Gravity

Chapter 17

*March 7th 2017*

*Tuesday 1.00pm*

*Miami*

Camila's POV:

"I heard you were back in town."

I feel a smile creeping onto my lips and I turn around slowly to see Zayn looking at me with his signature smirk on his lips.

"Hello Cabello." He winks at me playfully.

"Zayn!" I wrap my arms around him in a hug; it's been a long time. "I was hoping I would run into you."

"Oh yeah?" he steps back with a smirk. "You didn't call though."

I roll my eyes. "I don't have your number." I tell him pointedly.

"We should change that." He smiles softly and I nod agreeing. "It's been a long time."

"It's been at least over a year." He informs me. I frown when I realize it. I don't think I've seen him since he and Dinah broke up at the start of our sophomore year of college. "I came home at Christmas but didn't see you?"

"I spent it in New Orleans with some family." He explains casually before looking around The Grill to see if I'm with anybody. I'm not, I was supposed to be meeting Dinah but she just text me to say she's been held up and rescheduled to tonight. "You got time for a drink?"

"By drink you mean coffee, right?" I tease as he rolls his eyes.

"Maybe for you, it's bourbon-o-clock according to my watch." He winks at me, I roll my eyes and he motions for me to go sit down. I wait for him to return and just like he said he has a glass of bourbon in one hand and my coffee in the other.

"Thanks," I smile appreciatively as I take a small smile. "So...what have you been up too?" I ask curiously.

He shrugs. "Not much. I'm still working at the garage...nothing new happening with me. Same old, same old." I nod with a small smile, he seems different but I can't explain how. "What about you? College life treating you well?"

"Yeah." I try to fight off my smile. "College life is great...better than expected."

"Good." He replies and I can see that he means it. "You seem happy, I like it." His smile fades slightly and my heart starts to pound hard against my chest because I feel like I know what's coming. "I know it's a long shot but...have you heard from Lauren?"

I swallow the growing lump in my throat and shake my head silently. Zayn nods in understanding and takes a sip from his bourbon.

"She misses you, you know." He tells me. "You should see her Camila, she's-"

"Zayn don't." I cut him off. "Please." I feel my voice crack despite myself. "I can't go back there."

He frowns but doesn't take the hint. "I know you've moved on, I get it. You did what she told you to do, but Camila-"

"Zayn please!" I cut him off again desperately. "Don't do this. You're right, I have moved on, I...I have a boyfriend now."

I watch as his eyes widen. "What? Since when?"

"Since the start of junior year." I confess, trying to push back the guilt. "His name is Liam, he's a pre-med student."

He nods slowly. "Pre-med? Right."

"Don't look at me like that." I scowl at the look on his face.

"Like what?" he asks in faux-innocence.

"Like you've just found out I've betrayed your best friend. I waited for two years before I couldn't wait anymore. Lauren told me to move on. I tried everything to get her to see me. I turned up at the prison numerous of times but every single time I was turned away. She rejected my phone calls; she sent back all my letters unopened. I tried! There is only so much a girl can take." My eyes start to water and my voice cracks. "I didn't want to give up on her but I had too. I was about to go insane!"