Strings and Schemes

Chapter 19

Liam looks me dead in the eye. "Intervene."

My stomach drops.

"Man, there's nothing you can say. I show up to pick up Louis to go to the studio, and she's standing there in the same clothes she tried to fuck me in the night before. She hadn't even had the decency to change before trying to resolve the issue with you-" I say to Louis, he doesn't stop me from my rant.

"I don't even care that she's slept with you, or about the limo thing, or about any of that - its that I showed up, and she didn't even stop to think and explain what she needed before trying to make me an accomplice in her plan that I had no interest in being apart of."

Louis starts to speak, "look Lou, I know, me saying no to sex. Very funny and unlike me. But you didn't see the look in her eyes, the pain. I couldn't live with myself if I said yes to the very nice things she was offering me only because she was dealing with something deeper."

I shake my head, feeling emotional thinking of her feeling abandoned and rejected. I can't even be mad at her when she deserves my anger.

Louis grins, like this is the best entertainment he's had in weeks. "We had a whole plan, you know. Get you good and drunk first. But Liam's got the patience of a toddler, so here we are."

I shake my head, reaching for my whiskey. I didn't even need to be drunk to spill my inner thoughts. I was desperate for the release of her.

"You're both fucking ridiculous."

Liam crosses his arms. "Am I? Because from where I'm sitting, you've been in a mood for the past two weeks. You barely speak to anyone, you're holed up in the studio writing tragic love songs, and you look like you haven't slept since the fucking Cold War."

Louis hums, amused. "And let's not forget the emotional bomb you dropped on the world last week."

I tense. "It wasn't a bomb."

Niall snorts. "Mate, you practically left your diary open on the kitchen counter and let everyone read it."

I clench my jaw. "So what? You wanted me to put out another meaningless single? A club track about fuckin' palm trees and expensive cars? Sorry, that's not where I'm at."

Liam leans forward. "Then where are you at?"

I stare at him.

"I don't fucking know. I should have reached out. I should have said something after that night. But every time I thought about it, I couldn't get the image of her standing on your doorstep out of my head."

And she didn't correct me.

Didn't chase me.

Didn't say a damn thing.

So I let it fester.

I let it rot.

Louis sighs dramatically. "You're being a right idiot, Malik. We were never going to sleep together that day, she was so distraught she turned to Liam - not me," Liam tries to introject, "probably because she was afraid you'd see her running to me as her betraying you or choosing me when it would've been nothing of the sort."

Liam pipes up, "She cried in my lap all afternoon, but couldn't bring herself to message you. She was so afraid you were done with her, and she knew she deserved it after that grand gesture. No one, not even us, have ever made her felt as appreciated and seen. And that's a failure we," he points between him and Louis, "will have to live with for the rest of our lives. Knowing our best friend was feeling all alone all this time, and we didn't, or we chose not to see it."

I try to speak up, but Liam cuts me off.

"I have been begging her to reach out, but she keeps typing messages and deleting them. She doesn't know how to do this, Z. Have some pity on her, she is not perfect, but god is she ever amazing when you let her try."

"Can I speak now?" I ask. The two men nod. Suddenly, I feel lost for words again.

I flick my lighter, watching the flame for something to focus on. "So what's your grand plan, then? You lot gonna sit me down and force me to 'process my feelings'?"

Liam shrugs. "Nah, mate. Just gonna tell you where you should be tonight."

Something in his tone makes me pause. "And where's that?"

Louis grins. "Raina's senior art exhibit."

My heart stops.

Liam leans in, voice quieter now. "It's about you, Z."

I frown. "What?"

Louis nods. "We went by yesterday for the press preview." He taps his cigarette against the ashtray. "Every single sculpture tells a story. Your story. Her story. And some of it, mate... some of it hurts to look at."

I swallow.

Liam watches me carefully. "You think you're the only one bleeding over this?"

I don't answer.

Louis exhales. "She's been waiting for you, idiot. Probably longer than she should have."

I run a hand through my hair, my pulse hammering in my ears.

"She didn't reach out." The words sound hollow, even to me.

Liam scoffs. "Neither did you."

I stand up, pacing. "What if I go and it just... makes things worse?"

Louis shrugs. "Then at least you tried. But if you don't go? You'll regret it."

Liam shakes his head, voice calm but firm. "Go see what she made, Zayn. And if you still don't want to say anything after that? Then fine. Walk away. But don't leave her in the lurch,"

I look between them, my chest tight.

Fucking hell.

I don't know if I'm ready for this.

But I do know one thing.

I can't stay away anymore.

I grab my keys, exhaling slowly. "Where is it?"

Louis smirks. "Now that's the Zayn I know."