Secrets (Zayn Malik)

Chapter 57

"Can't believe I'm doing this." I groan in frustration, yet pull the roll slowly.

"Oh, and just remember. When you and Zayn do the dirty tonight, make sure you take out that toilet paper or whatever you decide to use." She chuckles to herself and I hear her steps become farther away, eventually cracking open the closet door probably looking for a last minute change.

"You've always had my back." I sigh and smile softly to myself as I place the first bit of paper in my bra.

--

"Wow." She gawks as I step out of the bathroom fully dressed and ready almost thirty minutes later. "Took you a hell of a long time, but I see why."

"Thank you, I think." I smile and pull down what's left of the hem of my dress and grab my purse off my bed.

"Where'd you get those heels anyway?"

"Kurt Geiger."

"You could afford that how? You're a college student!"

"Hey, you have your secrets, I have mine. Now can we go?" I point towards the door, and she bows her head in thought.

"That's true, okay fine. Let's go." She takes my hand and leads me out the door, locking it behind her.

The whole way down to the car, she talks about what her life would be like had she ever had money, or how different she would be. Growing up, neither one of us had more money than the other, but we never complained either. So it's a bit weird to hear her complain now about money, and how she'd kill to have some.

We reach the car, and immediately something about her feels off, as if she's thinking about something and it's just not setting right.

"Ella," she whispers, with a slight frown on her face.

"Yeah?" I lean against the hood of the car, pressing my thighs against the freezing cold front. Thankfully I wore a jacket, but not so much anything to help my legs.

"We're best friends right?" She shivers as the wind blows past us, whipping out hair in every direction.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"It's just that when I talk about having money for once and living a completely different life, I want to spend it with you. You're my person, and I'm not sure I can live any other lifestyle without you." Her lip trembles, and her eyes become glossed over with tears.

"Ash? Are you okay?" I step over to her slowly, and wrap my arm around her shoulder, but she pushes me away immediately.

"You don't get it! What I'm trying to say is, you nee-"

"Ladies! Isn't it a bit cold out to be standing here in such short dresses?" Zayns friend James, approaches from the shadows of a nearby alley, completely covered in his trench coat.

"Nice to see you again James." I mutter, bowing my head and staring at the concrete beneath my heels.

"Likewise Ellana. And Ashley? What are you doing out here?" His smile feels so wicked that it gives me chills. It's almost as if he has too many teeth, and they're too white for any normal human being.

"Wait, how do you know each other?" I speak up, earning a glance from him.

"She didn't tell you by now? Oh, well, we both got the same job at the local coffee shop down the street." He licks his lips, making the already dark pink skin, shiny.

"Really? Well that's nice. But James we need to go. Any minute now, Zayn will probably call asking where I am." I reach my hand out for him to take, and as he does, he presses his lips to the back of it kindly.

"No problem, always been a pleasure Ella. Ashley?"

She looks up with worry written, stamped, and engraved across her face.

"I'll see you at work." He turns away, and walks down the street, headed more so towards the big city.

I rush over to the drivers side, and unlock all the doors for us to both hurry inside. Once she's in, I turn the car on but don't move just yet.

"What were you going to tell me?" I smile softly, and lift her chin up with my finger gently.

She pauses for a moment to think, and wipes under her eyes quickly. "I was just going to tell you, you need to stick around. Always be around so that we can live a good life, even if that asshole is still in the picture."

I laugh at her shot at Zayn, and wipe my thumb across her cheek, fixing the smeared makeup under her eyes. "I will always be around."

--

We walk up the steps of the frat house, both of us being extremely cautious wearing five inch heels across slippery ice. As I pass through the door, I spot Louis, and Niall leaning against the staircase laughing so hard, tears are threatening to stream down their cheeks. But Niall is the first to spot me, and swats Louis' arm to point my way.

"Hey Ellana!" Louis shouts at me over the blaring music, eventually making his way over.

"Hi, did it just start?" I ask awkwardly, unsure what to really say to Zayns friend that I barely know.

Not to mention, my best friends "boyfriend" so to speak.

"Uhm, no, I wouldn't say so. But Harry is upstairs if you're looking for him?" He adjusts the sleeves of his thick black blazer, and brushes his hair over to one side.

I'm not sure why he would suggest where Harry is, when everyone knows I'm only here for Zayn.

"Thanks, I'll go find him. And Ashley is getting a drink in case you're wondering that too." I smile down at him kindly, the height of my heels creating an uncomfortable difference between us.

"Oh, that won't be necessary." He chuckles, practically hiding the light blue shade of his eyes as he squints.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Come on love, that wasn't a thing. It was fun, but not serious at all. For me at least."

To be fair, she never gave me any hint as to wether or not she viewed him as anything for more than a fuck buddy. So I can't complain, nor be surprised that the feeling was mutual. Instead, I take a deep breath, smile at him, and gently push my way past to walk up the staircase and find Harry.

I haven't updated in a loooooong time :O I'm sorry! :/