Serendipity >> l.p. a.u. [COMPLETED]

Chapter 30

I looked at him thoughtfully, thinking over his words. "Yeah. It is." 

He chuckled humorlessly, tapping his fingers on my table. "The rejection part though, that's not so nice."

I bit my lip, reaching across the table and stilling his hand by placing my own over it.

"Zayn. You're allowed to like people. You can like lots of people, to be frank. Find someone worth liking so much that it eventually turns into more. And if you face rejection, move on. It just means there's someone better out there for you."

I could almost see the gears in Zayn's pretty little head turning over what I had just said, processing it all. He really is gorgeous. I kind of hate that I only see him as a friend because damn his jawline is sinful.

"You're right." He finally said. "Yeah, you're right. I'll find someone, someday. I mean I am quite the catch after all."

I rolled my eyes, standing up and chuckling. "Oh Zayn darling, always the modest one."

"Yeah that's my second best trait, next to my stunning good looks." 

I laughed and stepped behind him, pushing him towards my front door. "Get the hell out of my apartment Malik, I have a fun birthday celebration filled day ahead of me and I need to take a shower."

"Oh so that's what I smell, I was wondering - "

"Get out!" I cried, laughing as I shoved him out the door and into the hallway. He turned to me and laughed too.

"Thanks Carter." He said thoughtfully after a moment. "For everything."

I cocked my head to the side. "Everything? Zayn I've hardly done a lot for you to be thankful for."

"That's where you're wrong." He replied quickly. "You don't even see it, do you? You have this spirit, Carter, this energy about you. Even when you're being sarcastic, or vague, or completely silent, you affect the people around you. You have this ability to give people something they need."

I stared at him for a few seconds. "What are you talking about? What do I do?"

Zayn shook his head and chuckled, taking my hand in his own and looking straight into my eyes.

"You give people hope."

***

Zayn's words kept replaying in head over and over again as I got ready for the day. 

You give people hope.

What could that possibly mean? 'I give people hope.' For fuck's sake, I hardly have hope for myself, how do I give that to other people?

Nonetheless, I managed to stay focused long enough to get dressed in warm yet comfortable clothes, as per Liam's request, and actually look decent. It was two minutes until 10, and I was finally finishing my messy boho chic wannabe hairdo in the mirror in the hallway when Liam knocked on the door.

"Come in!" I yelled. "Unless you're a serial killer and then please don't come in!"

"You do realize that an actual serial killer probably wouldn't heed that warning, right?" I heard Liam call out.

I smiled to myself at the sound of his voice. "Well if he was a nice serial killer, he would have."

"Let me know when you meet a nice serial killer, Carter."

"Oh I will." I quipped back, walking towards the living room where his voice was. "And I'll have you know that when I find this benevolent yet homicidal maniac you will be the first to - "