When I'm In His Arms

Chapter 14 :)

I sighed. I knew there was something he was keeping to himself. How could I trust him? What I would have to say was going to take a lot of courage.

"Alright," I said. "It was nothing. We were just friends, and that's all we ever will be."

Disappointed, Louis stormed from the room, pulling on his hair and cursing. He pushed open the door to find Harry backing away as if he had his ear pressed right up against the door the whole time. Louis bumped his shoulder against his and didn't even look him in the eye. Harry smiled sympathetically when Louis was out of sight.

"Do you want a ride?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Thanks, Harry. But I can walk."

"No," he said. I was surprised at how stern a person who joked around so much could sound. "It's dark and who knows where that freaky kid is."

I flinched. "Lionel?"

He nodded. "If the police still haven't found him, you should be more careful."

"No, I shouldn't. I don't care what happens to me. My life has been destined to suck."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Zayn!" He yelled.

A zombified Zayn walked over slowly, yawning the whole way. "Yea?"

"Can you give Saby a ride?"

Zayn perked up a little. "Yea, sure."

"Thanks, but I don't want-"

"I insist." Zayn interrupted.

I lowered my eyes in defeat and let Zayn lead me out of the room. He exchanged a nervous glance with harry, who was now taking off his shirt again. I couldn't help but stare at the dim light leaking from the bottom of Louis' door. That would probably be the last time I'd ever see him in person.

Zayn and I walked down the hall in silence. His keys jingled in his pocket with each lazy step he took.

"Are we taking the bus?" I asked.

He snickered. "Well, that's all we have really. We've already taken back the rentals so there's nothing else to travel in."

I nodded, trying to ease my mind away from Louis. It had been stupid to fall for him so fast. I was being stupid like usual. I should've known that I'd be feeling this way again. It was like my heart had been put in a freezer, so numb that I couldn't feel the real pain of leaving him.

The sky above had clouded over, threatening to downpour any second. Zayn opened the door for me and I slid into the passenger seat. He got in and shut the door tight just as rain started to pound against the windshield.

"Brilliant," he mumbled.

"You really didn't have to do this Zayn."

He shrugged and pulled the bus out of the parking lot. "But I did."

Somehow, I managed a smile. My brain was whirring. "Thanks."

He smiled lazily. "No problem."

I stayed silent for a little while longer, watching the rain drops slide down my window. I couldn't believe I'd never see Louis again. What would things even be like in school? Everyone must know my mishap with Lionel and I'd never live that one down. They would mock me worse than ever before, and that was without mentioning Louis. Since every girl in my grade was in love with him, I wouldn't put it past them to lock me up somewhere and shoot me. Not that I'd mind dying at all. Anything was better than this. I turned my attention back to Zayn.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Do you ever wish you were someone else?"

Zayn snorted. "Not really. I love my life. Although sometimes I wish I could go back and change things. I don't want to sound selfish or anything, but at times I wish some of the others hadn't become famous. Take Harry and Louis for example. They started out as best friends but because of the gay rumours, they aren't as close as they used to be. It breaks my heart to know that people have changed them that much. They used to be inseparable."

I frowned. I used to call all of them gay. But I didn't realize how much it could hurt. Harry hadn't even heard that Louis was leaving before Liam. I didn't even know they had been so close. I almost couldn't believe it.

"That's horrible," I said. "But the people who say those things just don't know you. They're jealous."

He shrugged again. "Maybe, maybe not. It still hurts when the world thinks of you as something you're not."

I understood. "Misunderstanding was the worst thing in the world."

"Definitely."

I pursed my lips and looked at him with sad eyes. "Will I ever see him again?"

Zayn didn't say anything for a while. Then finally he looked at me sideways, his kaleidoscope eyes shining with sympathy.

"Do you want me to be honest?"

I shook my head. "I know the answer anyway."

It broke my heart.