Strings and Schemes

Chapter 36

(Zayn's POV)

The street is still empty as the black car disappears into the early morning haze. I stand there, hands in my pockets, watching until I can't see it anymore. Something in my chest twists. She'll be back in a day or two. She said it herself. Louis will probably be taken soon too.

Everything's fine.

"Alright, you absolute sad bastard," Louis' voice breaks through my thoughts. "If you stare at the road any longer, you're gonna start seeing things."

I blinked, finally turning away from where Raina's car had disappeared.

The others were already moving down the sidewalk, shoulders slouched, eyes heavy with exhaustion and booze. Harry yawned loudly, his curls a mess, hands shoved into his pockets. Liam was rubbing at his temples like he was already regretting every life decision that had led him to being awake at this hour.

Louis stretches his arms over his head, cracking his neck. "C'mon, let's find some food before one of us drops dead in the street."

"Who's bright idea was it to drink all night and then not sleep?" Niall grumbles, running a hand through his already wild blond hair.

"Yours," Harry replies without missing a beat.

"Oh." Niall pauses, then shrugges. "Sounds about right."

I exhale through my nose, shaking off the lingering unease.

Louis is still here.

Which means it isn't time to worry yet.

We find a diner a few blocks away, one of those places that never closed, filled with the smell of grease and burnt coffee.

We pile into a booth in the corner, bodies sluggish from the weight of exhaustion.

A waitress with a tired smile comes by, taking our orders—black coffee for Liam, a full fry-up for Niall, whatever Harry and Louis mumbles at her, and tea for me.

I barely register the conversation as the others fall into their usual banter.

Louis is still here. Which means any second now.

Fifteen minutes pass. Then thirty. Then forty-five.

By the time an hour has slipped by, an uncomfortable silence settles over the table.

Louis leans back in the booth, stirring his coffee absentmindedly, his usual smirk fades into something closer to impatience.

"They're late," Harry murmured.

"No shit," Louis muttered.

Liam's jaw flexes as he checks his watch. "They've never taken this long."

Niall taps his fingers against the table, the rhythm uneven. "Maybe they're just—" He hesitates. "I dunno. Maybe something got shuffled around."

Louis scoffs. "Mate, they don't shuffle things. Not like this."

"What if they aren't taking you two together anymore because they realize you guys aren't... you know?" Harry offers.

I glare at him. Not for mentioning the Louis and Raina thing but for even hesitating for a second on what needs to be a rescue.

I exhale through my nose, rubbing my fingers over my temple. The longer we sit here, the worse the feeling in my chest gets. Louis should've been gone by now. He knew it. We all knew it.

And yet, he was still here, staring at the untouched plate of food in front of him.

"This is bullshit," Louis finally mutters, pushing his plate away.