Stars Dance
Chapter 61
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Adam's Point of View
I SAT IN the diner with my father , uneasy as he sipped into his coffee. I didn't know how to react to seeing him since finding out Zayn is my brother. I look at him in a different light now, from what Zayn was saying about my father in the conference room; I see him in a totally different light right now. Zayn painted him out to be a monster and yet he has not been that to me my whole life.
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How could Zayn and I have lived two totally different lives? I still couldn't fathom that, here in front of sat a man who was there for me all my life when I needed him, supported me in everything possible. Whereas, he just wasn't there for Zayn whatsoever. Just an absent figure there who loomed over but never was never really there. I know that this wasn't all his fault, my mom very well knew who my father was before all of this and she still stayed with him and had me.
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I had no room in my heart to look at him any other way than as my dad, because all of this happened before I was even in the picture, I had no clue Zayn existed. I was disappointed however, in the way all of this was handled because essentially I felt like I was stuck in the middle of it all. My dad and Zayn were always going to be at each other's throats. Unless Zayn had a change of heart but I doubted it.
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"It's been awhile since we sat down and talked like this." He said clearing his throat and adjusting his suit to lean back into the chair.
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"You know I sit here and look at you and it's like I don't even recognize the person I've known all my life to be my dad." I flat out and say.
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"I just wish there was a better way I could have told you both." He admits. "I tried many times, with Zayn but when he and I sit down to speak about such issue like this he just has this anger-...he can't even look at me."
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I raise my brows and pick at the cardboard of the coffee cup holder with my fingernails. "How could he not?" I say in a frustrated tone. "Like who even are you right now?" I scoff. "How could you have given him and I totally different lives?"
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He sighs rubbing his forehead. "I was in a different headspace. I know your brother won't listen or reason with me and he has every right to feel the way he does but tell me at least you'll try to understand." He says in a frustrated tone, I can tell that he's tried to reason with Zayn many times over this. "Where I'm coming from?"
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I sigh, frustrated and not really knowing what to do or say. "You know he is embarrassed that I am even remotely related to him?" I say my thoughts out loud. "I know he won't say it to my face but I know he hates that I even exist" I lift my shoulders. "He looks at me with disgust that I am even alive right now." I chuckle, covering my trauma with humor. "He sees me as this perfect kid that you molded to be because you failed to do so with him." I say angrily. "It's like I don't even know my own dad." I nod my head sideways. "I don't know you." I repeat.
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I begin to stand up from the table. "Adam, son. Please." He grows desperate.
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"Look." I say grabbing onto the strap of my satchel. "I'm not angry with you or resent you the way he does, because in the end I'm not going to victimize myself from his pain, and dislike of how feels for you." I explain. "I just need time to take this all in, because-...one day I'm an only child, then another day I'm have a half brother and three sisters who I have but never known."
***
That afternoon I sat in the study hall, in one of the table conducting one of my daily tutoring sessions. I mainly took on the topics of Econ and literature, they were my specialities and I helped anyone who needed it. Jackie was meeting me here to go to dinner together later. I didn't know if I should tell her about what Chris had told Zayn earlier. He has issues of his own and as much Jackie wanted to there for him, Zayn was a guy of a thousand demons not even she could fix.
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Jackie deserved a life of her own and shouldn't have to worry for Zayn, at every minute of every second. However, if I didn't, I know she would find out soon, and I couldn't lie to Jackie. She would see right through me if she did, the way Jackie carried herself was fearless. She was very beautiful and I was surprised a girl like her would even look in my direction. She was out of my league, and I knew that very well. Opposites did attract because Jackie was more open, outgoing, honest, and let people know what was on her mind whether they wanted to hear it or not. Whereas I was more reserve, quiet, didn't bother anyone who didn't bother me.
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Jackie appeared through the study hall doors, smiling when she spotted me but her small went into a straight as she approached the table. "Hey baby." She said with a smile on her face, eyeing the girl next to me as she focused on writing in her notebook. Leaning down and pressing her mouth against mine.
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"Hi." I whispered to her shyly, caught of guard from her sudden PDA. "I'm almost done ok?" I said.
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She nodded her head and didn't say anything else and went to go sit at one of the sofa's across from the table I was sitting at. I cleared my throat and focused my attention back on the girl who sat beside me. "So these notes here are just pointers to help you on your conclusion for your essay, it's important you finish it with really strong points." I smiled.
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"Strong?" The girl moved her head slightly to the side. "Like how strong?" She questioned, chewing on her own cap and giggling slightly.
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I chuckled and cleared my throat. "Well I suggest-..." I began when Jackie appeared next to the table. "Jackie-.."
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My eyes widen when Jackie began grabbing her stuff and packing it one on top of another. "Pack your shit and go." She said sliding her things over to her. "Now." Jackie snapped her fingers.
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"You're fucking crazy." The young woman bit back.
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Jackie chuckled. "Oh yeah? I'll show you crazy." Jackie defended.
I smiled at the young woman apologetically before I could say anything and and she rolled her eyes at Jackie and waved me off. "Bye." Jackie had waved her off in a pass aggressive way.
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"Hey, I had it handled ok?" I tried to calm her down.
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"Clearly not." She said sitting down beside me. "She was practically eye fucking you." She chuckles.
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I chuckled. "It's good to know you haven't gotten bored of me yet." I said.
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She smiles shyly and leans over towards me and presses her lips against mine. "Oh shut up." She playfully hits me on my chest with her hand. "This tutoring stuff is just an excuse for these little underclassmen girls to get some upperclassman dick-..." She rambled on.
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"Hey look at me." I whispered. "I'm not interested in them." I said. "I only have eyes for you." Pecking kisses on her lips.
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She shyly smiled like a school girl, and hid her face from me. I sat there for a good second, debating whether I should tell her what I heard from Chris's mouth earlier today. However, I held back. I wanted Jackie to feel relaxed for once and not on edge like she always was around Zayn. Jackie deserved a life of her own. I was willing to take that chance even if, in the end she would be mad at me.
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"I'm hungry." She whined. "Can we go to dinner now please?" She whispered.
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"We can." I smiled.
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We both stood up and she took my hand in hers and walked hand in hand out of the study hall, somewhere to dinner. I hoped tonight went smoothly because I had something very important to tell Jackie.
***
Selena's Point of View
It was as if I was frozen in time, no matter how much I wanted to move, I was desperate to know what Lucy and Zayn we're saying to each other behind closed doors. I heard the door click and a loud thud behind it. "Two can play this game Zayn! Selena will never forgive you!" I heard Lucy shout at the top of her lungs.
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I began walking towards the double doors of the dorms, ignoring Zayn's plea's for me to stop. "Selena! Selena wait!" He exclaimed.
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I found myself drowning into my own tears, in one of the tables in the library. I hated how much I cried, cried for every little thing that involved him. I kept my head down, trying to shield my face from the people that walked by, I needed to stop crying at random times like this. It was clear he wasn't worth it, in the end they would always find a way back to each other. I plugged the second earbud into ear and and I looked up slightly to see if I spotted anyone I knew before I quickly wiped my tears and began collecting my things to go back to the dorm, and cry my eyes there.
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"Selena?" I hear, I looked at it was Chris. He made his way towards me, inches away from the table I sat at. "What's wrong? Are you ok?"
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I tried my best to have a smile on my face and look as calm as possible, letting out a nervous chuckle trying to mask how much of a mess I was inside. "Hey-...Chris." I smiled. "Yeah I'm fine, just finishing up some notes." I lied.
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"Oh cool." He smiled. "I was just heading out from some dinner, wanna join?" He said. "My treat."
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I raised my eyebrows. "Are you sure? I don't want be a bother-..."
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"Nonsense, seriously come on." He said.
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"Ok." I smiled.
***
Chris opened the door for me, from one of the diners on campus, and I walked in. I felt uneasy just to be seen with Chris because Zayn would be anywhere and things could go down south quickly. Chris was never done anything to me, but he has it out for Zayn. While at the same time I should stop giving a fuck about what Zayn thinks, and my own life. Who the fuck cares if Zayn saw me with Chris, he didn't own me. I was playing with fire and I knew they well.
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I skimmed over the menu and eyes Chris for a second who was focused on the menu. "Pick what you'd like." He said looking up at me from a second then went back to his menu.
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Once the waitress came by I gave her my order and then handed over my menu, as so did Chris. She came back with our drinks, and I sipped onto my soda before leaning back into the booth, hoping one of us would break the ice, first. "He's not worth it you know?" Chris spoke into the air. "He doesn't deserve your tears." He nods his head side to side. "I'm sorry he did what he did to you."
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I give him a small shy smile. "Thanks." Not really knowing what else to say. "None of it was real anyways." I lift my shoulders carelessly.
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"He was always paranoid." Chris admits. "I'm a nice guy, I was rooting for him and for you in all kinds of ways, but he always thought I was after him, for your relationship with him..." He trails off.
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"Stupid really." I roll eyes.
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"Truly." He chuckled, trying to make light of situation
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Jackie's Point of View
Adam and I had were in the diner, eating dinner, he talked about meeting up with his father today. I was surprised that he has giving James the same energy zayn has given him for ten years. Even though I knew it was possibly temporary and they would soon make up, Adam was frustrated with him because now that he knew Zayn and him were brothers, he looked at James in a different light. Possibly the same light Zayn had for ten years.
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Adam was more calm and reserved compared to Zayn, this was a temporary thing and I knew it was, because he and I and hopefully Selena if she made up her mind, would begin working at his office downtown for internships. I would call James myself and tell him Selena accepted, even if she didn't. She was sensitive right now, because I knew zayn was still deep in her heart like a thorn she was not able to take out, but it would do her good to begin to venture out into her career.
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"I understand him a little bit more now." Adam brought my back from my own daydream.
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"See? I know he's your dad and all but it wasn't always a walk in the park with him." I tell him. "Zayn has his reasons." I defend.
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"Maybe not with him but it was with you." He challenges.
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I clear my throat and take a sip of my soda. "Listen, James may not have been the best of fathers, and it may be a little fucked up to even say this; but he was to me." I lift my shoulders. "I don't know where I'd be right now? Maybe like my parents? Possibly."
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"Don't say that." Adam is quick to reach my hand, and caress my knuckles with his fingertips. I smile. "However, speaking of parents, I have to tell you something." He said with a light smile. His sentence was cut sort when I spotted an angry Zayn making his way through the door and walking his way towards, Adam and I. "What?" Adam noticed my expression change when Zayn approached our table. He rolled his eyes and let out a sigh.
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"I've been looking all over for you." Zayn says, directing his attention towards me.
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"Yeah hello I'm here." I say sarcastically.
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"Is it that important? We're having dinner." Adam adds, annoyed.
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"Yes, it is actually." Zayn said in a pass aggressive tone towards Adam.
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"Zayn seriously..." Adam nearly whined pinching the bridge of his nose.
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"I knew her way before you decided to date her so." Zayn bites.
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I clear my throat. "May I help you?" I intervened.
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"I need you to help me, get Selena back." He said. "Jackie-...please you're her roommate and today she saw me come out of Lucy's dorm and I don't know what to do anymore, I'm fucking desperate at this point." He sighed.
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I frowned. "Well when you're doing stupid shit like that, like seriously Zayn? You went to see Lucy? What the fuck could possibly have you doing there? At this rate forget it." I lifted my shoulders.
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"Zayn have you thought maybe I don't know, Selena wants no part of you anymore?" Adam questioned. "I mean you literally lied to her, I don't know any girl in the world who would take anyone back after such a lie, you were literally in a relationship with her best friend." Adam exclaims.
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I roll my eyes and sigh. "He does have a point." I admit. "I know I wouldn't." Zayn frowns at my words and turns his attention to Adam. I focus my attention on the chime of the door, and notice, Selena and Chris coming in together. My eyes widen and my hand immediately grips Zayn's arm. I give him a smile. "But-..but it's never too late I mean-..." I chuckle nervously.
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"Didn't you just say-..." Adam becomes confused at my words.
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"Yeah, but you know he loves her?" I am rambling at this point.
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I know the last thing Zayn wanted to see was Selena and Chris together. That was going to be his final breaking point. He and Chris haven't gotten anything serious but I knew how things could escalate if Chris pushed Zayn to his breaking point. He loved to push his buttons, Chris wasn't good for anything else.
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"Are you alright?" Zayn questioned me.
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I smile. "I'm fine!"
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"No you're not." Zayn immediately saw right through me. "I know you." He emphasized. "Too well." He said looking around.
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Adam's Point of View
Jackie began acting strange as soon as she reached over to grip Zayn's arm. She stuttered on her words, and began squirming in the booth across from me. I frowned at her uneasiness. She stood up from the both and stood in front of Zayn. I followed right after, standing up beside them both.
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"What? Me? Don't be ridiculous." Jackie scoffed, while Zayn looked around to see the source of Jackie's worry.
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My eyes trailed around as well, wondering what made my girlfriend uneasy. I didn't see anyone; beginning to believe that maybe this was something only she knew about. That's when my eyes landed on the two figures eating and talking among each other in the corner of the diner. It was Chris and Selena. My eyes widen, and I knew this couldn't be good, not for Zayn at least.
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Now I knew why Jackie was in a panic, because zayn had a temper on him, he was a ticking time bomb. Anything could break out at any moment, and that was what Jackie was most afraid of, but what was she suppose to do about it?
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"Jaqueline I know when you lie and I know when you're lying to me." Zayn said Jackie, and she moved her head side to side. "What is it?" He questioned.
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He walked passed Jackie and began looking around the diner, catching the eyes of the other people who sat at their tables. I don't think Zayn cared though for stares. He sighed because I had to become prepared for whatever was to happen next. Zayn was a destruction of his own path after all. I couldn't help Zayn unless he wanted to help himself, but I knew Jackie would always be there in his aid if she needed to be, and that's what bothered me the most.
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"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" I heard Zayn shout at the top of how lungs, I was brought back from own thoughts when I saw Zayn charging his way towards Chris and Selena as Jackie following after Zayn.
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I followed after the two of them and Jackie quickly pulling on Zayn's arm, I stood by incase anything broke out but this was not my battle to fight. I tended not be involved in anything that didn't pertain to me, but lately, since being with Jackie and finding out Zayn is my half brother it was impossible.
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Zayn reached for Selena's arm. "We're leaving." He said to her and she pulled her arm away from him.
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"I can do what I want." Selena argued back. "Let me go."
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"Not with him." Zayn point at Chris not even bothering to look at him. "Anyone but him, I've told you this." Zayn said with a clenched jaw.
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"You're fucking paranoid, dude." Chris defended.
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"Shut the fuck up." Zayn bit. "You know exactly what you're doing, taking advantage of her vulnerability to move your way in, I'm not stupid!" Zayn argued.
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Chris chuckled. "Look Selena is a single woman now, and if she wanted to move on she can." He said. "Or what? Did you expect her to cry for you forever?" He laughed. "Accept it Zayn, you lost."
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Zayn tempted his way towards to get in his face, but Jackie pushed him back. "Alright, stop it." She said. "Both of you." She turned her attention towards Chris, warning him as well.
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"And like always you and your little sidekick." Chris directed his attention towards Jackie, my guard shop heightened and my hands became fists.
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"Fuck off." I defended.
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Chris laughed. "What are you tag teaming both of them now?" He said disgustingly towards Jackie. "You never change Jackie."
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Next thing I knew Jackie rose her hand up in the and slapped Chris across the face, giving zayn the opportunity to come in and punch Chris across the face knocking him onto the booth. Chris laughed and held onto his jaw. My eyes widen, Zayn charged towards him and began fighting him in with him in the booth, he threw him punches and Chris threw punches.
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"Zayn stop!" Selena exclaimed. "Please both of you!"
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"Are you alright?" I questioned Jackie, as I took her hand in mine but she was focused on Chris and Zayn testing each other apart.
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"I'm fine, but he's going to kill him!" Jackie exclaimed. "Do something!" She said desperately, pulling on her hair.
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I hurried towards Zayn and wrapped my arms tightly around Zayn's pulled my him off. Chris was all busted, with a cut lip and purple bruises quickly forming. Chris laughed and touched on his lip, while Selena stepped away from the booth. "You've got your new best friend to defend you now I see!" He taunted.
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"Chris seriously stop!" Selena exclaimed. "This was a mistake!"
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"He's not my best friend-...he's my brother." Zayn sighed.
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Chris's eyes widen and laughed glancing at me and then at Zayn. "Oh my god...this bastard kid is your brother?" He smirked devilishly. "Jackie you really bagged both brothers didn't you?" He laughed.
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Jackie's eyes widen and so did Selena's they looked at me then at Chris. "What is he talking about?" I questioned.
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Before Jackie could answer me, campus police came and and handcuffed both Zayn and Chris. They grabbed them and escorted them, out of the diner with eyes on them due to the mess they created. Selena, covered her mouth with her hands. While Jackie glanced at me for a slight second before walking over to Selena and wrapping her arms around her.
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"This is all my fault." Selena whispered but loud enough for me to hear.
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Jackie hugged Selena and they both walked past me towards the door of the diner, assuming they were headed towards the campus department to see what they were going to do with Chris and Zayn. I was following after them, but not before I made this dreaded call to my father that his estranged son, had been arrested. Literally hours before I told him, that I needed time to process his, mine and Zayn's relationship with him.
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The phone rang a few times, then finally he picked up. "Hello? Adam?" He questioned, I could hear the excitement in his tone.
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"Uhm hey..." I trailed off. "Zayn has been arrested." I said.