when you sleep :: [malik]

"wRoNg..."

Hi. Bye, Zayn.

Three fucking words.

Hi. Bye, Zayn.

That's all. That's it. Those are the only words Zhuri spoke the entire car ride. Three words. She had a full conversation with Justin. Three words. But, she fucking only said two things to him.

Three words.

Hi.

Bye, Zayn.

"Zayn?"

He's staring at the ceiling. "Yeah?"

"Are you alright?" Gia asks, frowning. She props her head on her hand, resting her weight upon her elbow. A dark curtain of hair falls over her naked body as her frown deepens and she stares at the side of his face. "You've been...distant."

"...Oh."

"I was kind of wondering why you called me over, honestly. It's..." She continues to stare at him. "It's been a while."

"Yeah," he nods. "It has."

"Zayn."

"Yeah?"

"Could you look at me?"

He turns his head.

"Now," her eyebrows raise, "you want to tell me what's wrong?"

He snorts softly, lifting his hands to his face. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry about what?"

"I shouldn'tve done this to you - calling you over tonight. I dunno, I was frustrated and like, I didn't know who to call..."

"What's going on, Zayn?"

His hands trail from his face, eyelids pulling beneath the weight of his fingertips.

He pinches his bottom lip. "Imani's pregnant."

"Okay...?"

"With Justin's baby."

"Oh...Oh," Gia nods. She'd met his friends before. Not long after they'd started dating, actually. She knew who they were. "He'd been after her for a while, right?"

His eyes find that spot on the ceiling, again.

He nods absentmindedly. "...Yeah."

"What about it, then?"

He blows air from his lips. "Whaddaya mean?"

She slides against him, her naked skin pressed against his.

Gia trails her finger down his tattooed arm.

His eyes follow her nail across the ink.

"You're tense," she says. "It's like you're not even here," she kisses his shoulder and ignores the way he flinches. "That can't be the only thing that's got you upset," she tuts. "I haven't heard from you in weeks, Zayn."

He hums, turning away.

He's frowning again, dark eyebrows drawn together.

Hi.

Bye, Zayn.

"Zayn."

"What, Gia."

"Is it your mom?"

"What?" He scowls. "No."

"Not family?"

"No," he exhales. "Not family."