shelter {zs}

(4) sugar

Throughout these years, Zayn had developed a fucked up saviour complex.

While Harry was off in France doing god knows what, Zayn thought of him everyday. Counting days till he'd come back and how he'd be ready to serve his master.

That's what Harry's dad had said.

"If you're going to be a free loader, better do it the right way and pay me back by looking after my son." His dad had said.

He was raised to be Harry's shadow and Zayn didn't know any better.

He was grateful that he even got to have a decent education because of Harry, he got decent meals everyday especially because Harry always looked out for him. If it wasn't for Harry he'd be out the streets.

Still the fact that Harry hadn't called even once to check up on him was making Zayn feel uneasy. Maybe he had gotten bored of him.

This was their last year after all, he didn't know if Harry's dad was going to pay for him to go to university with Harry. Somewhere at the bottom of his heart, he hoped they'd let him follow Harry there.

He could actually get to have a life then, obviously he'd still be Harry's body guard but he could also be Harry's friend. They won't have restrictions hanging over their heads.

He wondered who protected Harry when he was in France.

Harry pushed the door open to the pancake place only to be greeted by the same blonde girl.

Zayn stopped short, right behind Harry.

"Hi Zayn!" she visibly brightened and Zayn cringed, smiling politely.

Giggling, Harry got into the seat besides the window once again, eyeing Zayn.

How did this girl know his name anyway? He didn't remember introducing himself.

Without a word, he sat in front of Harry.

The blonde walked over towards them, "I'll be taking your orders today. I know your order by heart Zayn, Grandma told me. Will you be having the same or something else?"

"Um, yeah that, but make it two." Zayn mumbled fidgeting with the house keys.

She grinned widely, "You know grandma only perfected my recipe, she told me how much you liked it, you'd like hers less after you've had mine." She side eyed Harry like her sentence had a double meaning.

Harry just grinned, amused.

"We can't wait to try it out." Harry smirked. "But- we don't even know your name."

"Claire." She answered Harry coldly before turning back to Zayn with a bright smile, "I'll be right back with your order."

She flicked her hair behind her and walked away.

"Man does she have crush on you." Harry whistled, "That's rare, isn't it, someone taking interest in you rather than me."

Zayn made a face, "She's pretty."

"Why'd you make that face?" Harry laughed, "You should ask her out."

Zayn stopped playing with the keys and stared at Harry who had a weird smile on his face. Challenging Zayn.

"I don't know." He mumbled, tracing the logo on the key absentmindedly, "I'm not good with that stuff."

Zayn barely had any social skills.

"Oh come on, you've never dated, and she's gorgeous, go for it." Harry's voice had a challenging tilt to it which didn't sit right in Zayn's stomach.

"Maybe." Zayn smiled lightly, "I don't have time for dating though."

"You don't have to follow me around everywhere I could give you a break." Harry nudged, "I won't tell dad."

Zayn looked up frowning, "We'll see Harry."

He didn't know why Harry was so insistent on him dating someone he barely knew. It made him feel all kinds of awkward, he wasn't like Harry, outgoing, bright and bubbly and extremely charming.

He was that weird brown boy in a mostly white neighbourhood who followed the curly haired charismatic boy around that was his identity.

And to see Claire so interested in him was also making him feel unusual.

Was Harry trying to get rid of him?

Zayn shook that thought away.

"Fine, whatever, don't complain about it later." He rolled his eyes.

"When have I ever complained about not getting to date?" Zayn furrowed his brows.

"You're like seventeen, don't you feel the urge to fuck?"

Zayn's eyes widened, "Shut up!" he hissed, "You're so weird."

"Why? Because I don't want my best friend to die a virgin?" Harry laughed.

Before Zayn could retort, Claire came out with two steaming plates of pancakes.

Zayn smiled at her, "Thank you."

"Thank me with your number." She blushed, catching Zayn off guard.

Harry stabbed his pancake with a fork loudly making Zayn and Claire look at him.

"You guys are so cute." Harry grinned from ear to ear, painfully.

Zayn looked back up at Claire again who was now staring at him expectantly.

"Uh... sure?" Zayn cleared his throat.

"Cool." Claire fished out her phone from her back pocket and handed it over to Zayn who quickly tapped his digits in before handing it over to her. "Thanks then, I'll text you."

Zayn nodded awkwardly and looked away, back into his pancakes, it looked like she had poured a generous amount of Nutella on his pancakes.

"Congratulations, you have a girlfriend!" Harry cheered making Zayn roll his eyes.

.

.

.

"Is he going to follow us everywhere?" Jenna, the same brunette girl from the night before whispered to Harry. Lucky for Zayn he could hear her as he sat a seat behind them in the bus.

Technically it was his job to follow Harry around everywhere but at times like these he really wished he didn't exist or he was adopted by some other family.

But then he looked into Harry's moss green eyes and plump lips, all those thoughts evaporated. It was fatal really. He hated being this way.

Still, he would have preferred having to not watch Harry make out with girls on the bus or outside their house.

Harry took a glance back, "Yeah, he's my body guard."

"Why do you need a body guard anyway?" she asked.

Harry didn't answer and Zayn looked down at his scraped boots.

"Why does it matter? He's just doing his job." Harry rolled his eyes.

"It's weird to do stuff when he's glaring at the back of my head."

Before Harry could glance back, Zayn quickly looked out of the window, his heart rabbiting in his chest.

His earphones were in but nothing was playing but it was a useful prop to let others know he wasn't listening in.

"Ignore him, he's moody sometimes." Harry's hand came up to her cheek as they kissed softly making Zayn's throat feel a bit tight.

On que, his phone buzzed.

He looked down to see a text message from an unknown number.

Hey, this is Claire xx

Zayn let out a long drawn out sigh.