PITCH FEVER

Chapter Two || The Boy at the Door

<Zayn’s POV>

Really. I mean really. Could I be the only one that’s not into guys in this house?! I thought Liam was just like me but right now, as we are having breakfast, I’m having a hard time believing that idea I thought was a fact. Not that I’m against it but, I have to admit that I’m feeling more and more alone right now. Lucky for me, Perrie always gives advice and gives comfort. I have that fedora I wore at the Olympics as proof.

Anyway, even with Harry and Louis talking far away as possible, I still managed to hear what they were talking about (yes, I was eavesdropping and yes, I followed them to the laundry room – I was curious, okay?). They were talking about Liam. Not just Liam but Niall as well. After hearing what they were saying and sensed they were coming out, I ran back to the kitchen and pretended to not know anything.

I popped some pancake into my mouth, not paying attention to Louis and Harry. My mind was having a debate. A debate on whether or not Harry was right. Louis seemed uncertain but Harry wasn’t and I can’t help but agree with Harry. I have noticed that ever since Liam broke up with Da – oh, sorry – she-who-must-not-be-named (I know it’s stupid to call her like that. It was Niall’s idea because every time one of us mentions her name, Liam would cry. And we wouldn’t want that…), Liam and Niall became really close, in fact much closer than before – much closer than fans usually see and, of course, imagine.

They would shop together, eat together, and go out together without even bothering to ask if we wanted to come along and even sleep together. Sometimes, I wonder if they take a bath together. I hope not. Yes, I know fans consider that normal (after all the fan fictions we read, I doubt anything to the fans will strike as abnormal), but not to us. They were leaving us out of their lives and, for me, that wasn’t a good indication as a band.

At last, Liam and Niall came down the stairs but there was something different. Not good different but awkward different. They weren’t smiling (Niall usually does) and they couldn’t look into each other’s eyes when they sat down with us for breakfast. Another weird thing was that Niall only ate a pancake and ran back up to his room in such a hurry that he nearly tripped on the stairs. If that wasn’t weird enough, Liam took out some cereal, placed some in a bowl, poured some milk in it and then used a spoon to eat it. I repeat – a spoon. And it wasn’t even his…

“Liam, are you okay?” asked Louis.

“Huh? What?” Liam realized what was being asked and shrugged, “Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be okay, Louis? Don’t worry about me…” He took the cereal-filled spoon into his mouth again and I glanced at Louis and Harry – they were staring at Liam too. Liam was rambling…he never rambles when he speaks. Something was wrong. Maybe it was time to make Liam realize that.

“Uh, Liam,” I started to say and he looked at me, “You’re…uh…eating your cereal with a spoon.”

“So? Cereals are supposed to be eaten with a spoon, silly. What? You think I’ll use a fork?” He continued to eat and that was it – I was speechless.

“Liam, what’s happening? What happened?” Harry started asking.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Haz. Nothing happened.”

“Okay,” Harry sighed, “Let me rephrase that question: what happened upstairs with you and Niall?”

Liam suddenly choked with the cereal and dropped the spoon into the bowl causing all the contents to spill onto the table.

“I knew it.” Harry mumbled, “I told you, Louis.”

“Let’s not jump into conclusions, Harold.” Louis said in a warning tone, “You can’t possible tell that with a simple choking incident.”