Falling For You

Chapter 3

*1 year ago*

*Liam is 17 and Zayn is 16*

*Liam's pov*

"Liam, honey, come eat something." Liam's mom says from the doorway. Liam just stares across the room at the wall, trying to gather his thoughts.

He has too many things on his mind. The centre of those thoughts was always one word. One name. Zayn.

Liam knows his best friend has been dealing with something. He's tried so many times to get it out of him. For almost 2 years, Liam has hounded Zayn, trying to get his friend to talk, but Zayn always refuses.

But the past week, Zayn has avoided Liam like the plague. He hasn't left his house, he hasn't answered one of Liam's calls or texts. Liam has been worried, but now he's getting scared.

"Sweetheart." his mom says, coming to sit down next to him on the bed. "I understand you're worried about Zayn, but…" Liam didn't stay to listen to the rest of that sentence.

"Sorry Mum, I have to go." He mutters, grabbing a sweatshirt and running for the front door. He doesn't even register what he's doing until he's knocking on the Malik's door.

It takes a few moments, but eventually, Yaser opens the door. "The hell do you want?" He asks, his deep voice rumbling, but not deterring Liam, who isn't nearly as scared as he should be.

"To see Zayn." Liam says, and Yaser just scoffs.

"He doesn't want to see you." He emphasises this statement by slamming the door in Liam's face.

Fine. Liam decides. I'll find out what's going on myself.

He quickly cuts around the side of the house until he's at the back of the garage. The garage is connected to the house and the point of the roof is right under Zayn's window.

Liam hoists himself up onto the garbage cans and pulls himself onto the roof. He moves quickly up to the window, and peeks inside. He can see Zayn curled up on his bed, his back to Liam. Liam pushes up on the window and it slides open easily.

Zayn sits up quickly when he hears the window, but relaxes once he sees it's only Liam climbing through. Liam watches as he curls back into himself on the bed.

Liam goes to sit down next to him and gently cards a hand through his soft hair, smiling as Zayn presses into the touch.

"Zayn, can you please look at me?" Liam asks, and Zayn shakes his head, curling tighter into himself. His arms are covering his face, blocking it from Liam's view. "Zayn please, I'm worried about you." Liam tries to keep his voice from cracking but he fails.

He cares so much for this boy next to him. Liam has feelings for Zayn he hasn't even put a label on yet, and hurts him to see Zayn hurting. Zayn has been hurting for a long time it seems like, and Liam hates himself for not realising something sooner.

Zayn hasn't moved, so Liam lays down next to him, facing the boy, and pulls him into a hug. Only then does Zayn pull his arms away from his face, but he buries it quickly in Liam's neck.

"Zayn, I need to know what's going on. I'm worried about you, and I miss you." Liam whispers and he can feel Zayn's tears soaking through his shirt. Zayn pulls away just then and the two of them sit up.

For the first time, Liam can see Zayn's face, and Liam gasps. Zayn's left eye is black and swollen shut, and there is a sizable bruise that has taken over the right side of his jaw. Zayn lifts the bottom of his shirt to reveal multiple bruises spotting his ribs and chest. He drops the shirt and stares at his hands in his lap as Liam stares at him, speechless.

How did I let this happen? Liam asks himself that question over and over again as he stares at the bruised and silent boy.

Without another thought, he wraps his arms around Zayn's smaller waist and pulls him into his lap. Zayn's legs are on either side of Liam's and his face is buried into Liam's neck as Liam runs slow circles around Zayn's back with his hands.

They sit this way for a few minutes until Zayn's tears have stopped and his breathing has returned to normal. Liam doesn't ask who did this. He knows. Yaser.

And he knows why too. He doesn't support homosexuality, and he doesn't want Zayn hanging out with Liam. Liam had learned Yaser's views on homosexuality pretty quickly after he came out, but he didn't realise he was this extreme.

Zayn pulls away then, wiping his tears away, gently avoiding the bruises that cover his beautiful face. "You have to go." Zayn says, almost in a whimper.

"Why?" Liam asks, and Zayn tries to push away from him. Liam keeps his hold on the boy's waist, not letting him escape.

"Because you aren't safe here. You need to go. Please." Zayn pleads, fisting his hands in Liam's sweatshirt, but Liam just shakes his head.

"I'm not leaving here without you." Liam says. Zayn shakes his head, his hair moving back and forth across his forehead.

"No, I can't. He said if he sees me with you again, he'll hurt you too."

Zayn drops his forehead onto Liam's chest, his breathing becoming rapid and uneven. Liam uses 2 fingers to lift Zayn's chin so that their eyes meet.

"Zayn, breathe. Slowly. I need you to listen to me." He says. "I could give two shits about what happens to me. You are what matters to me, and I don't care if it puts me in danger, but I am keeping you safe. No matter what. If he comes for you, I'm gonna protect you. That is what I'm here for."

Zayn just stares at him, eyes glossy from tears. Liam takes Zayn's hands in his own, squeezing and rubbing his thumbs over the backs of Zayn's hands.

"Please come with me." Liam pleads. Zayn nods, seemingly almost without realising it, and follows Liam to the window. Liam climbs out first, holding out his hands for Zayn to take as he follows him.

Liam catches Zayn when he stumbles over the windowsill, wrapping his arms tightly around the boy's waist. Zayn wraps his arms around Liam's neck, holding tightly as Liam moves them slowly down the roof and down to the ground.

Liam is shocked by how light the boy has gotten. He can tell Zayn isn't eating enough. They stand there for a moment, arms wrapped around each other. Zayn's face is buried in the crook of Liam's neck, his breathing shallow and soft. Liam looks down at him, but the boy doesn't move.

I think he's asleep. Liam thinks to himself. He must be exhausted to have fallen asleep so fast.

Liam slowly leans down, wrapping his arms under the boy's legs, and pulling him up so that Liam is carrying Zayn. The boy doesn't stir as Liam carries him across the street and back through the front door of his house.

Liam's mom gives them a questioning look, but she doesn't say anything as Liam carries Zayn upstairs and lays him down on the bed. Zayn curls into himself in his sleep, and Liam can't help but feel the ache in his heart, looking down at the bruised boy.

"Zayn, why couldn't you have told me?" Liam asks softly, sitting down next to Zayn. He watches as Zayn unconsciously snuggles closer, his forehead pressed against Liam's leg. Liam cards his left hand through Zayn's soft hair.

"I love you." He whispers, knowing he would never have the courage to say that to the sleeping boy ever again.