Falling For You

Chapter 2

*3 years ago*

*Liam is 15 and Zayn is 14*

"Liam, Zayn, time for dinner. Come on down." Both boys jump up from Liam's bed when his mom calls for them. Zayn follows Liam down the stairs and they quickly find their seats at the table.

Both boys are sitting next to each other at the table, flanked by their fathers, and their mothers across from them. All of Liam's and Zayn's sisters had things to do tonight, so the parents had decided to have dinner.

Food is passed around and everyone settles in to eat when suddenly, Liam clears his throat.

"Umm...before we eat, I just...I have something to tell everyone. This is something that I've recently discovered about myself, and everyone here is very close to me, so I think now is a good time to tell you all."

Everyone turns to face Liam, but Zayn already has a feeling he knows what it is. His best friend had been acting differently recently, and Zayn had started to pick up on the signs.

"I'm gay." Liam says, and the room goes dead silent.

And there it is. Zayn thinks, staring at Liam, avoiding his father's gaze. On one hand, he is incredibly proud of his best friend for feeling confident enough to come out.

On the other hand, Zayn is terrified of his father's reaction. He knows his father's views on homosexuality are less than supportive.

Zayn watches as Geoff and Karen congratulate their son and thank him for his honesty and trust in them, and Zayn can't help but feel a little jealous.

What if I came out? He thinks. He shakes that idea off immediately. I'm not gay. Zayn berates himself.

Sure, he's had thoughts about guys before, specifically for his best friend, but he'd done his best to ignore those, like a good son, right? Surely he's not doing anything wrong.

Unless these feelings he has for the boy sitting next to him develop any further, but he won't let that happen.

He hears his father's chair scrape against the floor as he stands up. "Thank you for dinner, but we will be leaving. Zayn, Trisha, let's go." His father turns and heads for the door.

Zayn's mother gets up and follows him but Zayn stays put. "Zayn!" His father barks, and Zayn turns to Liam.

"I'm sorry about him. Really. I'll see you at school on Monday." Zayn says, turning to follow his parents back across the street. Once they are inside, his father turns on Zayn.

"Did you know that boy was gay?" His father growls, stepping closer, causing Zayn to flinch away.

"He never told me, Dad, I swear." Zayn says. His father grabs him by the collar, lifting him up.

"That is not what I asked you." He growls, and Zayn stays silent. He had known. Liam had never told him but he'd known. And his father would know if he lied.

"You knew." His father said quietly, dropping Zayn back onto his feet. The two of them are quiet for a moment, when suddenly his father's fist connects with Zayn's jaw, sending him sprawling backwards.

"I will not have a fag for a son." His father growls, standing over him. Zayn opens his mouth to defend himself, but his father holds up a hand.

"Don't. Even. Try it. You think I haven't been watching, but I have Zayn. Your feelings have been written all over your face for weeks. You're a fag, so is that kid across the street. His idiot parents don't understand the severity of it, but I do. I need to turn you into a man."

Zayn flinches away as his father leans in. "And if I have to beat it out of you, so be it." Zayn cries out in pain as his father's foot connects with his ribs, once, twice, three times.

"I catch you with that fag or that family again, and it will be much worse. And don't think about telling anyone of this. I don't need the rest of the town knowing I failed as a father." He says before stalking out of the room.

Zayn slowly picks himself up off the floor, limping back to his room. He closes the door, wishing he had a lock on it, and collapses onto his bed, curling into a little ball.

By the time he passes out, exhausted, his face is stained with tears.