{ON HOLD} Melt|Zauren

M.16

Zayn stopped in front of us and looked between the both of us before rubbing at the back of his neck. "So, I heard you're talking to another girl," Camila said putting her hands on her hips. I turned around and rubbed my hands down my face. "Oh my God.." I mumbled to myself. This was really happening right now. Zayn cleared his throat. "I really shouldn't be chatting right now. I'm still on the clock," Zayn said, his voice was still angelic.

"Okay then when do you get done?" Camila asked.

"In three hours," he said. "Look, I've really got to get back-" "But you have time to talk to your nutcase ex girlfriend." Camila cut him off and I realized she was around me too much. When I was really passionate about something, I will cut off anyone to prove my point or get my answers. I was passionate about this but now it was like my brain and mouth weren't making a connection.

"It wasn't much of a talk."

"Do you have a break?" Camila asked without hesitation.

"Yes. I have my last break in twenty minutes," he said.

"Then we'll talk during your break," she said. "How long is it?"

"It's an hour long but I was planning on grabbing food.." Zayn said.

"Zayn.. Get to work," I didn't turn around to look but I'm sure it was his boss.

I didn't turn around until I was certain that Zayn was out of the aisle. "I'm literally shaking," I said holding my trembling hand out for Camila to view. "Why would you do that, Camz? He's going to think I'm crazy."

"I'm not going to let him practically lead you on and then toss you aside. You wouldn't let a guy do that to me or Ally, and I'm not going to let any one do thar to you."

I was in my car as Camila sat in the passenger seat scoping out the front of the store. "He probably snuck out back. Or he's the break room. Can we leave?" I asked. My hands were anxious for the steering wheel. "No. He's coming. He's gotta come." Camila's phone buzzed in the cupholder the silence in the air was so unbearable, I almost jumped out of my skin.

"Where are you? Zayn just texted me that," Camila read. She began typing away and I rubbed at my stomach feeling butterflies. "Okay, I just want to get this over with, like right now." I said.

"There he is!" Camila pointed. "You go."

"I go? Uh no, you just said that you were going to talk to him. I have nothing to say to him."

"Well you do now. Go." Camila unlocked the doors, a gesture that I could've done on my own. "Are you kidding me? I don't know what to say."

"Everything you said to me when you were venting say that, oooo or also you know the girl he's talking to can be easily discussed."

Zayn was leaned against the cement wall of Pachecho's glancing around. "You always set me up for failure," I said to Camila. I pulled the door open and started making my way through the parking lot and over to Zayn. My legs were shaking, my hands were still trembling. I felt like I was going to pass out. "I can't believe I'm doing this," I groaned to myself.

"Lauren." I looked up and realized I was closer to Zayn than I thought. "Where's Camila? I thought she had to talk to me."

"I'm really sorry about her. She's just a best friend being well, a best friend." I shrugged. Zayn nodded and started digging around in his pocket to keep busy. "Well, don't you have anything to say to me?" I asked throwing my hands up. Zayn raised an eyebrow.

"Do I?" he questioned.

"You've been avoiding me like the plague since I told you how I felt. I understand it was unexpected but come on give a girl some credit, that was a brave thing to do. And I come to find out you've been talking to someone else the whole time," I said. It was like once I got started talking, I couldn't stop.

"I can explain," he said.

"Then please explain because I feel like I've been... been lead on."

"That's the last thing I want you to feel, Lauren."

"Too late for all of that. I mean, I don't care that you moved on because anyone is better than crazy Selena. It just sucks though having these feelings and having nothing to do with them," I shrugged. Zayn clenched his jaw shut and looked anywhere but at me. "Yeah.. again another stupid thing I said that you should just forget all about. I guess that I'll see you whenever I see you."

I turned around to leave but Zayn caught onto my hand before I could walk away. "What Zayn?"

"There is another girl, that much is true." I made a face hearing this information and swallowed hard. "I met her at a party a few months ago but we just started talking recently. Really recently, actually."

"Around two and a half weeks ago, recently?" I asked then sighed knowing the answer.

"Yeah.." Zayn looked disappointed. "She always texts me but I just recently decided to reply to one of them."

"She must be pretty remarkable," I said faking a smile. I turned around and headed back to my car with Zayn calling my name the whole time.

"Crushes fucking suck," I said slamming the car door shut and aggressively placing on my seatbelt. "What happened?" Camila asked.

"He met this girl a few months ago at a party but just started talking to her at the same time he started avoiding me." I was starting to get worked up and the tears were starting to form from frustration. I tried my best to blink them away before I started driving. "Do you want me to go over there and knock him out with my cast one good time?" I laughed at that and shook my head turning the radio up.

Later that night I was in my room that was dimly lit from my string lights. I was laying on my back staring up at the cieling with my headphones in my ears. The light from the hallway seeping into my bedroom startled me. I sat up and Taylor was standing there. I pulled my headphones out of my ear and suddenly the world I had entered of Chet Faker telling me that "talk is cheap, my darling," became muffled.

"What's up?" I asked sitting up in my bed. Taylor pointed toward my door. "That hot british guy is here." I raised an eyebrow.

"Here? As in, in our house?" I asked.

"Well no, he was at the door step and he said he'd wait in his car. I offered him to come inside."

"Okay, thanks," I said internally freaking out.

I waited a few minutes before gathering the courage to go outside. I pushed the door open and saw the lights on a car across the street turn on. I see Zayn's car was out of the shop. I made my way over to his car and I got in once I heard the doors unlock. "What else is there to say? The crush is requited but you want nothing to do with a relationship but you're moving on from your crazy ex with another girl that you met at a party. I think I'm all filled in."

"I understand that you're pissed about this and you have every right to be. I didn't intentionally lead you on though. I want to make that clear. Right here. Right now."

I let out a sigh and looked out the window at Camila's house. Her bedroom window was lit up. "I know that it wasn't intentional probably but that's just my personal feeling."

"I understand," he nodded. Zayn was still in his work uniform and he looked exhausted. "I don't know how to explain the situation to you because it won't make any sense to you because it sure as hell doesn't make any sense to me."

"It's fine, like I told you, it's just a crush. I can move on in no time like you," I low blowed. Zayn sighed. "I should let you get home and rest up."

"I'm not going home. I was going to meet up with Elle.." he said her name in a hushed tone. I had no idea who she was or what she looked like but the thought of her made my skin crawl. She was probably going to give Zayn a back massage and soothe his work stress.

"I have a question," I said.

"What?" he asked.

"You said you didn't want a relationship after your rollercoaster ride with Selena then what are you pursuing with this Elle girl?" I asked. Zayn was quiet as he tapped his fingers along the steering wheel. "Like I said already, it doesn't make sense."

"You're right. It doesn't. It feels like we're doing a lot of talking but getting nowhere with it, so I'm just going to go."