Just By Being You || z.m.

Saving Cinderella

Zayn’s POV

I drove as fast as I could on my way to the hospital. My vision was clouding with tears but I remained focused on the road and getting to Ava’s side. There was no way I was leaving her side now. Ava’s mum rode with Ava in the ambulance so I was left to navigate myself to the hospital. The only time I had been here was one night when I needed to be patched up from one of my numerous bar brawls but I remembered the scenery surrounding the hospital and found my way by memory. I was way less than perfect and Ava deserved perfection but somehow she appreciated my flaws. She never judged me for my past and although she had no idea of my intentions for the future I knew that she wasn’t going to judge me for those either. Seeing her so fragile made a feeling of protection wash over me. I needed to protect her from the harsh of the world and I fully intended on doing so. I felt the same way about my mum and sisters which is exactly why I was so far away from home. My family was all in Bradford but I came to America for one reason and that was to make it big. Throughout my childhood I watched as my mum struggled to make ends meet and I vowed that once I was old enough I would return the favor. Since I was little singing was my passion and that’s how I expected to make it in California but when I got here nothing was as it seemed. My stage fright hindered me unable to perform for anyone so I just stuck to schooling and trying to keep a steady job. I felt awful for letting my family down but I knew there was more than one way to keep my promise. The good memories of everything helped me grip onto my composure until I arrived to the hospital where reality gave me a swift punch to the gut. I burst into a run until I reached the automatic doors. I searched for Ava’s mum in a panic and once I found her I hurried over to her with the tears again blurring my eyes.

“Melissa!” I shouted getting her to turn to me.

She crashed into me and buried her face into my chest where I could feel her tears seeping through my shirt. I had only met her a few hours prior but here I was holding Ava’s mum praying that Ava wouldn’t be taken from us. Our lives together were just beginning and if I missed out on loving Ava I would never forgive myself. The feelings that were growing for Ava were no doubt love. Once I pictured our lives together I knew something about all of this was different. Love for her finally hit me tonight when I held her in my arms after she had passed out. She was so delicate and sick and I wanted nothing more than to make all her pains away. I was again thrown back to reality when Melissa wiped a tear away from my cheek. She reminded me of my own mother and I knew I could love her just the same.

“Oh honey there is no use in crying. Ava wouldn’t want to see you cry.” She said through her own tears.

“How is she? What’s wrong? When can I see her?” I rambled feeling all my emotions roll out in my questions.

“Zayn darling sit down.” She said pulling me down into the chair next to her.

“What’s wrong?” I asked again.

“Ava’s illness is getting worse. The Leukemia isn’t reacting to the treatment as good as they hoped and its making her even more sick. On the ambulance ride over here Ava’s heart stopped Zayn.” she trailed off.

The tears fell again even harder this time as I fisted my hair in my hands. The frustration of all of this was too much and the hurt was even greater. I knew what Ava’s mom was telling me wasn’t good at all.

“When can I see her?” was all I could manage to sob.

“Zayn, I'm not sure that’s a good idea. She’s in a coma Zayn and hooked up to so many machines and I don’t want you to remember her like that.” She said with her sobs catching up to her.

“Remember her like that?” I shouted and pushed myself up from the chair. “She’s not dying! She can’t die! Not like this! She can’t leave me!” I yelled causing a scene.

“Zayn the doctors said there is a really slim chance of her even making it through the night.” She explained the worst.

I fell to the floor in a heap. For sure this is what it felt like to have your heart ripped from your chest. I had to see her, I needed to see her and tell her how I felt even if she couldn’t say anything.

“Please Ms. McCall I have to see her.” I pleaded.

“Okay Zayn, okay.” She responded with comfort.

I took a deep breath as I pushed open the large door. I could hear the faint beeps from the heart monitor and the whoosh of a ventilator. The tiny woman lying in the hospital was the same girl I fell head over heels for from the second I laid eyes on her. She looked so damned fragile and I refused to believe my Cinderella would go down without a fight. As I moved closer the various cords and tubes became more noticeable. Ava’s eyelashes rested on her cheeks and her skin looked paper thin. Even so sick she still looked so beautiful. I took the seat next to her bed and took her tiny hand within my own. I held on tight like I never ever wanted to be without her touch again and I knew I didn’t. I let my head fall against the bed letting the sheets catch my tears as I sobbed.

“Ava baby I'm so sorry. Sorry for everything I’ve done to you from the second we met. I treated you so bad and regret every moment I did but right now I'm finding out why I did that. You deserve so much better than me Ava and I saw that from the beginning but now I know that I love you. I love you Ava and the reason I tried to keep you away was because I knew I would fall hard for you and you deserved better than me. But there is no stopping the love I have for you Ava and I don’t want you to leave me because we are just starting out. I love you my princess and making you mine was the best thing I could have ever done. Just please don’t leave me.” I confessed my feelings and sealed it with a soft kiss to her cheek.

I knew I was in for a long road ahead but again I knew that Ava was worth every second. Even though she couldn’t hear me I decided to sing to her.

Tell me that we belong together,

Dress it up with the trappings of love.

I'll be captivated,

I'll hang from your lips,

Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above.

I'll be your crying shoulder,

I'll be love's suicide

I'll be better when I'm older,

I'll be the greatest fan of your life.

After I finished the song I sat in the silence of Room 206 and got real comfortable because there was no way I was leaving Ava until she woke up.