Different Sides Of Us (Sequel to Hired For Malik)

Chapter Twenty Eight

Tucking in the jeans as best as I could, I pin pointed a few needles in before telling him he was done for. This time, he reluctatnly went to change in the restroom. It was a nice gesture for him to do.

After I was done packing away his bag, I perched myself on the bed while holding a pillow in my lap. Zayn promised me earlier this morning we could talk about what was bothering him. I had a good idea in mind, but I had no clue if it was right or not. He was a friend, and I cared deeply about him. Whenever he had a problem, and it felt like it was also my problem.

The door sounded shut, and he appeared in my vision. Once he realized that a deep conversation was about to begin, he made himself comfortable on the opposite side of me. My stomach was feeling queasy but I pushed it aside. Right now, my focus was on Zayn and just Zayn. This is what he needs right now, a true friend. And I'm going to be one for him.

"So," I dragged on the vowel, hoping to release some tension from the awkward air. "What's been going on lately? What's been bothering you?" I felt like I was hosting a television show, or we were having a therapy session. Neither of the two suited me well.

He let out a frustrated sigh. "Everything basically. Perrie especially, which is awful for me to say." Well yeah, it's your fiance. "Annie is driving me insane with all of these orders and what not." Anne is the same way too. "This photo shoot. Though if I'm stressed about this, I can't even imagine how you must be feeling." You have no idea. 

But I gave him none of those answers because that's not what he needed. When I let out my troubles and angers, I want someone to listen. Not to give me advice, but someone I can let off steam to. In his case, I was that person for Zayn. It didn't bother me in the slightest way. 

Nodding my head allowed him to continue his worries and such, as he made sure I was still paying attention. Perrie has beginning to act weirdly around him lately. Apparently she didn't even speak to him after his work out in the gym. Was it because I had ran into her, and she was jealous? Who knew what went on inside of that barbie's head anyway.

Annie has been pushing him around constatnly for the past week, harder than she ever has before. The other boys were on a good rest, while her main focus was solely on Zayn. Making sure he did everything right and didn't mess up in the public's eye. She's been rehearsing with him for the interview tomorrow, about what he would say and whatever else.

The photo shoot seemed to be taking up too much of his time, though I thought it barely took up anything at all. He never had any time to think, he proposed out loud, and I felt rude for intruding on the small shrivel of freedom that he had to himself. What kind of person was I to take that away from him?

The fans were getting crazier each and every minute as the interview drew closer and closer. The news they would all be expecting would be announced tomorrow, and I could already hear the screams. It was evident in the way he spoke about them that he thought the same too.

His mother was adding onto his stress list. She has been calling him frequently, a few times a day, to check up on him. It's reasonable though. A mother who has an internationally famous son of hers on the other side of the globe. It's a lot to handle. But given Zayn's long list of things to worry about, made me slightly angrier.

"You okay?" My train of thoughts were interrupted. "You look like you want to punch something." I unclenched my fists I hadn't known I had been forming and sighed. My muscles relaxed and I felt at ease, by only a little bit.

I shrugged my shoulders, hoping that was a good enough response. But it was obvious it wasn't with the deadly glare he stared me down with. "Okay, I'm just angry at everything that has been happening with you. Here I thought it was okay for me to stress about my own problems, and to get annoyed with other people when they weren't paying attention to me. But now that I compare what the two of us are going through, it's incredibly selfish for me to even think of it. I am such a narcissitc for ever letting the thought occur in my head. And I apologize for not paying enough attention to you in the first place." My gaze landed in my lap as my head was bent over, my shoulders and back hunched. 

Zayn's hands reached out and pulled mine in his own. "Lindsay, I don't want attention for what I'm going through. That's actually the last thing I want." And here I thought I knew how he was. "I just want comfort from someone who understand me. And you're the closest person I got."

Glancing up, his eyes looked straight into mine. My lips formed his name but nothing was processing at this moment. The air seemed to stand still as everything happened so quickly. His body began leaning forward, and I found myself leaning also. Nothing seemed to stop us, and yet none of this felt off. It somehow felt... right.  My eyes fluttered shut as I felt his fingertips trace my jaw. My fingers gripped the hem of his shirt as I breathed him in. My nostrils were filled with the scent of musk and cologne. He gently ran a hand through my hair as our lips almost touched. Fireworks seemed to be flying everywhere. 

But before I could feel his luscious lips on my own, my phone rang loudly causing me to jump back and realize what I was about to do. It was Brian's ringtone, but I made no move to answer it. Instead, I stared at Zayn in mock horror. His face was calm as he spoke out my name calmly.

"No Zayn," I choked out,"I just - that never happened, alright? It's getting late." His eyes shouted at me, protested against my words. "I think you should go." Walking him out, he didn't bother looking back at me as he made his way down the hall. How could he? We were both ashamed of what almost happened. Closing the door, I pressed my back against the wood and slid down until my butt made contact with the floor. 

The definition of guilt is funny. It is an emotion that occurs when a person believes that they have violated a moral standard that they themselves believe in. It's not a noun, adjective, adverb, none of those things you might have learned in english class. But an emotion in which only you, yourself, can feel. It's gut wrenching; it's an absolute curse sent down from God himself. The reason for this feeling, is our mistakes we make. We're human, and it's natural to do so. Everyone is perfectly imperfect.

Guilt was what I was feeing, only it seemed to be a lot worse.

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Whelpppp, an update! Quick question, how many of you were excited for the two of them to kiss? I mean, I even wanted them to! What do you think Lindsay is thinking? Do you think she's falling in love with Zayn instead?

Someone messaged me if Perrie, or Annie, or even Liam, if one of them will tell the truth to Lindsay and Zayn about how their relationship was forced apart. In all honesty, I can't exactly tell you. I might not have them know, and I might just slip it in one of these chapters. Who knows!

I'm sorry for not updating as often. I'm really trying. My goal is to finish this book by the end of my school year. Speaking of school, track is god awful. I seriously have 3 meets every single fucking week. Like, what the hell?

Did I mention, that I went to a MIley Cyrus concert? OKEJGBJAJVBAJEVNKJEAVN. Best concert you could ever go to, and I highly recommend it. She has such a beautiful voice, it's not fair that she's so talented.

Any way, please VOTE and COMMENT. I felt like this chapter was good :)

P.S. I'll try to update by Friday just for you guys!

-Taylor xx