C'mon, C'mon (TMH 1)

Chapter 7: Basketball Girl

Perrie's POV:

My hands pressed over my eyes in a failed attempt at stopping the tears which flow freely, I burst through the doors of the hospital and stop, gasping for breath, on the sidewalk outside. Feeling suddenly exhausted and ruined and not at all like the bold Little Mix singer, I walk into the manicured bushes and sink down into a sitting position with my back pressed against the concrete wall. I drop my head forward and press the backs of my hands against my knees.

Several people walk by, but I don't give them a glance. I hear their footsteps slow as they approach, but then they pass me. My hands slide shakily over my eyes. I did it. I said it. I didn't mean to; I was just so upset. But what was Zayn...

My head falls forward onto my shoulders as tears press behind my eyes. I don't want to say this, but in the strangest way I hate the thought of love itself; love that can be so easily torn apart. You can't feel love without knowing the reverse of it, and the pain the lack of love causes. 

That was how I felt when Zayn told me about what had happened at Denise's. Maybe I had gone too far; maybe I should have given him more grace. But... what excuse did he have, even if he had not exactly cheated, to come so close? What could even that entrance into her flat have brought?

I'm scared to know. I don't want to know. I want to forgive and forget. But how can I do that when the very reason he lies in the hospital right now is due to his own stupid actions?

I still love that idiot, no matter what he does. I want to tell him that. But first... he needs to learn a lesson.

Then I realize how stupid I must look, sitting here in the dirt between the cleanly cut circular bushes along the hospital wall, probably rubbing dirt into my face. I wipe off my face with my sleeve and pick myself up.

I walk casually back into the hospital like nothing just happened and somehow find my way back to Zayn's room. I collide with Cosette and Shaliene once I reach the waiting room outside.

Cosette glares at me disapprovingly. "Girl, you've got some explaining to do!"

"Yeah, what was that?" demands Shaliene, eyeing me suspiciously.

"Um... nothing," I mumble.

Cosette plants both hands on her hips and stares me down. "Well then you need to go apologize to Lou. He's crying his eyes out because you interrupted his solo," she adds with a hint of sarcasm.

I laugh in spite of myself. Oh, Lou. "OK, thanks, I will." 

"You screwed up Let It Go," Louis fake-whimpers when I reach him.

I smile and give him a hug. "It's okay, Lou. You have an amazing voice."

He flashes me a pout and replies slowly, "OK, sweet."

"Louis!" I exclaim, punching him. Then my face breaks into a grin and I hug him. "I love you, idiot."

Cue Zayn to enter at this moment. 

He's two steps out of his room, and his eyes are locked on me. "Perrie?!"

"Oh!" I disentangle myself from Louis and throw myself into his arms, sealing my lips against his in a kiss that amends whatever dispute lay between us. "Zayn! I'm so sorry for what I said to you earlier, and I hope you—"

"Perrie." He gently removes my hands. "It's all right, baby. I love you and no one else, okay? And the first thing I'm going to do is make sure Harry breaks up with that girl. She's... trouble."

Why did I ever imagine he would cheat on me? Of course he wouldn't; he's my Zayn, I'm his Perrie. Nothing else is real. Forgetting our dispute, I rest my head against his shoulder and I feel his hands stroke the hair on the back of my neck. Still resting my head against his shoulder, I turn and my lips touch his neck.