Moving Novels: They Don't Know About Us (Zayn's Story)

Prologue

Picture of a concerned Zayn at the side <3

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Zayn's POV

I followed Mandy in her room when she stormed out, leaving Jake, Liam, Megan, Niall, Elizabeth, Louis, and I in the living room. Jake refused to answer our questions, and just left to follow Luke. Not so long after, Elizabeth left, leaving Louis trailing behind her back. Everybody was baffled at what just happened, but stayed quiet anyway.

"He was a COWARD!" I heard her shout from the other side of the door. Then all I could hear were her muffled cries and her soft voice, still talking on the phone. I gave her some privacy and decided to lay back at the end of the hall.

After a few minutes, it seemed like Mandy has calmed down a bit, so I knocked on her door, and peeked inside. She was sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed. Her arms spread across her legs, and her head was burried under her knees. I slowly approached her and propped myself down at her side.

When she felt my presence, she looked up at me. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying. And the moment her gaze landed on me, she just broke and cried harder, and harder. I couldn't do anything, so I wrapped her in my arms and layed her head on my shoulder.

"If you want to tell me, I'll listen." We were facing the wall, and my hand was on top of hers. "If you don't, I won't ask." I whispered. She just squeezed my hand and pulled away to look at me. She tried hard to smile.

"Nothing. Ummm... ha." She choked on her words, and looked away. "Just a little problem with my mother." She turned a full 180 on me, and I was now facing her back. I bit my cheek at that. I ran my hand through my hair, and sighed. I then shifted my weight, and reached over to take her head in my arms.

"I said you didn't have to tell me." I furrowed my brows. "That doesn't mean you should lie about it." A sob escaped her lips. Her eyes were just pleading at me. Why can't she just tell me what's wrong so I can help her?

"No, really. I... I'm f-fine..." Then she started heaving and hyperventilating. I stopped breathing when it sunk into me that she was having another panic attack. I quickly searched the room for her inhaler, and spotted her bag on the side table. I threw all its contents on the bed, and took out the bottle I recognized as the pure oxygen inhaler she used last time.

I ran back to her, and found her on the floor. I dropped on my knees and had the tip of the bottle on her mouth. She tried to take it from me, but her hand was shaking so bad. She took one inhale, held it in, and then exhaled. She repeated this process several times. She was still sobbing which made it harder for her breathing to go back to normal.

It took quite a while to calm her down. I asked her if I should call the others, and she just shook her head. I stood up and offered to get her a glass to drink. But when I tried to, she caught my wrist and begged me not to leave her. I sighed and sat back down.

"Mandy..." I looked her in the eyes. "You tell me your fine..." I wrapped us around with the comforter, since she was shaking badly. "But your tears say so otherwise." I raised my hand and wiped her cheek with my sleeve. It was a needless move, though. The tears just kept coming.

And we stayed like that for hours. I could see the sun shifting its position outside the window, and the tides rose and sunk at some time of the day. Mandy stopped crying, and just fell asleep. I shifted her head, so that she was lying on my shoulders.

I had a lot of time to think. And I stared down at this beautiful girl, who was so imperfectly perfect, whose cheeks glistened with drying tears, who was so scared of everything she learned how to be brave for others. I tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. I wished she would sing for me again.

I chuckled to myself. I loved how she sang with all she's got. I love her voice. I love how she just looks at me with such wonder and admiration, like I was the most interesting person in the world. I love how she laughs, and how over-protective she is about her car. I love how she had Niall give her his food, and how she shocked all of us when she poked Liam the very first day we met.

Then, realization struck me hard.

I loved everything she had to offer.

I love...

I smiled to myself.

 

I love her.