My Enemy, Love

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Zayn's POV

I looked around at all of the smiling faces of my friends, wanting desperately to smile along with them but finding that I couldn't. It's been that way for the past few hours, with me trying to get involved in whatever it is they're doing but having a hard time shaking off the feeling of being an outsider. Internally I sighed; I needed to get out. Sure, I was having fun with the lads and Pan and Jamie, but I needed some time to myself. We'd been over at the house almost all day, and the sun had set hours ago. It was sort of depressing, being with the girls and acting like everything was normal but knowing that there was an important presence missing.

Saying goodbye to the others I took the car and decided to drive down to the beach. I made sure to stick to the speed limit and obey all of the traffic laws, because if I got caught then it wouldn't go over well. I don't have my license yet but I do know how to drive, I've just been too busy lately to actually take the test and get my official license. It's probably best to be overly cautious and avoid getting caught entirely.

I found a small bar right by the ocean that was open but seemed mostly empty, which was perfect. I didn't actually want to drink anything alcoholic, but I figured that I could at least get a drink and sit alone for a bit. As I approached the entrance I pulled my hat low over my brow, hoping that no one inside would recognize me. An absolute necessity when we're visiting the girls is to not be seen, and especially not to accidentally lead the paps to their house. It's a privacy thing for them and we all try to respect it as much as we can, knowing that the last thing any of those girls need is more publicity.

Stepping inside I found there were a couple of men in a booth eating popcorn and watching some sports, and a blonde girl at the far end of the bar. I sat down and was about to call the bartender when I heard a familiar laugh. Looking over, I found the laugh had come from the blonde.

I got up and moved a little closer before I realized who it was. "Alli?" I asked incredulously, unable to believe my eyes. My suspicions were confirmed when she turned to face me, a crooked grin on her face.

"Heyyy, you know my name, stranger." She slurred. She was definitely drunk.

"How much have you had to drink?" I asked her, glancing at the empty glasses sitting nearby.

"Uhm...four, I think...maybe five beers. I dunno."

"Two and a half." The bartender told me and I jumped slightly, not having realized he'd been right there the entire time. "Plus a couple of shots, but that's it."

"Two and a half?" I asked him and he nodded. "Good god, Alli, you're a serious lightweight." I shook my head. "Shit, let's get you home so the girls won't have to worry about you."

"Do you know her?" The bartender asked me and I nodded my head.

"I do."

"Care to prove it?" The man picked up a card from the bar, which I realized was Alli's license. She must've left it there when she first showed it to get her drinks.

"Of course. Her name is Allister Wiles, she turned twenty-one two days ago, on the seventeenth, and she lives over on Magnolia Drive."

The man scanned the card before putting it down and sliding it over to me, and I picked it up. "Alright, you're good."

He helped me get her standing and led her to the car. We put her in the front passenger seat, where she sat waving her arms around and saying "Taxiii!"

I shook my head as I shut the door, then turned to the man. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." He held out his hand and I shook it. "By the way, I technically couldn't have stopped you from taking her."