Death seems like a very tempting idea at the moment. In all honesty, absolutely anything would be better than the position I'm in right now; body face flat, hanging off the side of the wet concrete, slowly drowning myself in the puddle the top half of my body slipped into. If lack of oxygen didn't kill me, my embarrassment would.
"Gracie are you okay?" the sound checks again, a head of black hair poking out of the driver side window.
I wasn't quite sure whether it was my poor coordination or the shocking reappearance of my ex-boyfriend, if I could even really call him, that caused the tumble down. Either way it had an equally painful result.
If I had to take a guess, however, I would confidently blame my crash and burn on Zayn's surprising turn up.
"No" I reply, the answer sounding more like a gurgle due positioning of my face in the water. I hoped the short response would give Zayn a slight clue that I wasn't really in the mood for comfort or conversation, considering he never really was one to do that in the past. If anything, however, my response had the opposite effect.
"C'mon noodle, let's get you out of the rain" he quips back immediately, the familiar nickname sending my heart plummeting to my stomach as he exits from the shelter of his car and over towards me. He tries pulling at my arm in an attempt to turn me over, but I immediately refuse, not budging as I keep my body flat in the puddle. "Grace don't be difficult" he tugs once more, rolling my body over to lie on my back, his head looking over top of me. "Leave me be and let me drown" I gurgle once more, flopping around a couple times in an attempt to rid his grip around from around my arms.
"Grace, quit it" he remarks, this time slightly more frustrated, pulling me up by arm. The small tug was strong enough to have my body to shoot up into the air and nearly fall right back down onto his chest. I was completely soaked, head to toe, in rainwater, the clouds still relentlessly releasing big fat rain drops onto our heads. Zayn's own body was becoming soaked by the minute, and if it hadn't been for the slight guiltiness I felt for being the one that caused that, I would have struggled against him a bit more.
I stumbled a bit more before putting my hands against his chest in an effort to steady myself somewhat, and eventually push myself away in an attempt for some sort of distance. "Fine" I manage finally, bringing a hand up to slick back the wet strands of hair that had been sticking to my face "but I'm not getting in your car".
My comment earns a small scoff from the boy across from me, Zayn shaking his head before bringing a hand to drag down his face, a small gesture of his annoyance. "How do you plan on getting home then?" he questions back immediately, quirking an eyebrow up before bringing a hand up to tug at the nose ring he had on the right side of his face. It was an old stress habit of his that I recognized immediately, a rush of nostalgia washing through me as I observed the motion.
"By doing exactly what I did before you showed up" I gesture to the sidewalk "walking".
I guess he found my answer hilarious because a loud cackle immediately leaves his lips. Seeing that I obviously didn't find it any bit amusing, his face slacks back down into one of dumbfoundedness. "Wait, you're serious?"
"Of course I'm serious" I bite back as I begin to pull my shirt back over the top of my head, "now if you wouldn't mind" I shuu with my hand, as I begin to hype myself up for another mile run home "I'll be going now." Expected at this point however, Zayns cuts in not a moment later.
"You're insane if you think I'm going to let you do that" he responds, stepping back into my way in an attempt to gather my full attention.
"Then I guess you're insane.'
"Don't you remember what happened last time?" he questions "Or do I need to remind you about how you were lying face flat in a puddle less then a few minutes ago?"
"Well I wouldn't have been laying face flat in a puddle if you hadn't scared the absolute shit out of me" I huff, turning towards him "now move so I can go home".
He immediately shakes his head no, continuing to block every move I attempt doing to get around him. "Just let me drive you home G. I really don't want you to slip and fall into the front of a car, something we both know is extremely possible, knowing you".
"Don't even begin assuming you know me" I bite back, my head whipping in his direction as soon as the words leave my mouth "You don't get to all of a sudden show up and act like everything is okay, and suddenly swoop in and 'save me'. Spoiler alert, I can save myself from drowning in my own damn puddle." I was overly fed up with his insisting, unsure of why he was here and honestly not caring at the moment. I was wet, tired, and cold. I just wanted to go home.
"Plus i was trying to drown myself, thank you very much" I suddenly add, spinning on my heel towards the opposite direction one final time.
"I just came to say I'm sorry" he admits lowly, shuffling in place as I whip back around.
"Are you serious" I huff, throwing my head up towards the storm clouds above me, "You don't think it's a bit late for that."
Zayn stands there awkwardly, bringing a hand to pinch his lips between his forefingers before speaking again. "I know it's been a while, but I'm here now. I just wanted to apologize and maybe work out what happened between us" he pulls his hand back down from his face to motion between us, "I thought maybe we could pick up where we left off before I left, if I was lucky."
His confession about me rolling on the floor. And what I was about to say was going to have me rolling in my grave.
"I can't do that," I reply slowly, staring back at the boy across from me, my words causing his face to drop dramatically.
"Why?" he fights back, taking a step towards me in an attempt to close the little bit of distance we had from each other. "Because you don't want to?" he starts, looking me up and down, his features hardening a bit more "Because you're seeing someone else?"
No, no I'm not seeing someone else. I am very much single and very much not talking to anyone. If anything, that's the absolute last reason I can't agree to pick up where we left off.
"Yes" I reply confidently, puffing my chest out slightly, as if that would make me seem more believable. "I am very much so seeing someone."
"You have a boyfriend?" Zayns face falls, his mouth gaping before he recovers and rolls his lips in. "Who?"
Oh shit.
"Who you may ask?" I reiterate back towards him, eyes gaping a bit as I begin to rake my mind for a believable answer, "Well I'll tell you who" I panic slightly, bringing my finger to wave at him.
"Then tell me" he pushes, his eyes burning into mine in an attempt to call my bluff.
"Harry" I suddenly wheeze out, "Harry Styles."
Oh shit x2.
Please stop while you're ahead Gracie.
"Harry Styles is my boyfriend and we are very much in love."
Okay, I'm going to go back and lay in that puddle.
"You're dating Harry?" he gapes at me, eyes the size of saucers "Styles Incorporation CEO Harry Styles?" he asks again, seeming to find the thought unbelievable. Probably because it is unbelievable.
"Yes" I glare at him, his response to my 'confession' somewhat offensive, "is that so hard to believe?' I scoff.
"Honestly?" he answers, looking me up and done before flashing me a grin that would have made my heart flutter a few months ago, but now just made me bubble with frustration, "not at all."
Oh.
"He's a lucky guy, noodle" he pokes at me, flirtation transforming into friendliness, "I can't wait to meet him at your birthday party."
"What" I choke out, blood suddenly rushing to my head and sending a feeling of faintness through my entire body, "what do you mean at my party?"
"I got the invitation last week" he answers, eyes growing weary "were you not the one to send them?"
His words were the confirmation I needed, clueing me in on why Zayn would randomly appear out of the blue, thinking this was the time to apologize after so long and ask for a second chance. He assumed the invitation I supposedly sent him was me asking him to come back.
"No" I answer blunty, shaking my head "Sabrina's the one that's planning it, I would have never planned myself a party."
"I never assumed for you to, but I thought the invite was just another way of you asking me to come back" he chuckles nervously, bringing a hand up to scratch the back of his neck "So this is a bit awkward now."
"Yep" I agree, rolling back and forth on the balls of my feet, clasping my hands behind my back "So on that note" I point towards the direction of my home "I'm gonna go now".
Zayn throws his head back as soon as I mention walking home once again, groaning before he shakes his head back and forth, facepalming. "Just let me drive you home. I promise that's it. You might as well warm back up to me before the party. Can't wait to meet that boyfriend of yours" he grins.
My face slack as he speaks "You're still going?" I practically squeak.
"Yeah 'course I'm still going, I missed you G" he smiles, tilting his head to the side "So are you going to get in the car or am I gonna have to kidnap you so I can do one nice thing for you?"
I look at him, then at his car, as a small shiver runs up my back from the slight chill of the rain. "Okay fine" I finally agree, stomping towards the car.
"Oh no no" Zayn rushes, running up in front of me as he grabs the handle of the car door to open it for me "allow me" he gestures at the now open seat. I can't resist the small girly giggle, grinning at my shoes before shaking my head in an attempt to get rid of it. "Thank you" I mumble back.
"Of course" he smiles, rushing to his own side and opening the door to sit down. "Now let's get you home and dry. Wouldn't want the birthday girl getting sick before her big day, would we?"
I'm going to have to pull out my manifesting journal as soon as I get home, so I can strike myself with some unknown sickness that takes me out in the next couple days or else this whole boyfriend skeem blows up in my face.
"Yeah no, of course not."