Half-Truths [hs, mc, zm, nh, lt +]

Chapter Forty

*Trish's POV*

~Six months later~

It's been six months since Zayn died. Since my dad left for Italy.

Sometimes I think it's okay, and everything gets brighter. But then, something has to happen to crush my mood.

Today, though, is one of my good days. I'm at the adoption shelter, sitting on the floor.

I'm waiting for my new puppy. He's going to be out soon.

The door opens, and out comes the puppy. He's a German Shepard. I have a Newfie at home, his name is Pluto.

"Hi buddy!" I say happily. The puppy comes running into my arms, his paws too big for his body.

I giggle, almost being knocked over. I pet his head, loving this moment.

"Hi baby! You're coming home with me today!" I gently squish his face, scratching his ears in the process.

I look up at the lady who was working at the shelter, smiling.

"I love him! He's adorable!" I say to her. She chuckles and nods.

"He is! When you called us last, you said you were going to think of a name. Have you thought of one?" She asks me. I nod, petting the puppy again.

"Odin." I say. The lady nods and hands me a collar and a leash. I slip the collar onto Odin's neck, then clip the leash on.

I pay where I need to, do all the things I have to do to legally adopt Odin, and off I go.

When Zayn died, he left me his house and everything with it. So, I sold my original house and moved into Zayn's.

Everything I saw once I moved into Zayn's house made me miserable. It kept reminding me that he was dead. So I gave everything to Emma and Niall.

Oh by the way, they're engaged.

I get home, and pick up Odin. He's too confused on what to do with his feet, it's adorable.

I open the door and Pluto comes running to me, wagging his tail. I swear to god this dog could clear a whole table with that tail.

I live alone with my dogs. Something I've grown used to. When Zayn died, I got an emotional support animal. Which would be Pluto. It wasn't my choice to have an ESA, but I got one anyways. Louis insisted.

I set Odin down, and Pluto immediately takes to him. I smile and take my phone out of my pocket, calling Emma.

As soon as she picks up the phone, I start talking.

"Mae, come over here! I did a thing."

"What?"

"Come over!"

"That sounds really bad."

"What? I'm not asking you to hook up with me."

"I know."

"Get your ass over here. I did a thing!"

"Fine."

I hang up the phone and take off Odin's leash.

3 minutes later, Emma shows up at my door. She just walks in, and looks around.

"What'd you do?" She asks me. I grin, and pull her over to the living room where Odin and Pluto were.

"Oh my god, you got another dog?" She asks me, giving me a 'are you serious?' look.

"Mhm! His name is Odin." I tell her. She rolls her eyes.

Emma's almost due. She was supposed to have the kid yesterday, but nothing came out... obviously.

"Pluto likes him, right?" Emma turns to face the dogs again.

"Oh yeah. He's a good dog, took to Odin right away." I answer. She kneels down and calls for Odin.

He doesn't come right away, but eventually he got the message. After all, I still need to train him.

"How come Niall didn't come with you?" We sit down on the floor. Pluto comes over, and sits on my lap. He's too big for this.

"He's working for a bit. Somebody called him, said they needed him." She says. I nod.

"Oh okay." I look over and see her somewhat playing with Odin.

Pregnancy is weird. She never plays with dogs.

"I saw Michael the other day. He asked how you were. He misses you." She tells me. I pause. I haven't heard his name in a while. I think about him a lot. I miss him too.

"I miss him too." I mumble. She gives me a sympathetic look.

"Do you still love him?" She asks.

"Which one?"

"Michael." I pause, thinking about my answer.

I do still love him. He was... Michael. I can't explain it, I just love him.

But he killed Zayn, and I'll never forget that.

"T? Do you still love him?" She repeats her question.

"Yes, I do." I answer. I don't think she was expecting that answer.

"I never told you what happened... six months ago." I speak up again, filling the silence.

"Oh? Do tell." She scoots a little, trying to turn herself without actually getting up.

"So, as you know, your dad took Niall. Then, I offered myself to him so Niall could stay with you."

"Yeah I know. I tried following you."

"Yep. But when you guys left, he threw me into this room. Told me to speak to him, but I refused. Then, in return he called me dead weight lifted off your shoulders. Now I know that's not true, you would've left me by now if I was." I say. Emma nods.

"A couple hours went by, nothing special. He came back and demanded I stand up. I refused to do that, too. He got pissed off. He tried using my words against me, but it backfired. Then I punched him. And we got into a fight. Obviously I won, you found me literally going in tiny circles in the room." I make a light joke, causing Emma to chuckle.

"Then, you took me home. After you and Ni left, Michael saw me. He said he needed to confess something. Before he could say anything, Zayn knocked at the door." I watch as Emma's expression doesn't change. She listens to me carefully, taking everything in.

"Zayn stayed for dinner, and I thought things were going well. Until Zayn decided to be an ass and accuse Michael of sleeping with me. Then they got into a fight... in the middle of it Zayn dropped. He just.... dropped. Fell flat onto the floor." Emma's eyes widen ever so slightly at what I'm telling her.

"Then Michael left. I left shortly after and went for a walk to clear my thoughts. I get home and Michael scared the shit out of me. He was sitting on my kitchen floor in the dark. He then tells me he needed to confess two things now. One, was that he loved me." I bring my gaze back to Emma.

"The other was that he killed Zayn." I mumble the last part. Zayn's death will always be very hard for me to talk about. Emma let's out a small gasp.

"That's why you two aren't talking!" She exclaims. I nod.

"I'm so sorry, T." She tells me. I shrug.

"Can't change anything now." I mutter. She lets out another gasp, but this one's more prominent.

"What?" I see her look down, then at me.

"T, my water broke."