my step-brother's best friend // ziam

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Zayn and I both agreed that we have to keep a distance to be safe from Harry’s glares towards us and his suspicion. Zayn has been spending more time with Niall and I’ve been spending more time with, well, myself… It grievous seeing Niall and Zayn spending so much time together, mostly because they’ve been really close since I first met them back in eighth grade. They’ve been tight friends, I think even closer than Zayn and Harry. What hurts the most is that Niall and Zayn have always had this affectionate friendship, they’re very touchy and I don’t know it just… hurts, you know? I mean, it may all be joking around and what not, but observing them from a far, I can’t help, but hurt in the inside.

Seeing Zayn’s playful strokes towards Niall’s hair reciprocated by Niall’s touch. Then, seeing Niall grab Zayn by the waist and “push” him away and Zayn not wanting to let go, so he wraps his arms around Niall and makes the “push” become into a hug… Yeah, it hurts… a lot.

I’ve learned that it’s for the best. I mean if this weren’t happening and it was Zayn and I doing all these “playful” touching and caressing everyone would get suspicious. That would be because before Zayn left, we barely interacted. If we ever did interact it would be on our own; I just tended to admire him from a far, which is what I was doing right now.

I watched as Niall’s grin grew impossibly wider whilst Zayn hugged Niall tighter. I tried to focus on the book I was reading on the window seat, but it was hard with both their chuckling and giggling crossing my ears. I looked up the book and Niall’s face was glued unto Zayn’s chest as he was practically chocking on his laughter. Zayn mumbled something on Niall’s hair and I saw Zayn’s eyes shot up to mine and I immediately looked into my book. I looked from the corner of my eye and saw Zayn looking down hurt by my reaction and he let go of Niall. Niall looked up at Zayn and they scurried into Niall’s room laughing. I sighed heavily dearly wishing I was Niall right now.

“Hey, Li, what you reading there?” I heard Harry call from the hallways.

I honestly have no fucking clue as to why Harry is suddenly all up in my business being so sweet, but I’m just going with the flow and enjoying while the niceness lasts, “Some random book I threw in my luggage,”

“Nice,” Harry sat in the corner of the window seat and I brought my legs to my chest giving him more space to sit. He turned around and sat crisscrossed from me and I mimicked his actions.

“So, what’s up?” I threw my book slightly unto the coffee table.

“Nothing much, how about you?” Harry asked looking intently into my eyes as if trying to get the truth out.

“Nothing…?” I stated, but it came out more like a question.

“Okay, truth is, I just want to know what is going on between you and Zayn,” Harry admitted sternly, “Why are you all suddenly besties sneaking out and going into the lake? Are you two dating?”

I took a deep breath and told myself, Liam, okay, it’s now or never… you have to lie to your brother, suck it up and be a big boy;and that’s how my little Hollywood improv began.

I scoffed, “Besties? Going out? Do you realize you’re talking about Zayn here…? Zayn and me are you serious, Harry?”

Harry looked down feeling stupid, “That is true… I mean…”

“There’s no chance of that, he’s… well, he’s Zayn and I’m well… me... If he were gay, he wouldn’t go out with me he’d probably go out with Niall or you, not me,” I looked down sadly when I realized that is true, then I added on, “Besides, I’m not gay.”