Chapter Eighty Seven – Zayn
Zayn groans as he eats his lunch alone again a week later, before there's a knock on his classroom door "come in" he calls as the door pushes open. "Mr. Malik, can you help me for a second?" Trina, one of his seventh grade students asks, "absolutely, what do you need?" Zayn asks, motioning for her to sit in the seat in front of his desk. Trina pulls some papers out of her bag and sets them on his desk "it's this assignment you gave us, I'm completely stuck" she sighs. Zayn chuckles and reaches for the papers, smiling as he takes them from her reading over the start of her essay quickly. "Alright, Trina you're off to a good start, but I'm not seeing any of you in this paper, and I think that's why you're getting stuck" Zayn starts, chuckling when the thirteen year old furrows her eyebrows at him. "Have you ever done anything that you feel guilty about?" Zayn asks and Trina bites her lip, before nodding, "alright well you need to draw from that, good writers, write what they know" Zayn explains passing the papers back to her, Trina nods, "alright I'll try that. Thanks Mr. Malik. I'll um, let you get back to your lunch now" she mumbles "no problem Trina. I'll see you in class tomorrow" Zayn answers before she skips out of the room again. Trina's just out of sight when Jessie catches the still open door and walks through it, "you need to just come eat in the staff room already" she groans, but Zayn shakes his head. "So I can hear about how terrible I am for loving Liam, and having children? No thanks I'm fine here" Zayn spits. Jessie sighs "that's exactly what Jason wants you know? And he's the only one with a problem" she mumbles. Zayn shakes his head "I know and thank you Jess, but honestly I'm fine in here" he murmurs. Jessie sighs again "alright, I have some marking to do. Come find me if you want company?" she asks, Zayn grins nodding "of course" he answers before Jessie leaves the room.
Zayn sighs as he makes his way up to the apartment, they had a staff meeting so he got home late, he opens the door pushing a couple boxes out of the way with his foot. "Liam?" he calls, "kitchen" Liam calls back and Zayn drops his keys onto the table and heads towards the kitchen. "BABA!" Bella yells jumping off her chair to throw herself at Zayn, "inside voice Baby Girl" Zayn murmurs, pressing a kiss to her hair, "how was your meeting?" Liam asks as Zayn leans over to press a kiss to his lips. "It was boring as usual but it's the last one for awhile, so there's that" Zayn shrugs. Liam hands him a plate, "sorry we already ate" he murmurs and Zayn smiles "it's fine" he murmurs as Bella squirms to be set down, once she's on her feet she takes off towards the living room. Zayn watches her go before sitting down and starting to eat his dinner, "how was your day?" Zayn asks as Liam sits across from him "same as usual" Liam shrugs and Zayn nods taking another bite. He can hear Bella playing in the other room and smiles at the sound, "we really need to get packing we get the house next week right?" Zayn asks and Liam chuckles. "Yeah we do, and I was going to stay home tomorrow, maybe hire a company to help us pack" Liam suggests. Zayn nods "I would normally say no, but I don't think we'll get packed any other way" he mumbles, going back to his dinner.
Zayn's cleaning up after dinner when Liam approaches him, he looks almost nervous and Zayn arches an eyebrow at him "what is it?" Zayn asks and Liam sighs. "I was just thinking that maybe we should be looking into preschools for Bella" Liam says and Zayn turns away from the sink to arch an eyebrow at him. "Just hear me out Zayn" Liam starts and Zayn bites his lip and nods for Liam to continue, "I just think that Bella needs to make some friends, her own age, and she doesn't have to go everyday, she could still stay with your mum most days, just preschool maybe twice a week" Liam explains. Zayn takes a deep breath, shaking his head "I don't think so Liam" he murmurs, Liam furrows his eyebrows, "why not Zayn? She doesn't really know how to play with other kids, or get to see any for that matter" Liam pushes. Zayn groans and runs a hand through his hair "Liam, please she's fine with Mum and she sees your sisters' kids all the time and they all get along just fine" he says. "Zayn just think about it, I think our daughter needs to make friends. She's going to start school next year and I just don't want her to feel like she's behind" Liam pleads. Zayn narrows his eyes at that, he doesn't know why he's feeling so defensive about this, he just is, he knows he stressed from work and he doesn't want to take it out on Liam, but he's pretty sure he's about to. "I said no Liam. Drop it" he spits, and Liam looks taken aback before he shakes his head, "Zayn, please just think about what's best for Bella here" Liam asks and Zayn shakes his head, "I am thinking about what's best for Bella. She is my daughter after all, and I said she's fine. Drop it Liam" Zayn spits. He regrets it as soon as he says it, really he does, especially when he sees the look of betrayal in Liam's eyes, but he can't bring himself to apologize, Liam nods "I see. Alright then I think I'll sleep in the guest room tonight" he mumbles before turning to leave the kitchen, Zayn just stands frozen watching him leave and he knows he should go after him but he just can't, not right now anyways.
Zayn busies himself with getting Bella ready for bed, to keep his own guilty thoughts from consuming him, "Daddy night?" Bella asks and Zayn forces a smile "of course Love, he's in the spare room I think, why don't you go say goodnight?" Zayn asks. Bella giggles and runs out of her room stopping at the guest room and pushing open the door "Baba?" she calls and Zayn follows her up the hall, "yeah Boo?" he asks as he approaches, "no Daddy" she points into the room and Zayn feels his heart clench. Liam's not in the guest room and when Zayn checks he's not in his office either, he tries calling him but it goes straight to voicemail, which never happens. That's when Zayn starts to really feel the guilt, yes he had a bad day, and yes he was stressed and upset, but that doesn't excuse what he said to Liam, he basically told him that he has no say in Bella's life because he's not her biological father. Zayn can feel the tears starting in his eyes as he dials Louis' number, his best friend answers after three rings, "I'm sorry to bother you Lou" Zayn cries as soon as Louis picks up "hey no you're fine, what happened?" Louis soothes and Zayn sobs, "I screwed up and Liam's gone" Zayn cries. "What do you mean gone?" Louis asks calmly, "I mean we got in a stupid argument because I'm too stubborn and he said he was going to sleep in the spare room, but he's gone, he left Louis" Zayn cries. "Alright Zee, where's Bella?" Louis asks and Zayn frowns, "she's in bed, I tucked her in before I called you" he answers. Louis hums "okay that's good. I'm coming over, and I'll sit with Bella while you go see if you can find Liam, okay?" Louis asks and Zayn sniffles "okay" he mumbles. "We'll see you soon Zee. You'll fix this" Louis hums before he hangs up.
Zayn spends the fifteen minutes he's waiting for Louis calling Liam and leaving several voicemails, because he never picks up. A knock on the door makes Zayn jump, before he pulls it open and falls into his best friend's arms, "you'll fix this Zayn" Louis hums, "yeah sounds like you both needed to cool off" Harry coos. Zayn looks up at him, he should have known Louis would bring Harry, "thank you, I'm going to go check Niall's I hopefully won't be long" Zayn murmurs. "We're here, and we've got all night, take your time and fix this Zayn" Louis says sternly. "Liam needs to be here when Bella wakes up" Louis adds and Zayn nods, because he's right, before he grabs his keys and phone and makes his way down to his car. He notices Liam's isn't there when he gets to it and pouts, before climbing inside his own and starting it up and making his way towards Niall's apartment, hoping his fiancé is there.
Zayn knocks impatiently on Niall's door once he gets to the apartment the blond pulling it open after several knocks, "what do you want?" he spits and Zayn sighs, "is he here?" he asks. Niall narrows his eyes at Zayn before nodding, "but I don't think he wants to see you" he answers. Zayn nods "I know and I understand if you want to slam this door in my face but Niall please, I need to see Liam, I need to make this right" he pleads. He must look as desperate as he feels because Niall nods and steps out of the way for Zayn to come in, "he's in the guest room, second door on the left" Niall sighs. "Thank you" Zayn hums and Niall nods, "just fix it Malik, now" he orders and Zayn nods before running off down the hall.
Zayn takes a deep breath before he pushes open the door, to see Liam curled up on the bed his back to the door, "I really don't want to talk about it Niall, please go away" Liam mumbles and Zayn frowns, he sounds like he's been crying. "I'm not Niall" Zayn murmurs and Liam whips around to glare at him "I don't want to talk to you either" he spits "you made yourself clear back at home" he adds. Zayn sighs nodding as he walks further into the room "then just listen, yeah?" he asks. Liam narrows his eyes but nods his head, pushing himself so he's sitting up, "I'm sorry" Zayn starts and Liam scoffs, "no I am. I'm sorry, I never should have said that to you. Bella is as much your daughter as she is mine, and I had no right to imply that she isn't" Zayn says, tears starting to fall down his cheeks. Liam furrows his eyebrows, "Do you believe that she is yours, not mine?" Liam mumbles and Zayn shakes his head, taking a step closer to Liam, "no, not at all. Because she is yours Liam. You are her father just as much as I am and I'm stupid and was so wrong to say that she wasn't" Zayn pleads. Liam nods his head, "then why did you Zayn?" he asks and Zayn shakes his head "I had a really shitty day, couple weeks actually. But that's no excuse, I was stressed and angry at some homophobic ass that I work with and I took it out on you" he explains. Liam's eyes soften and he reaches out for Zayn who steps closer, falling onto the bed beside him, "why didn't you just tell me? We could have figured it out" Liam hums and Zayn nods, biting his lip, "I know and I'm sorry, I really am. How can I make you see how sorry I am?" he asks. Liam grins, "kiss me?" he asks and Zayn nods surging forward to press their lips together in a hungry kiss.
When they pull apart they're both breathless, "when I noticed you had left, I thought you were gone for good, and I was so scared" Zayn murmurs. Liam shakes his head "not for good. I just needed to cool off, you did too. So I came to Niall's" he explains. Zayn nods "I would deserve for you to leave me for good though, I'm terrible" he mumbles. Liam sighs leaning forward to press their foreheads together, "you're not terrible, you said some stupid things, but you don't deserve for me to leave you. Just please next time you feel this way talk to me about it before you say things you don't mean and we both end up hurt?" Liam asks, Zayn chuckles, "yeah, promise" he murmurs, kissing Liam quickly. "Are you coming home with me, or staying here?" Zayn asks after a minute and Liam hums "coming home" he murmurs, and Zayn has never been more relieved in his life. He realizes Liam was only gone for a couple hours but it was the worst couple hours of Zayn's life, he needs Liam in his life, in his arms and he never wants to push him away again. "I really am sorry" Zayn murmurs, Liam smiles and kisses Zayn gently, "I forgive you babe" he coos. "Let's go home and see our girl" Zayn mumbles and Liam grins, "I'd love that, I just have to say thanks to Niall, I'll be home right after you I promise" he murmurs kissing Zayn again. Zayn nods and leaves the room, Liam following behind, "good you two fixed it" Niall exclaims when he sees them, "yeah we did, thanks Niall" Liam hums. Niall waves him off "that's what I'm here for" he grins before Zayn and Liam leave the apartment hand in hand.