To This Day - Zarry Mini-fic (AU)

Part 2

PRESENT DAY

Harry’s P.O.V.

            Zayn’s hand was on my upper thigh as he spoke, and I absorbed his words, trying to picture his story. His golden eyes met mine every once in awhile and sent shivers all over my body. I could imagine small innocent Zayn, without his stubble and without his muscles and attitude. I could picture him small and helpless, running around with his friend Liam.

            “What happened to Liam?” I asked.

            “Damn it, Harry,” Zayn chuckled, “Just be patient. If you want to know the story, then you have to listen to all of it,”

            “O-Okay,” I stuttered.

            “Anyway, like I was saying…”

7 YEARS AGO

Zayn’s P.O.V.

            My teen years were the worst. I used to think that it couldn’t get any worse, but of course, it did. Liam and I were still really close friends, and as we grew, he started understanding my situation a little bit more. He understood that my mum didn’t have much longer to live and understood why I was always wore battered and torn clothing. Liam started really respecting me for who I was, and in return, I respected him too. He began to put a lot of his effort into running. He was really good at it, and it came naturally to him. I often found myself accompanying him to the track, where he would run while I sat in the stands and timed him.

            “How was that?” Liam called, his body covered in sweat as he hunched over, his hands on his knees.

            “Your best time yet, Liam,” I called back, staring at the watch in my hand.

            “Great,” He huffed, walking the aching in his body off, “Now come down here and bring my water,”

            I hopped up from my seat and walked down the steps and onto the track, heading over to stand next to Liam and giving him his water bottle. “You’re trying out for the team, yeah?” I asked.

            Liam shrugged, looking at me through his eyelashes, “Probably not. I can’t stand half of the kids on the team,”

            “But that’s the great part about it, Li,” I smiled, “You can beat all of them and prove how good at it you are. Because you are worth it, Liam. You are worth so much more than any of those people,”

            “Thanks, Zayn,” Liam smiled, pulling off his shirt and using it to wipe his face.

            “No problem,” I smiled, trying to not stare at Liam’s shirtless body. It was about this time that I was discovering my sexuality. Gay. Almost 100% positive. “C’mon, let’s head over to my place,”