to buy some stuff for dinner tonight. Why were they so late?

   "Oh, my boy." Was all my mother muttered as a reply. I looked at her and saw her smiling. "It's different than the last times, I can see it."

   "What?" I asked, not knowing what she meant. What was different? What last time?

   She sighed, stood up and cleared up the table. She came back with a plate of biscuits. "Can't you see?" she asked.

   I took a biscuit and broke it into two. "What?" I repeated and ate one of the halves.

  "Oh, Zayn." She sighed again and grabbed my hand. "You love her."

   You love her, you love her, you love her, you love her. The voice of my mother seemed to echo through my mind again and again. My heartbeat speed up and I couldn't connect the ideas in my head. My first impression was to deny it and reply: "What? No, mother, believe me, I don't." But Jenan appeared infront of my inner eye. She was smiling at me and I could see something glancing in her eyes. Whilst staring at the image of her in my mind, my hands became sweaty and my tummy jumped.

   And then I realised..

   .. if only the thought of her affected me physically then it must have gotten me pretty hard.

   "You are right." I whispered and my eyes landed on my mother's face. "Oh my God, you are right!" I jumped up and ran with both of my hands through my hair. I couldn't believe it.

   I fell in love with her.