Tainted Attraction (Ziall)

Chapter 33

Zayn was having a silent fit, he would rub his throat and then smack his head. He did this for a couple minutes before he looked up at me with tired eyes. "Forgive me." He cleared his throat and sat up straight.

I nodded at him. "I, uh, brought you food. In car you were, like, hungry or something." I handed over the plate and Zayn took it. I then got out of the room in fear of another meltdown from Zayn. I stood outside the door and took in a deep. I had found these ways to calm myself down in situations like that. I was always nervous around people, especially when they were unstable. And I couldn't figure out any other way to describe Zayn at that moment other than unstable.

He was exhausted and I thought that the pills would help him. Well, they helped him sleep, but not with anything else. I wondered why the pills made him react so harshly. My mind automatically went to a drug abuse issue, but it just seemed to out of character for him. But what did I know about Zayn anyways. He was a shadow in my life that I knew almost nothing about.

I didn't go back into the room for a while, and when I did it was a short moment where I gave him some more water. His pill bottle remained on the bed side table and he wouldn't look at me at all when I came to check in on him.

I didn't like Ruth and Harry being gone. Especially since John went with them and they left me behind with Ashton. I tried to avoid him, but the house wasn't big enough to avoid him properly. I could have stayed up in the room with Zayn, but that was also another awkward situation. I soon felt shut in and captive in the safe home. Lunch came around and I searched for some food in the kitchen to make. Ashton walked into the room and took a seat at the table.

I thought that I would kill two birds with one stone by talking with Ashton about the pills, while sneakily making food for the both of us. "Want a sandwich?" I asked. Ashton grunted and shrugged. "I'll take that as a yes." I fixed up two ham sandwiches and set them down on the table. I took a seat and silently ate while Ashton looked at the sandwich and then I swore I saw a smile appear on his lips.

"You make a good sandwich, kid." Ashton muttered.

I felt a little better sitting with him after that. I sat up straight in my seat. "Thanks." We finished our sandwiches and before Ashton could leave I cleared my throat. "So, uh, Zayn said that he's known you for a long time. He said he saved your life or something." That sparked Ashton's interest because he stopped and turned around.

"Did he now?" Ashton rolled his eyes. "Just like the guy to bring all that up." He leaned in the doorway and crossed his arms over his chest. "But yeah, I've known him a few years." He was actually interested in talking to me. I sat at the edge of my seat, hoping he would elaborate further.

"So, uhm-"

"Someone's a little interested in the past I see." Ashton pushed away from the door frame and wandered back into the kitchen where he gave me this smile. "Are you sure you want to know? Things might change for you and lover boy." That caught me off guard. "What? You don't see it? Wow, you really are blind. Zayn doesn't just do things on a whim. He had an idea about you and I'm guessing he's wanted you a long time."

Wanted me. That sounded wrong. Sure, people wanted me, but in all the wrong ways. I wanted Zayn to need me just like I needed him. "Don't say that." I bit my lip. "He's not like that." I averted my gaze from Ashton and a small chuckle passed his lips.

"So, what do you want to know?" After a tense moment of silence, Ashton sat back down at the table, pulling his gun from the back of his jeans and placing it on the table. "How about we start with the drug problem."

The bomb dropped.

"You knew he had a drug problem?" I was shocked to even hear that. He knew all along and still gave me the pills to give to Zayn. I shoved my seat back and slammed my hands down on the table. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" I knew addicts and I knew what being clean meant to them. "He said he didn't need them and you still had me give him the pain medication?" I was so frustrated and confused about everything. Zayn said I could trust Ashton and that Ashton owed him his life, but as it stood there. I didn't trust Ashton one bit. He had done nothing to prove to me that he was a good idea to be around.