"You didn't show up yesterday." Zayn looked up from the book he was reading to meet the stern look on Louis' face. He got out of his bed with a confused expression.
"How did you get in here?" He asked and Louis rolled his eyes.
"I've known you for years, we're not strangers. Let's not act as if we don't both own a set of keys to each other's houses. Now why didn't you show up yesterday?" Zayn sat up with a slight frown on his face when he picked up the stern tone of Louis' voice.
"I was out for dinner with my parents and Sanders' family. It was their wedding anniversary, hell your family was there. I should be asking you why you didn't show up." He bit back and Louis' eyes widened slightly, a feeling of guilt creeping in when he realized he had come here with the intention to chide Zayn for abandoning him for Harry when in fact he was the one that had abandoned Zayn. But, like most men, Louis refused to claim responsibility and instead tried to deviate blame.
"Well, I didn't know and you never brought it up cause you were too occupied with Harry." He shot back, causing his friend to quickly get up from the bed and approach him. Harry was still fresh on Zayn's mind, especially now that he knew his traumatic past. Too say Harry was a sensitive topic would be an understatement.
"Why the fuck are you bringing him into this?" He asked, almost seething and Louis, noticing that Zayn was getting slightly angrier than anticipated, backtracked slightly, deciding that getting into a fight with his best friend over Harry simply wasn't worth it.
"Nothing, nothing. I didn't mean it in that way, I'm simply saying that you and I are spending a lot less time together and I feel like it's because you're devoting more and more of the time we should be hanging out to be with Harry. Even though you already spend most of the school day with him anyway." Louis clarified and Zayn sighed, hands running through his hair in frustration.
"Look, Louis. I get you, I really do. And I'm sorry that I'm not spending as much as time as I should with you. It's just, Lou, Harry's gone through some really fucked up shit ok?" Zayn couldn't hold in his emotions any longer, just thinking about all Harry had endured, alone, made his eyes well up and he sniffled, trying to stop himself from crying but he couldn't help. Louis didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around him in a hug.
"You don't have to justify it, I know you Zayn, if whatever happened to him has got you so upset it must be so fucking terrible. I should be the one apologizing, it's stupid and selfish of me to come here and get all upset when I at least have the ability to open my big ass mouth and spew nonsense. I was only thinking about myself and not taking into account why you're doing what you're doing. I'm sorry." Zayn shook his head as he stepped away from Louis and sat on his bed.
"It's fine, neither of us did anything wrong. It's just so awful, Lou, and I can't help but constantly think about him and his wellbeing which is why I just prefer to be around him all the time because that way I can know for sure that he's safe." Louis nodded, rubbing Zayn's back as he sat next to him, he remained silent for awhile, deep in thought before he turned to face his friend.
"Zayn," He began and Zayn looked up at him, waiting for him to continue. "Do you like Harry?" Silence before Zayn scoffed and shook his head.
"Just because I show someone that I care about them doesn't automatically mean that I like them Louis. By that logic it would mean I liked you or even Niall." Louis hummed in agreement but he wasn't all too convinced. Sure, Zayn was the type of guy to wear his heart on his sleeve. He cared for everybody in his life deeply and wasn't afraid to show it, he remembered how supportive and loving Zayn had been when his mother died; he fed, bathed and took care of the twin, who were still babies then, as if they were his own blood. Hell, there were times were Louis was so lost in grief, refusing to take care of himself, that Zayn took it upon himself to clean him up and practically spoonfed him. And he did all this without hesitation all becaused he cared, Zayn always did.
However, this was different. Louis couldn't point it out exactly but there was something different about the way Zayn cared for Harry. It seemed almost, consuming.
"I was just asking Zayn. But, you know that I wouldn't judge you right? If you ever liked a boy I mean, not necessarily Harry. " Zayn gave Louis a pointed look before rolling his eyes.
"Mum should be done with dinner now, are you joining us?" Louis grinned mischievously as he nodded his head and followed him downstairs, Zayn hadn't denied his statement. What did that mean?
***
Zayn walked through the school towards his class almost nervously. He was lucky, it was two pm in the afternoon, the sun shone brightly in the sky and this was his first class of the day. Which meant he had only rolled out of bed about forty five minues ago after going to bed at five am. He didn't care about his lack of sleep which was anyway a direct result of his constant concern for Harry. Even now, he was thinking about how he knew Harry had had classes all morning and perhaps he should have woken up early to see him. It didn't matter, because in a matter of minutes he had walked into his sociology class and was eagerly scanning the class for a familiar set of brunette locs only he didn't find them. He frowned as he slowly walked to his seat, it didn't make sense that Harry wasn't here as he was already late, in fact, Sanders was already mid-lecture when he waltzed in.
Zayn shot Sanders a questioning look as he pulled out his laptop and the professor took advantage of the class' brief distraction to point towards the back. Zayn turned around to see that Harry was sitting all the way the back of the lecture hall, the large hoodie he was wearing keeping him hidden. He turned back, confusion more than evident on his face. He anxiously waited for the class to end before rushing to meet Harry. However, Harry was already halfway out of the class and Zayn all but ran to catch up with.
"Harry slow down." He breathed, stepping in front of him, forcing Harry to stop. The man looked everywhere but at Zayn, as if he were ashamed or something. Zayn wondered if Harry somehow found out that he knew of his past and that that was why he was now acting like this. "Har-" He couldn't even begin to form a sentence as Harry pointed out at his watch before giving Zayn an apologetic smile and leaving. The latter could do nothing but watch him walk away, completely taken aback.
Time ticked by slowly and Zayn bit his fingernails anxiously as he waited for his last class to end, he was the first one out of the class when it was dismissed and he raced out towards the car park hoping to catch Harry before he left. Coincidentally, Liam, Niall and Louis were gathered by the faculty entrace, waiting for him.
"Hey Zayn!" Liam greeted, the group of friends had arranged to go out into town together as they hadn't spent quality time together in a long time.
"Have you seen Harry?" Zayn asked urgently, ignoring Liam's greeting. The latter frowned, his resentment for Harry only increasing.
"No, what's wrong?" Louis questioned, sensing the urgency in his voice.
"I just really need to find him." Zayn answered and Louis nodded, no words needed for Zayn to understand that he was telling him to go ahead and look for him.
"Can you believe this?" Liam said in disbelief as he watched Zayn run off, Niall shrugged, unbothered as always while Louis gave Liam a stern gaze.
"What exactly is your problem with Zayn and Harry's friendship, you've been giving them shit for so long, it's about time you got over it." Liam grew angry at Louis' words.
"Get over it? Zayn's all but thrown us away every since he met that kid. What the fuck do those two have in common? What could they possibly be talking about that he prefers his company over ours? Hell what am I saying, the bastard can't even speak."
"Liam, watch your fucking mouth." Louis warned, taking a threatening step forward.
"Do you even know what people are saying about Zayn?" Liam seethed, taking an equal step towards Louis. "They say he's using Harry' mouth for things other than speaking, that he-" The punch came out of nowhere and Louis steppbed back in shock as Niall looked at Liam with so much disappointment. Niall wasn't one to get involved in these things. If he wasn't working on assignments or studying for exams, he spent his time watch Korean dramas or obessing over boybands and variety shows. He minded his own business which is why he was so easy to get along with and so it was shocking for Louis to see him physically hit Liam like that. Infact, Louis was about to do that but the blonde pushed him aside, beating him to it.
"What the fuck is your problem Liam? If you heard shit like that why didn't you say something in Zayn's defence instead of standing here, supporting it.You know Zayn suffers from social anxiety do you know he'll feel once he gets to hear of this? If the roles were reversed you know Zayn would have gone through hell, wind and fire to make sure your name stayed out of other people's mouth. How can you even sit here and call yourself his friend."Niall spat angrily, accent thicker than ever. He didn't say anything else before grabbing his things, marching off to the dorms.
"You really can be a piece of shit sometimes." Louis added before leaving Liam to help Zayn find Harry.
A/N: Don't forget to vote and comment!!!!