A/N: As promised I have sent out a spoiler to all my fans yesterday... I hope you have enjoyed it! I'll try sending out another one for the next chapter this week as well ;) ;)....
Oh and I posted a short story a week ago so please go and check that out as well? Just click on the external link and it'll take you there ;)
Hope you enjoy this chapter! :) xx
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Day 12.
Days until the Olympics are over : 5 days
*Zayn's POV*
"I ran. A grown man running with a swarm of screaming children. But I didn't care. I ran with the wind blowing in my face , and a smile as wide as the Valley of Panjsher on my lips.
I ran"
I read the last few words of my book and closed it slowly feeling the new void that was boiling inside of me. Every time I finish a book or movie I feel this emptiness, this void, this lonliness as if my life had no longer a meaning. You know when you grow fond of something your whole life revolves around it? Whether it was a movie, book or even an episode of The Big Bang Theory, for once you feel as if you belong there, you belong with Harry Potter, you belong with Tom Sawyer or even better you belong with Sheldon Cooper and his awesome lines. Unfortunately, everything had to end and today marked the end of the amazing novel I was reading. I have never loved a book as much I've loved this one. I sighed putting the book away carefully on the nightstand beside my bed : I wasn't ready to let go of it yet. Not completely.
I sighed running my fingers through my quiff as I layed on the bed. I stared at the ceiling trying to revive any of the book's situations in my head again. I closed my eyes enjoying the quietness inside my flat at that time of the day, none of the boys were here: Liam was out with Danielle and Louis and Harry were having their weekly movie night without us, as for Niall I had no idea whatsoever of his whereabout and I was feeling kinda worried about him. It's been long since I last saw him. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss his presence. I rubed my temple tiredly and my eyelids began to feel heavy but just as I was about to fall asleep someone opened the door to my flat.
Niall.
He was the only one of all the boys who had my house keys, I once gave them to him just in case of any emergencies , I should've seen it coming when I came home late one day to find him in my flat telling me that it was indeed an emergency as he was out of food.
He closed the door quietly behind him and I heard him walking down the hall. The footsteps finally stopped in front of my bedroom door and he swung the door open. I anticipated him to look all gloomy and sad as this had been his only mood for quite a while but it surprised me to see him all dressed up and grinning like a Cheshire cat, that instantly put me in a good mood again.
"Hey Ni!" I greeted him just as he was making his way in. He grinned even wider if that was even possible and sat on my bed just a few inches away from me.
"Hello! How are you doing?"
Wow.. Someone was definitely in a good mood. It felt refreshing seeing Niall like that rather than seeing him all worked up and worried about Anna. Lately, Anna seemed to be the only thing on his mind, I really liked her -trust me- but Niall was too obsessed about her which I found a bit unhealthy.
"Ah... You have finished your precious book, I see?" he exclaimed pointing at the book that was resting on my nightstand. I nodded quickly trying not to think about it too much.
He must have noticed my discomfort because he nodded in understanding and wrapped his arms around me sufficating me. He burried his head in the crook of my neck mumbling something along the lines "Don't worry, Zaynie... I'm here for you" and many more.
Finally, after that one side hug, he pulled back flashing me a huge grin. He honestly looked happy and ecstatic, he was more like the carefree Niall I knew about.
"What are you so happy about?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. If he was that happy maybe he could cheer me up as well and I really needed some cheering up.
He shrugged and grabbed a pillow resting his elbows on it. "I don't know! I'm just happy!" he admitted and I chuckled slightly. This was a very good side of Niall, a side I have missed greatly.
"So... Are you sure it has nothing to do with Anna?" I inquired raising an eyebrow. Knowing Niall, his happiness would eventually be connected to the French lass.
Much to my surprise, he shook his head and flashed me a genuine smile. "Would you like to go out with me Zayn? Just the two of us?" his proposition shockened me but nevertheless I smiled genuinely at him already dreaming about this day.
**************
"How's Anna?" I inquired as soon as we had sat at a table in a restaurant.
Niall sighed heavily and he fixed his gaze at the wooden table we were sat at.
"I don't know anymore." he muttered clearly confused by his own statement. "Sometimes I feel like she's about to pour her heart out to me but other times she just distants herself from me"
He was clearly puzzled and confused. I knew Niall too well and one of the things which I didn't quite like about him was that he cared too much. I didn't have the strength to tell him that though, it was one of the few things I didn't appreciate about him. Because once he cares too much he gets hury... Badly. Niall was the one to put it all in a relationship. And right now in his mind he was somehow dating Anna. Or more pricesly, in love with her. Even if he didn't want to admit it, he was. Niall was too cute for his own good. Anna rejected him a lot, and she kept pushing him away and it killed him. It killed him being treated that way by the one whom he's in love with.
"It's okay! She'll come around later. Don't worry, mate." I reassured him although I didn't fully believe it. He shot me a weak smile just before our plates were placed in front of us.
"Yummy!" Niall exclaimed happily mouth full of mashed potatoes. I chuckled at his face which was somehow decorated by potatoes, tomatoes and lettuce.
"I know,Niall. I know."
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"Were you ever in love,Zayn?" Niall blurted out as we were walking side by side to our flat.
I raised an eyebrow at him but shrugged it off "Yes." I admitted proudly grinning from ear to ear.
Niall seemed to be amused by my statement as he beamed as well "Perrie?" he asked and I nodded.
Just the thought of my lovely girlfriend made my heart race in excitement and a grin to spread across my face , yet again.
"Do you think she might be the one?" Niall's questions were getting... More personal. But I didn't mind . I loved those conversations with Niall. It made me get to know him better and made our friendship grow stronger. Something I cherished greatly.
"I don't know,Niall. I think it's too soon to tell" I answered truthfully and he nodded in understanding.
"What about me? Do you think I will ever find true love?" that question caught me off guard. His eyebrows were knitted together in deep concentration and he was looking at me directly in the eyes demanding for an answer.
Here goes confident Niall.
Niall has always been the kind to lose confidence in a second. The smallest tweet from a hater would make him sulk and lock himself in his room for hours. I was familiar with this. He just needed some pep talk and lots of Nando's to lighten up his mood. Nothing I wasn't capable of.
"What? Of course,Niall. You have already found your princess. It's Anna, remember?" his face lit up instantly when I mentioned the French lass. "She may be a bit stubborn at first but trust me, she's just hiding her true feelings." I reassured him and that seemed to have put him in ease.
"Okay! If you say so. Can we have some Nando's now?" he chirped happily tugging on my arm like a five years old. It's not like he has just eaten or anything.
I chuckled and shot him a toothy grin "Definitely!"
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*Jacqueline's POV*
"Did you guys kiss?" I inquired again making Anna roll her eyes. I didn't care about her being annoyed or sleepy, I just wanted to know every single detail about her date with Niall. Although she didn't want to admit it was a date.
"No! For the last time Jacqueline, No!" she yelled exasperated and returned to whatever she was doing on her laptop.
Anna had been acting so... Alive. Lately, she would giggle and laugh and actually act like a living person rather than a cold-hearted girl who doesn't show any emotion whatsoever. I liked Niall's influence on her. He made her alive and so girly and I quite enjoyed it.
Ever since she broke up with Alexandre, she had been feeling so depressed and just devastated. It had really affected her judgment on people. She hardly ever trusts anyone anymore and it made my heart shatter seeing my best friend acting so distant while we were all trying to reach out to her. Somehow, Niall seemed to be the only stranger she would respond to and I really appreciated it. She was in love with him, it was evident. Even if she had tried to hide it, it was too obvious and I kinda liked it but however I didn't want her to fully trust him and then eventually get her heart broken. It seemed as if she were afraid, she was afraid of trusting him, she was afraid of getting hurt and it made Niall frustrated, I could see it whenever they talked or Skyped. As her best friend , I had to make sure that she really liked Niall. Thus, make her go and just tell him already. It was making all of us frustrated. Niall, Anna , Zayn and I. Yes, Zayn and I have been talking for quite a while now , I gave him my number when I was arranging for Zayn and Anna to meet and we have been talking ever since. He was quite a fun guy. Great friend if I may add...
"I don't think Niall is that special after all. I mean what's so different about him?" I teased her waiting for her answer.
Her head shot up from her laptop and she closed its lid looking directly at me.
Bingo.
"I'm sorry... What was that?" she was angry. I could see it, her teeth were gritted together and she was constantly clenching and unclenching her fists.
"Like I said... He's just another guy. The only difference between him and anyone else is that he's famous." I carried on while scanning my tweets as if it were the most casual thing to say.
"No he's not!" her tone was surprising for me. I have never seen her this angry before. If looks could kill, I would be so dead by now.
"Yes he is! You're not even trusting him enough to tell him about your own life, are you?" I inquired and that must have taken her by surprise because her mouth dropped and she didn't say anything. "I thought so." I smirked.
Anna seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. She was staring right ahead not even blinking. I knew that look, her brain was processing too many things. Finally, her face lit up instantly and she smiled widely. I raised an eyebrow at her and her smile grew even wider.
"You're wrong!" she announced confidently taking me by surprise. I didn't actually think she would answer that.
"Niall is special! He's funny, good-looking. He's a great friend and an amazing listener and I can't imagine my life without him. He treats me like a normal girl not just..." She paused and looked at me and I knew what she was talking about.
Yes I admit. Maybe we have been acting a bit over protective when it came to Anna and we may have sufficated her multiple times because of us interfering in her business. Yes maybe I have treated her like a weak and fragile girl, because I have been acting like a mother more than a friend. I may have said things I didn't mean to her, I may have fought with her many times over silly things. And I genuinely regretted it.
Then I completely understood what she meant. Niall was treating her the way we should have been treating her.
Normally...
That's when I knew why she didn't tell him about her past. She was afraid, she was afraid he would treat her the way I have been treating her. She was afraid their friendship would be affected and I didn't blame her. However, I did think she was overthinking everything. Niall is different, he would always treat her the same way, like a princess. It was up to me to make all her worries disappear.
"I'm sorry." was the first thing I said but she shook her head "No... Listen to me Anna. I know I haven't been acting like the greatest best friend in the whole world and I apologize for that."
Her lips curved upwards in that sincere smile of hers "It's okay Jacqueline, do you understand now why I said he was different?"
I nodded "You really like him, don't you?" I inquired already knowing the answer.
She looked down fiddling with her duvet and she shook her head biting her lip nervously.
"Why are you so nervous? It's okay to like someone" I reassured her
"I know you're scared he might treat you differently once you tell him about what happened to you but I guarantee you, he won't"
I squeezed her knee reassuringly and she smiled weakly. There was something else on her mind, I could sense it. She confirmed my thoughts almost immediately.
"There's something else I need to tell you." she explained fidgeting in her seat nervously. I raised an eyebrow at her and she sighed.
"What if there's another guy. Someone you have been close to for so long. But back then you weren't feeling anything for him but now he shows up again telling you that he likes you but you feel torn because you have someone else on your mind but rejecting him would be so unfair as he had been always there for you. What would you do?"
Anna seemed honestly and utterly confused and I felt sorry for her. She was never this anxious and worried about something so this may be really important.
Without hesitation, I hugged her tightly. She hugged me back sighing heavily and I rubbed circles on her back. Right now, she didn't need someone to scold her or tell her what to do. She just needed a shoulder to cry on. Someone to tell her that he'll always be there for her and that someone was me.
We pulled back and she smiled at me gratefully. I grinned at her gleefuly and she sighed once more looking into my eyes tears threatening to prickle at any moment.
"So?" she inquired hesitantly.
"Well do you like that guy?" I asked pretending to know I didn't know who that guy was.
She paused for a while before answering "He has always been there for me and he has been an amazing friend and I-"
"Do you like him?" I cut her off and she shook her head shyly.
"Then what are you waiting for?" I yelled at her "Go tell Niall about your feelings amd don't worry... Leave Max for me" I winked at her playfully and her mouth dropped open in shock.
"How did you-"
"Anna... I'm your best friend! I know these things." I joked nudging her playfully.
She smiled widely "Thank you , Jacqueline. You're the best!"
"I know.Anna."
Although she seemed happy and relieved to tell me about it but I could see there was something else she wanted to say. Something in the back of her mind still disturbing her but she flashed me a smile so I didn't bother to ask any further.
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A/N: So this chapter took me ages to write and I hope it lived up to your expectations.
Ok to the competition... I will ask you a question and the first one to guess it right will get a dedication the next chapter and I will read one of their stories (if they want me to) also they get to take a look on the next chapter before being posted here ;) So... Yeah... To the question then ;)
Q- What was the book Zayn was reading?
The answer for that is kinda easy so if you have read the book then you will know instantly. :)
Vote/Comment? Fan me? :)
Maybe even tell your friends about this story? ;)
Hope you have enjoyed it. ;)