Hold On (l.s.)

f o u r

i'm very tired and caffeinated so here, enjoy my late-night writing spiel that i did instead of my english homework.

also i couldn't figure out where the battery aid interview was filmed so just go with it, and when i say rental house i basically mean an airbnb but FaNcY

TRIGGER WARNING: EATING DISORDER (ANOREXIA)

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November 16th, 2014
Rental house of One Direction - day of Battery Aid Interview
Living room / makeshift dressing room

"Guys! Guys! For fucks sake, I need to talk to you!" A Bradford accent yells out over the noise of Louise and her team. The bustling hair stylists and make-up artists all pause at the sound of Zayn's agitated tone.

"Zee, now isn't the-" 
"Liam, shut the fuck up and come." the raven-haired man cuts him off, unsympathetically.
"Is that an invitation?" the chocolate-eyed lad smirked. Lord knows he's changed since I met him.
"Liam."
"Sorry."

I grasp Louis' hand and tug him with me, following Niall, Liam and Zayn into a nearby, empty kitchen, where the stack of dirty plates has since disappeared from our last habitation of this room, when Zayn suddenly turns and tucks his head into Liam's broad chest. His shoulders shake with the soft sobs barely audible in the otherwise silent kitchen.

I gape, having not seen Zayn cry in months, as he's not the most emotive person. Louis removes his hand from my clutches and rushes over to embrace the pair, Niall shortly following. I just stand there, mouth flopping open and closed like a fucking goldfish.

Zayn almost never cries; at least, not in front of us. Liam said he's more sensitive than he lets on, but that's because he always had to be strong for his sisters and his mum, constantly closing off his emotions for the sake of theirs.

Which is why I'm now staring in shock as the man shakes in Liam's arms.

"It's okay, Zayn, shh..." Liam said soothingly, in attempts to end the tears.
"No, Li, I-" he cuts off with more sobs.
"Zee, what's wrong?" Louis asks calmly, which is certainly out of his nature. Has the Earth spun off it's fucking axis?? I half expect a pig to fly by the open window.

He cries for a few more minutes, before finally regaining composure and sitting down on the stool at the breakfast bar. Tear stains splattered across his red cheeks, he clears his throat and wipes his face with a tissue.

"Okay. I'm okay. Um.. I need you all to promise you won't overreact." He begun.
"Zayn, we won't." Niall announced on behalf of all of us.
"Louis?"

Zayn knows him so well.

"Fine, fine, I promise I won't be dramatic about this. Whatever THIS is." He rolls his eyes, a small smirk tugging at Zayn's lips, which is soon mirrored on each of our own.

"I was going to tell you first, Li, really I did, but I only want to say this as often as I absolutely have to.." he drifts off.
"It's okay, but please tell us. The suspense is killing me." Liam responds with a bitter chuckle.

"I went.. I went to a doctor back in London, and, uh... she said that I'm anorexic." He mutters, picking at his fingernails.

Like a slap across the face, the realization floods my mind.

"I should've known, I should've fucking known. I knew something was wrong. When we were in Tampa, and you wouldn't come out with us for dinner? When we were in St Louis, and me and Lou brought back donuts, and you didn't even touch yours? Hell, we were in Paris and you said you didn't want a fucking croissant! I should've fucking known, I-" My jeremiad is continuous, the recollection of each and every one of Zayn's skipped meals reverberating through my disarranged mind.