*You can either read the last two chapters of this or head over to the sequel Never Have I Ever, with the alternate ending. The choice is yours!*
"Perfect!" my mother cries out finally looking down at the camera. Everyone else nods and smiles and we breathe out a collective sigh of relief as we drop our arms and massage our tired cheeks.
"Damn." Harry says rubbing his jaw. I laugh. Everyone looks back and forth at each other uncomfortably as our parents talk.
"So. That was.. Weird." Louis says continuing to glance at me then Harry.
"You can say that again." Niall says furrowing his eyebrows and looking off toward his parents.
"Did you not tell your family about us?" i ask suddenly, staring at Zayn. He's stunned that I'm even addressing him.
"I uhh.. no. I didn't. My sisters.. They really like you." He mumbles.
"Well not telling them and having them continue to believe we are together isn't helping them." i hiss out trying not to sound too pissed.
"I know." Zayn groans lightly rubbing his forehead.
"I really think i should go now." Louis says stopping Zayn and I from fighting. Off in the distance i can hear Louis' name being called. Harry chuckles.
"Yeah mate before they kill you." Harry says clipping him on the shoulder before pulling him in for a hug which is odd because I've never seen any of them hug each other, ever.
"See ya later yeah?" Louis asks. Harry nods.
"Yeah." He hugs everyone, even Niall, even me. "Oh." he murmurs like he's just remembered who i am.
"Uh-huh." i reply lightly.
"Yeah, see ya." we all wave and Louis jogs off disappearing into the crowd.
"So. This has been sufficiently awkward." Harry says lowly. I laugh and Harry smirks at me. "I'm just going to go as well. This was... Nice." There's a word for it.
"Bye Harry." He opens his arms and I don't know what he wants until his arms wrap around me slowly, carefully, like I might break. I hug him back lightly placing my hands on his back.
"I'm a dick. Sorry." He says quietly.
"Yeah no that's cool." I tell him as he moves back. I drop my arms to my sides. Harry looks at me oddly and lifts up a corner of my robe to get a better look at my dress. White, strapless and lace. It flows and frills out barely grazing the tops of my knees.
"Nice." I snort.
"Thanks." That's as close to a compliment as I've ever gotten from him.
"Mom say goodbye to your friends." Harry calls out as he moves toward Zayn who actually hugs him. Maybe they've gotten closer when I wasn't looking. I thought Zayn was still pissed at him. Or maybe they've made up. Zayn figured out it was useless being pissed at Harry. It was his fault. Harry hugged Liam as well but fist pounded Niall. I guess they're still just druggie and dealer. "See you soon ya?" I arched an eyebrow at him confused.
"Soon?" I repeat.
"Yeah we're all going to Westwood." Harry says vaguely and broadly.
"Wait all of you?" I demand glancing around. I knew why Liam was going and why Zayn might be able to go but all of them? Harry nodded.
"You're stuck with us." He grinned.
"I.. I don't even know if I'm going there. I haven't accepted any offers yet." I say lowly. Harry shrugged.
"Well if you go there, you're stuck with us." With that he walks toward his mom and his sister and waves goodbye.
"Sorry I didn't tell you sooner." Liam speaks up as he walks away. I glance at him.
"Well I guess it's more my fault then yours." I reply slowly. He shrugs.
"You still should have heard it from me first." Now I don't know what we're talking about anymore. Zayn or college. It could work for either one.
"Well I should go too, um I'll see you at diner." Liam mumbles stepping closer to me.
"Dinner?" I question pulling him in for a hug which surprises him but he rests his head on my shoulder and hugs me back tightly.
"Yeah I think I heard my mom just invite you guys out with us tonight." Of course my mom would say yes despite the circumstance and that's fine with me. I think it's time Liam and I tried again. For the third time. He's still my best friend. I can't imagine going on in life without him.
"Okay dinner it is. I'll talk to you later." He nods and let's go of me.
"Bye Em." I wave goodbye and watch him walk towards his mom who blows kisses at me. I wave goodbye and they walk away. Now it's just Zayn's mom talking to my mom. I wonder what their conversation is about. Us? Meaning Zayn and I? I turn to Niall ignoring Zayn.
"Niall can you.." I motion for him to go away.
"Really?" He asks quietly, in a sad voice.
"Yeah I'll text you." He perks up.
"Wait? Seriously?!" He asks. I can't help but smile at how excited he is.
"Yeah, yeah just go please. I want to.. I want to talk to Zayn alone." I glance at him and he's glumly kicking at the grass sighing.
"Okay you better text me though and you sure as hell aren't moving to America. You're going to Westwood." He commands hugging me tightly. Laughing I hug him back.
"We'll see." I reply with a smile. With one more hug he walks away from me. "Come here." I say lowly grabbing Zayn's hand and pulling him farther away from our families. They don't need to hear us fight if it comes down to that. I stand him right in front of me and let go of his hand. I haven't touched him since I shoved him away from me a month ago. I think I recall him standing in front of me his hands on my cheeks but I can't tell if it's something I conjured up or if it really happened. "You have to tell them." I hiss glaring up at him.
"I.. I can't." He stutters out.
"You have to! They'll notice. They'll ask questions." I whisper shout at him.
"Just tell them Zayn." He shakes his head fiercely. "Why not?" I demand.
"Because then it will really be over." He cries out. I stare at him for a minute.
"It is over." I force out harshly. Zayn winces and bites down on his bottom lip. I wish I could do the same.
"It doesn't have to be Emma." He starts again slowly.
"Yes it does!" I interrupt him.
"Do you have any idea how much that hurt Zayn!" I demand of him. Zayn licks his lips and shakes his head.
"No, but tell me." He says as an after thought when I roll my eyes.
"I don't have to. It should be written all over my god damn face." I growl at him.
"Emma! Zayn!" My mom calls out. I quickly turn my expression into one of complete joy.
"Yeah mom?" She's pursing her lips and Zayn's mom and sisters look a little worried. Glancing back at Zayn he sort of looks like he might cry or punch a hole in wall next to us.
"How about a picture with just you and Zayn?" I send her this look but don't protest when I see how the face of Zayn's mom lights up at the thought.
"Yes, yes! The two of you come on!" She motions for us to come forward. I slip my hand into Zayn's and he gives me a quizzical look.
"At lest act like you're happy and want to be with me." I whisper in his ear.
"I'm only happy when I'm with you." He replies easily. I don't know how to reply to that so I don't say anything.
"Okay now just stand next to each other and look happy!" His mom exclaims as Zayn puts his arm around me. I smile at her enthusiasm as my mom snaps a picture. "Oh come on Zayn look at the camera." His mother complains. Laughing I look up at him. I had expected him to be staring at the ground but there's a faint smile ghosting across his lips and he's looking down at me. "Now there's a cute one!" I blush red which makes Zayn laugh because he's always loved how easily I get embarrassed.
"Stop looking at me." I murmur nudging him.
"Can't help it." He kisses my forehead and I resist the urge to push him away. "You look gorgeous by the way." My cheeks continue to burn red.
"One more! Like you love each other this time!" His mom exclaims continuing to snap photographs.
"They should kiss." His older sister says.
"Doniya!" Zayn shouts touching his forehead like he can't believe she just said this.
"Oh god." I mutter.
"Like you won't love it Amelia." He whispers back then out loud to his sister he says "I'm not having a photo of that. You'll blackmail me for the rest of my life." I snicker.
"I have one can I blackmail you?" I ask quietly.
"You kept it?" Oops hadn't meant to let it slip. The photos of us are still on my phone and I still have his drawings and that tattoo of course which will be harder to get rid of.
"Last photo if you do it! I promise." His mom bargains.
"We're not doing it." I whisper to him.
"We're not doing it." Zayn repeats louder.
"Please Zayn, Emma!" She says looking back and forth between us. My mom says nothing. She stands there biting her lip and doesn't encourage or discourage the photo. "We'll stand here all day." She threatens lightly crossing her arms over her chest.
"She will." Zayn mumbles.
"Fine!" I blurt out all of a sudden. Zayn does a double take staring at me with wide eyes.
"What?" He questions.
"Perfect! Ok you two whenever you're ready." I sigh and face Zayn dropping my arms to my sides in defeat.
"Just do it quickly." I call out staring up at his golden brown eyes.
"Are you sure?" He mumbles reaching out and touching my cheek with his fingertips.
"No." I lean closer to him tentatively as I pull off my cap so it doesn't hit him or something. Zayn drags his off his hair and I'm suddenly reminded how soft it always felt with my fingers running through it. Zayn tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and leans down this small smirk on his lips. "You always do that." i murmur before our lips touch and his thumb slowly rubs my right cheek before sliding to my chin and holding it in place.
"Do what?" he whispers.
"Smirk like you have some sort of secret." i mumble against his lips before they connect. It feels like the first time again. The air is ripped from my lungs and my hands tremble as i place them on his waist feeling the toned muscle that sits there and the dip of his hip bones. I could kiss him forever. I want to kiss him forever. He pulls back almost too quickly which is a surprise because i thought he wanted this. I thought he wanted to get together with me.
"Because i do." he breathes out taking a step back. I don't know why but we both smile.
"Perfect! You guys looked great!" Zayn's mom cries out while his sisters make faces at what they just witnessed. I laugh and lean against Zayn's chest as he wraps his arms around me and kisses my forehead. He does it so easily i almost forget we're not together and I'm mad at him. I stop laughing and lightly push him away from me. He squeezes me tightly before letting go this pained look washing over his face.
"Well i think it's about time we left." my mom says loudly stepping towards me. She must have judged the look on my face. I'm going to cry.
"Already?" Zayn's mom says sadly.
"Yes I'm sorry but we'll see each other soon." she says with a smile feeding into the false hope. His mom nods and smiles.
"Umm bye it was so nice to meet you." i say shyly rocking back and forth on my heels. She strides over and wraps her arms around me in a tight hug.
"It's nice to know my son has finally met the perfect girl for him." she whispers rubbing my back.
"Thank you." i reply evenly. I wave to his sisters before turning to Zayn himself. I give him a quick awkward hug and press my lips against his for the last time in a quick kiss.
"I'll see you later." i tell him which isn't true it's just for his family.
"Goodbye Amelia." the way he says it sounds final.
"Goodbye, Zayn." i say quietly as my mom slips her hand into mine. We walk away and i can't help but turn and look back at him.
"Are you ok?" my mom whispers.
"I don't know."
A/N:
one more part! may or may not be incredibly short :)