"Even i was unaware of her appereance" liam says softly, his eyes still glued on floor "i came early today and saw her asking for the manager. I-i quickly attended her- i did what i felt was right. I waited for you b-but you didn't showed up- and louis snapped on me when i asked about you and then Mr.Malik saw me with Ms.Campbell an- i sent Niall to wake you- if you think its my fault- i am sor-"
"He likes you more than me" zayn interrupts him and goes to sit on his chair, which didnt felt that comfortable this time.
"Zayn thats not tr-"
"That's okay, liam. Can you like leave? I want to be alone" Zayn resorts sharply to which liam sadly nods and leaves.
Liam cant see him upset and he knew exactly the person who can put a smile on his face no matter what.
He walks into the staff dining hall and just as he enters it- the whole hall turns into pin drop silence, used to their uptight manager, but liam ignores them and goes to harry's table who was far from the door to notice him coming.
"He fucking yelled at me harold! Like such an ass to shut his best friend. I know him since forver. That douchebag!" Louis stopped his rant went he saw liam coming.
"Louis zayn needs you" liam says the moment he is in his audible range.
Louis rolls his eyes and ignores him "so what are we having for lunch?" He asks niall.
Harry tears his eyes between liam and louis and slowly nudges louis' arm.
"He came to work late today and Mr.Malik was waiting- he kinda bashed on z-"
"What did he said????" Louis yells with wide eyes, now giving liam he complete attention.
"Mostly how disappointed he is" liam trails off
"Shit" louis facepalms himself and gets on his feet "i need to check on him. He becomes extra sensitive when it comes to his dad"
"Can i tag alone?" Liam asks with pleading eyes.
Louis gives him a edgy look and shakes his head in a no "Uncle said something about you?" Louis asks instead.
"Yea- He...." liam's eyes goes down to the floor as he struggle to phrase his words "he told me stop helping him an-"
"Why do you do that liam?" Louis asks angrily.
"Hmm?" Liam lowers his glare to louis who was looking pissed enough to kill him.
"Do you like it when Uncle puts him below you?" Louis asks, folding his hand defensively as he watches liam widen his eyes.
"Louis" niall warns but louis ignores him and steps closer to liam.
"You are the reason why zayn is insecure about his bloody father. No wonder he hates you"
"Louis stop it" harry holds him back but he yanks his hand away and walks out of the dinning table.
"Liam?" Niall calls him softly.
"I-i i will be right back" liam's voice cracks up a little as he nods to himself and leaves.
"That stupid little hedgehog" harry curses under his breathe.
-------------------
Louis storms into his office, his eyes hungrily searching for his best friend.
"Dont you have fucking knocking manners???? GET OUT!!!" Zayn's voice comes from the chair which was rotated to its back. And from his voice he can say that zayn is already crying, his voice was spilling pain.
"Babe" louis calls softly
"Louis??" Zayn rotates his chair quickly and his eyes instantly meets his bestfriend and for a second Louis' heart skipped a beat on seeing how read and broken zayn looks
"I am sorry lou" zayn apologizes, biting his lower lip
"Get your ass over here,asshole" louis goes to him and zayn pulls him in a tight hug, almost suffocating him.
"So you gonna cry the day or get your ass back to work?? We have to win this you know? Harry was just saying me how rich brats cant win this. So why not lets just show him, yea?"
Zayn breaks his hugs and nods, wiping his eyes "yea" he whimpers and a smile creeps on his face.
"Im gonna prove my dad that i am better than liam"
LIAM!
Louis always and still think that liam is no doubt a good guy but zayn is his first priority, his bestfriend, and the fact that liam is the reason why zayn is insecure about himself is slowly changing his view fot him.
-----------------------
"NO MATTER WHAT I DO HARRY! NO MATTER WHAT! THINGS ALWAYS BACK FIRE ON ME!" liam growls, his tears uncontrollably falling down his eyes.
"Liam please calm down" niall tries to console him but liam just moves back from his range.
"NO NIALL!! THIS IS ALL MY FAULT!! HE HATES ME" liam whines and wipes cheeks "it was a stupid idea all along to work here"
"What are you talking about" harry frowns
"I am the reason why he is insecure about his own father harry! I AM THE BLOODY REASON! It will be so much better of i leave. Maybe then -"
"Nothing will happen even after that" harry cuts liam and shruggs "even when you wont be here Mr.Malik is going to compare him to you"
"Then what should i do harry! I dont want him to hate me. I dont want him to he insecure- insecure about a person who is madly in love with him"
"Your love amaze me" niall says with wide eyes and next looks at harry "remember how it took us atleast 5 years to actually fall in love and here he is- in love - with a person he is not even friends with"
"I know him since high school- if you are missing that part" liam rolls his teary eyes at his best friend.
"Anyway what the fuck did Malik do to steal your heart to a point where you fell in love so hard for him?" Niall chuckles
"I was tranfered to Fox International School in the middle of semester and i honestly felt like i was an animal in zoo- it was crazy and i was bullied for few days a-"
"And zayn came in your guardian?" Harry raises his brow and liam shyly nods
"he did" he admits and a small smile creeps on his face "it was raining when few boys dragged me in football ground after school and started beating me up for God knows why and zayn came for help.... It was raining hard but that didnt stopped me from seeing those chiseled cheekbones, sharp jawline, a face that God took his own time to sculpt.... i swear i fell in love that moment" liam face lits up on recalling that and his glittery eyes looks at his friend with complete happiness " he was beautiful- i- i never saw someone like that. I felt those butterflies spin in my stomach but back then i was too insecure about myself, i thought i am not worth him like he was those popular guy in school and i was a business nerd who no one paid attention to" he shrugged.
"And now look at you. Puberty did its magic" niall chuckles.
"But now when i made myself good enough for him- he - he hates me" liam hissed softly and his eyes moists up.
"Dont loose hope liam! You've loved him since you were 16, now just dont fucking give up!" Harry boosted him and that helped because now liam was feeling confident again.
"I know just what exactly i have to do" liam says with a smirk, confusing his best friends.
"Ummm good?" Niall trails off
Liam just nods and smiles to himself.
Yea this has to work out!
---------------------
"G'morning Mr.Malik" liam wishes, as soon as he enters zayn's cabin next morning. Surprisingly zayn was on time and was lazily scanning a file while his legs rested on the table.
On hearing him, zayn just acknowledge his presence and didnt bothered himself to reply or atleast straighten up his position.
"Mr.Yasir Malik went to france for 3 days" liam says, trying to grab zayn in a conversation.
"Hmm i know" zayn humms and ignores him.
"Soooo i was thinking that maybe ummm you know we can loosen up a little and -"
"And dad will officially disown me as a son?" Zayn raises his brow, keeping his chills down, or atleast trying to keep his chills down- cuz right now even liam's voice was irritating his ear.
"He will never do that zayn! He loves you" liam says softly.
"Nope! he doesnt! If he did he would've never wanted me to be like you. I hope you do know that you are his image for 'ideal son' , the son every dad wants and shit! Just leave liam! Please leave" zayn trails off and had his focus back on the file.
"He dont want you to be like me" liam says sternly.
Zayn bitterly laughs and slams the file loudly on the desk "are you forgeting the first time i took you infront of Dad he was on a Full mode rant on how he wants me to be like you?"
"He didnt meant that" liam says hesitantly.
"Please enlight me" zayn rolls his eyes.
"He wants you to be like how i am" liam explains but zayn raises his brows "are you drunk, liam?" He asks.
"What he meant was you to be like me- like how i am" liam says, moving his hands.
"You make no sense"
"Oh god! You have always been so dumb" liam sighs
"Sorry?"
"You always sucked in math and economics, remember" liam points.
Zayn widens his eyes but quickly masked his surprised face "it doesn't make me dumb- those subjects were dumb" he huffs.
Liam walks to him and sits on the table, on his way twatting his legs off the table so can he can sit straight in chair and pay him his full attention.
"You are Zayn Malik" he points his finger at him "and i am Liam Payne" he says pointing his finger at himself.
"I wasn't knowing that" zayn replies sarcastically and batts his innocent eye lashes at him.
Liam smiles at how cute he looks right now but yea he is in middle of showing him something important.
"When your dad said he wanted you to be like me, he meant how i am like me- like how i am Liam Payne"
"Get off from me, liam! You sound stupid" zayn growls and tries to get up but liam pushes him back forcefully on his chair and grabs his tie pulling his closer to his face and thats where zayn's heart started beating high to come out of his throat. Its like the air thinned out from his lungs.
"Listen to me zayn! You can never be like me- Because you are zayn not liam" liam says strickly.
"Well fuck you- i can be like you" zayn growls
"But the point is you dont have to, love" liam shouts so sternly yet softly that zayn completely melted into his words, dropping all his rage in an instant. How can someone sound so full of love??? He thinks.
"You just have to be like you, like how i am like me! Thats what your dad wants you to be" liam says, knocking his forehead on his "He dont want you to be like Liam Payne, he wants you to be Zayn Malik- be yourself"
Zayn gulps and nods "you think that will work?" He asks, finally understanding what he mean.
"You bet!" Liam declares happily and moves away "i trust you"
"So what i have to do?" zayn asks, raising his brow.
"Turn this hotel the way you like. Umm for example" liam brings his finger upto his lips- thinking "I like this hotel to be punctual and ummm tidy- i dont like people chatting around during work or mix their personal and professional lives"
"So you want me to change that?"
"If you think you need to- then go for it! I am here just if things go wrong so you dont have to worry about it. You're not risking anything- i promise" liam assures.
"You think i can bring a change?" Zayn looks at him with questionable eyes.
"Well you're the boss ofcourse you can- if not you then who?" Liam shruggs like its the most obvious thing and zayn chuckles loudly, nodding to himself.
"Arrange a staff meeting for me- can you do that?" Zayn asks and liam happily nods. Ofcouse he can do that - duhh!!!
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