Again «ZM» ✔️

Part Thirteen

Isabelle

I walk out of the classroom with both Lilith and Zayn. Me and Zayn agreed to be friends for now and see what happens later. Lilith doesn't know and I don't know how to tell her. But I guess I won't have to because right now Liam's walking towards us. He's looking at me like he's not sure about all of this.

"Hi. Long time no see, huh?" Lilith greets him first with a smile. He nods at her and hugs her. Then greets Zayn. After that he looks at me and opens his arms for a hug. But I walk past him.

"Isabelle, come on," he groans. He wraps an arm around me and walks with me. "There are way too many cameras outside right now," he whispers in my ear. I sigh and nod. I look at Lilith and Zayn. She looks confused. We leave the school. I immediately notice the cameras.

"Aren't you two like... Friends? Or am I behind the news?" Lilith speaks up again. I don't even dare to look at her because it hurts. Liam takes the hint of my silence that I'm not able to tell her, so he does it for me.

"We're back together," Liam answers for me, "She's just not in the mood," he mumbles and we stop. I look at them. She looks shocked. And hurt. I don't even blame her. I look at Zayn. He gives me a hug. For a moment, just a little second... I'm scared to let him go. I'm scared that he'll leave me. That he'll move on to another.

"It's okay, Isa," he whispers in my ear making my heart ache. How can someone be so understanding and patient? I pull away from him and smile. Then I look back at Lilith. She also gives me a hug, but it's fast and almost... cold? Liam opens the car door for me. I sit in the car and wait for Liam to sit in as well. I thought Gabriel was picking me up today?

We both walk in the huge ballroom. I anonymously leaked some photos of me and Zayn to the press last night. They're not using me, I won't let them. I look at my mother who has a shocked expression. She's talking to someone. I'm guessing she now knows of the pictures. I slightly lift my chin.

"You were the one who leaked the pictures, weren't you?" Liam quietly asks, "Pictures of you and Zayn," he explains what pictures he's talking about. I grin and look at him. What a clever boy. Finally using his brain and for what?

"Clever much, huh?" I say without answering his question, "Why's the question?" I ask him back. They can't just expect me to be their puppet. He shakes his head. He acts as if he understands and respects me. That's all that matters right now.

"Hello everyone! As I just noticed, Isabelle Miller has finally arrived, the special guest of tonight! Let's give her a round of applause!" someone in the microphone says. I raise both my eyebrows. Then I look at my mother who is looking at us. I walk towards the stage. "A word from our special guest?" he points at me. I nod. I get on the stage and smile at the people standing around. Everyone applauds me again. I see Liam standing still by the big Christmas tree near the entrance. And my heart breaks again. I blame him for this. Not entirely, but at least some part of it. He did nothing when he could've at least tried.

"Hello, dear guests! And thanks to everyone making all of this happen," I speak into the microphone. I look at my parents. Think about Zayn. If you ruin this, you may never see him again. The thought is all it takes for me to just go with this bullshit. "I've noticed there are pictures going around of me and Zayn. Those pictures don't mean a thing for those who are wondering," I say and take a deep breath. I look at Liam. He's watching me with a frown. "They don't mean anything, because me and Liam..." I stop. I just can't say it, my voice disappears. I look around. Fuck, what do I do? "Me and Liam are getting married soon and rumours of me cheating on him are really disturbing our peace. So it'd be nice if you all stopped those. Thanks, have a great evening!" I say and step away from the microphone. Everyone cheers, but I look at Liam. I get off stage and make my way to the stand with drinks. I take a glass in which is champagne and take a sip. Soon enough Liam stands next to me. He's shocked.

"One moment you're spreading rumours, the next you decide we're marrying each other... I'm sorry, Izzy, that I hurt you, but please, make some effort here," he whispers to me. I turn to him with a frown. Did I just not do that? It took me way more effort than I've put in this relationship. It took me so much effort not to just scream that it's all a fraud.

"It was all planned for a stunt. Gosh, everyone is asking literally everything from me and when I try my best to please you all, it's still not enough. It's never enough!" I whisper back and storm past him. I really thought I'd do a good thing, but I get judged for it? I place the glass on a table and make my way upstairs. I know there's a private rooftop that we can use for fresh air. So I go there. Not many go there. Thankfully. I fasten my pace.

When I'm up here, I sit on the edge, both my legs over the ledge. Tears run down my face. I let myself get it out of my system because it wasn't enough yesterday. And nobody is coming at least for a while. Liam knows better to give me some space and my parents... Well, they don't care unless they need me to go on the stage and smile like nothing's wrong. I hear the doors open and close which means someone else is here now. I don't bother to look. That someone wraps their arms around me and places their chin on my shoulder. Immediately I know it's Liam. Only he would dare do such thing. At least for now.

"I'm sorry, Izzy," Liam whispers, "I talked to Zayn last night. He was pissed at me and I know you are too. I also get why," he quietly tells me and after that he's quiet for a while, "I told him about the situation and why this is happening. He said he'll be waiting for you if you really want him," he whispers. I take his hand and lock our fingers together. He gives me a kiss on the neck. I missed it. I turn around to face him while he holds me, so I don't fall off the building. I pull him in and kiss him. He doesn't even resist, he kisses me back. But I pull away after a moment. This is wrong. Oh, this very wrong, I can't trust my own feelings now... I kissed him out of desperation and it's only growing. The desperation.

"I don't want to waste his time and hurt his feelings," I whisper. He nods with a frown and hugs me. "Either way Violet and Alexander will make me leave him if we ever get together," I add letting tears slip down my cheeks. It hurts me to know that they would even do it out of spite just because of something I've said ten years ago. Or when I first began to talk.

"When you're eighteen, you'll have your freedom. They won't control you anymore. Just a few more days, Izzy. I need a few days from you," he whispers to me, "They signed that they'll pay if we pull a huge stunt of our relationship. You already made it happen," he tells me. I pull away from him to look in his eyes. He can't be serious... They wanted us to make fools of ourselves? Why can't they do it themselves? Assholes. I just hug him again and sigh. And for some reason my tears aren't falling anymore as well. Though, there's something wrong. Something out of place, something that doesn't add up. But at this point, I'm so done with this that I don't smile about it. It's sad. He just presses a kiss on my forehead. What an asshole he is.