Guided by Love // a ziam fanfic (on HOLD)

twenty four

I stand in front of the mirror, fresh out of the shower. With a towel wrapped around my waist, I lean over the counter towards the mirror and wipe my hand over the fogged up surface, revealing a reflection of myself.

The person in the mirror is completely different from what I remember. His wet hair is longer and slicked back, a few inches above his shoulders. His facial features are more prominent and his eye color varies based on which way the light hits them.

My body looks different, definitely more mature than my younger self. My naked chest is dewy and splattered with drops of water.

I purse my lips and the figure in the mirror does the same. I touch my face, then run my fingers through my hair. The one in the mirror did the same motions.

I smile at myself in the mirror, my hands enlaced my hair and my elbows raised. I look to the ceiling and smile to myself. An uncontrollable laugh bubbles up and out of my mouth. I close my eyes and sigh in happiness.

I can see.

Me.

I suddenly feel arms wrap around my stomach. I lean back against the person behind me and let my hands slip down, behind my head and around the neck of the person behind me.

Liam kisses my bare shoulder. His lips linger, leaving a blazing fire upon my wet skin.

"Are you going to be ready in a few minutes?" Liam mumbles into my skin.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just," I stop to think as I drop my hands from Liam's neck.

"You're just admiring yourself?" Liam laughs, his hot breath hitting my shoulder. "Well, if you want me to sound conceded, then yes," I admit, my cheeks beginning to burn with embarrassment.

Liam turns me around so I'm facing him, by back to the mirror. He kisses my forehead swiftly and pulls away with a smile. "You can't control your curiosity. You haven't seen yourself since you were eight." he smiles.

"I know, I can't even recognize myself. I've forgotten what I looked like over the years," I whisper. This fact hasn't processed yet in my mind just until I actually did say it aloud.

I don't remember what I look like when I was eight. The image has faded over the decade so that all I can remember are short fragments. I can barely remember what my parents looked like.

My parents. Oh my parents.

I feel my heart clench in pain. I haven't thought of them in a while, distracted by Liam and everything that has aha opened over the month or so. But now that I think of them, I can't forget about them.

I don't realize how much time has passed until Liam tilts my head up towards his slightly taller frame. "Z, I said are you going to be ready soon?" he asks, a worried expression on his face.

I sniff back the beckoning tears and nod, unable to speak. I'm afraid that if I do speak, tears will start to come out.

"Okay. I'll be out in the living room. Be out in ten minutes, no longer," Liam says with concern. He pecks me on the lips and exits the bathroom.

I push away my emotions, with quite difficulty, and get ready to go clubbing.

Yes, I said clubbing.

The thing is, is that Liam, Louis and Harry have decided to go clubbing tonight as a celebration for me. After a nice dinner at a what Louis called a 'high-end fast food', I was pretty full and happy.

However, with much persuading mostly from Liam, I finally agreed to reluctantly go out and have a good time with the only friends I have.

I suppose it's the only thing I have to do.
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