Laced

Laced - Chapter 55 (A Moment of Truth)

Laughing, I nod. Surprisingly, asking these questions and having them answered actually did take my mind off of Sebastian, even if it was just for a little while. And now, I wanted to try my best to give Zayn my undivided attention, because while he deserved it, Sebastian did not. "Yes. Sorry about that."

"It's okay." He brushes off my apology with a smile, and then hooks an arm around around me, pulling me closer to him. "Good thing we brought jackets, it's freezing."

"Yeah." I agree, resting my head against his shoulder. I slip my hand into his, and he closes his fist around it. His hands were not that much bigger than mine, but they were warm and comforting as they closed around mine. "Thank you."

"Thank you?" He asks, confused at my sudden outburst.

I look down, not wanting him to see the warm blush that rose to my face at my slight embarrassment. "Yeah, thank you, you know, for taking me out this weekend. It was fun."

My words bring an endearing smile to his face, and he suddenly looks so much happier. "Really? I'm glad you enjoyed it. After all, I told you I'd make it up to you if you stayed in your room during the party."

"Yeah, you did. Thank you for that."

He sighs happily. "I enjoyed it as much as you did, if not, more."

His fingers stroke my hair gently, and he presses his lips to my head as well - not quite a kiss, though.

I shifted the way I was sitting so that my back was to Zayn's chest, and his arms were wrapped around me.

Sighing happily, I allow myself to relax in his arms, closing my eyes and listening to the rush of water from the fountain.

There was a silence between us that lasted for a good five minutes, until Zayn hesitated before speaking. "Would you stay?"

I look back at him, drawing my eyebrows together in confusion. "What?"

He hesitates again before speaking, and I can tell he's uncomfortable asking this. "You know, would you stay at the mansion if you didn't have to?"

"I'm not exactly understanding what you're asking..." I trail off, utterly confused by his seemingly haphazard question.

"As in," he says slowly, as if talking to a child, "if you weren't a slave. If you were free. Would you stay?"

I'm taken aback at his words, wondering why he seemed so worried about this. It was something that would never happen - there was no way slavery was just going to go away - it was there my entire lifetime, and even the lifetime of my parents. Social structures that significant didn't just go away like that, that quickly. And I highly doubted I would ever be freed by Master Zayn himself.

I realize that he's still waiting on an answer, and I haven't said anything yet.

Would I stay? Would I leave?

I don't even know.

I hesitate, and Zayn stiffens. "I," pausing, I try to figure out exactly what I want to say without being completely dishonest, but without hurting his feelings either. "I...um, do you want the truth?" I squeak. My voice is small, and I am unsure on how he is going to react to this. I didn't want to set him off, but I also did not want to lie to him about this topic because it mattered to him.

He nods, his expression solemn.

"Well...I don't know." I blurt quickly, in a small voice.

"You...don't know?"

I try to make eye contact with him, but he's looking away, staring, almost glaring at the ground. "It...it depends." I say honestly.

"Depends on what?" He looks up to me for a split second, just long enough so that I could see something flash behind his eyes, but then it was gone and he was staring at the floor again.