The Way It Is ! ** Ziam

Part 11

"I'm seriously not in the mood," Zayn says the next day.

Harry glares at him. "Well get in the mood," he says angrily. "You all ditched me off last night to go drinking, not one of you thought to invite me. The least you can all do is go out to brunch with me. All of us. As a group."

"Harry…"

"No," Harry snaps. "Get ready. You have an hour."

He pulls the door closed between them before Zayn can protest again. When he's gone, Perrie comes up behind him and presses her lips to his neck, right above the hickey. "Got a little carried away last night, I see," she laughs. "Oops."

"I guess," Zayn mumbles. He knows he shouldn't, that he's just digging his own grave a little bit deeper, assuring that one-way ticket to hell, but he can't seem to stop himself. Nor can he look into her eyes at all, hasn't been able to since the moment she woke up begging for a glass of water and something for her head, which he'd quickly gotten for her.

"So we're doing lunch with the guys?" Perrie guesses. "That sounds nice."

"I guess."

"Zayn." She grabs his arm lightly and stops him from walking around her. Just like last night, she lifts a hand and cups his cheek, and he has no choice but to look into her eyes. Doing so only makes it that much worse. "Did something happen last night?"

He flinches, like she slapped him or something. "What? No! No. Why— why would you ask that?"

Perrie frowns and steps away from him, shoulders hunched and small-looking. "I know how I get when I drink," she says softly. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you, or something."

He is literally the worst person in the entire world, at that moment. "No, no, babe, you didn't do anything wrong," he says quickly. "Never— you never do anything wrong. Okay? Don't think that. Ever."

Perrie sniffles and wipes at her nose before straightening up. "Okay," she says firmly. "I need a shower. Do you want to go first, or… you could always join me?"

"Another time?" Zayn bargains. "I'm still beat from last night."

She kisses him briefly. "Sure."

Once he hears the water running, he pulls on a semi-clean shirt and heads for the door. At the last second he turns around and knocks on the one to the bathroom. "What?" Perrie shouts through the sound of running water.

"Louis needs me," Zayn shouts back. "I'll be just next door. Won't be long."

"Okay!"

He ducks into the hallway and stands there for a moment, unsure. Then, before he can think of a million reasons not to, he knocks on the door to Louis and Niall's room.

"Come in!" Louis yells. Zayn turns the door handle and steps inside. Louis, still in bed, sits up. "I thought you were room service."

Niall comes out of the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waist. He passes Zayn and tries to poke the spot on his neck, but Zayn swats his hand away and steps backwards. "Damn, Perrie got you good."

"Never mind," Zayn says, heading for the door.

Louis jumps up and stops him. "Wait, what happened? You look like hell."

"Thanks," Zayn sneers. "Real nice, Lou."

"Zayn," Louis says quietly. "What's wrong?"

"Forget about it," he says. "It doesn't even matter."

"Zayn. Zayn!" But Zayn's already heading back to his room, locking the door and falling into that same chair from last night.

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