I Can't Breathe *A Zayn Malik Love Story (On Hold!)

Chapter Two

Chapter 2

When I left the small boutique the lads were all waiting for me, Liam leaned against a bin with a disapproving frown prominently shown upon his feature. I had to admit I felt embarrassed with my band mates watching me like a hawk as I left the shop. Liam carefully stepped away from the trash bin, dusting off whatever had come off and was on him. “Now tell me Zayn why you left us to freeze whilst you decided to go shopping and you didn’t even have the decency to tell us!” He was fuming, wonderful. Liam never fumes unless he’s extremely irritated.

            “I had to get warmed?” I guessed more than anything else, Liam works out plenty so it was most definitely not good to make him angry. Louis chuckled still snuggled in my varsity jacket, apparently he likes watching the person who saved him from frostbite get his head chewed off.

            “You could have at least told me!” Liam shouted as Niall tried to calm him down, I didn’t understand what the big deal was so I shrugged even though I had thought I sent him a text.

            “I did, why are you so sorry about me all of the sudden? I’m nineteen years old!” I snarled back, the cold and Liam’s shouting were not putting me into a good mood. I didn’t like to be talked down to which often happened whenever I was kicked out of yet another school, and I didn’t like to be reminded of those days.

            “A teen boy’s body was found in a lake, we worried if it was you since you can’t swim,” Niall admitted whilst trying to calm Liam down and I felt terrible. I didn’t want them to worry about me like that.

            “I’m sorry for snapping at you, I didn’t know,” I admitted sheepishly as Harry and Lou exchanged warning looks. Sometimes I seriously wonder what goes through their heads; I mean they’re always exchanging worried looks with each other for some reason or another.

            “It’s okay, I was just kind of irritable since the cold and the news . . . I didn’t mean to snap either,” Liam replied with a half-smile, you see Liam is the only person in the group who is not afraid to make things right after an argument. Gingerly I stuffed my carefully wrapped mirror up my shirt hoping the boys wouldn’t notice, unfortunately I’m not nearly that lucky and Harry pointed a finger at me.

            “Whatcha got there?” The Holmes Chapel singer inquired raising an eyebrow.

            “Erm . . . it’s nothing.”

            Haz rolled his eyes and in a non-creepy way stuck his hand up my shirt grabbing the plastic bag my mirror was concealed in. With Louis making spooky noises Harry unwrapped the mirror from the layers of protective paper. “Hmmm . . . Zayn what are you doing with a girlie mirror?”

            “It’s for my sister,” I saw making the same mistake as before, but fortunately they were off the subject and more interested to what a piece of paper said.

            “Who gave you the letter?” Harry asked looking it over and moving his lips as he read it over, a letter? I didn’t recall receiving a letter from anyone. Without in further comment I snatched the brittle paper in my hands.

            Dear Zane (I hope I spelled that right!),

            I have written this letter to ask if you would meet me by the magnolia bush in the park tonight, I seem like a rather nice lad and I would like to get to know you better. Please don’t bring anyone or anything but the clothes on your back.

                                                                                    With care,

                                                                                                Penelope

            Louis raised an eyebrow in my direction, “Whose Penelope?” my mind raced back toward the women’s boutique, when had she slipped me the note? I thought the old lady had packaged the mirror . . . this was all too strange.

            “Isn’t the park by the lake?” Liam asked sceptically and I shrugged knowing just my luck a pretty girl would want to meet me somewhere and Liam would want to ruin it. “If it is you’re not going!” He warned. I rolled my eyes, I was older than him and he wasn’t my mum.

            “You have to promise me you won’t meet her there!” Liam insisted. I rolled my eyes once more.

            “I promise,” I replied crossing to fingers behind my back like my tattoo. I’m nineteen I can meet whomever I want whenever I want wherever I want.