{ON HOLD} Melt|Zauren

M.27

The following day, Camila was out getting her cast taken off, and I had nothing to do. I had to practically beg my sister and her friend to make tacos with me. "Can you pass me the taco seasoning?" I asked Taylor. She stopped cutting the head of lettuce and tossed me the packet which I sprinkled into the pot of ground beef.

"So, where's this hot british guy?" Katie, Taylor's best friend asked leaning against the counter. "Taylor told me he has almost equally hot friends. I'm available.. just saying."
"You're also too young.. just saying," I replied. Katie sucked her teeth as I crushed her dream.

There was a knock on the door and then the doorbell rang. "Oo maybe that's the mysterious british guy," Katie joked.
"He's not mysterious. It's your fault you were out of town for Lauren's little birthday get together," Taylor laughed.

"Well, are you gonna answer the door?" I asked turning the stove off. Taylor rolled her eyes. "It's probably those people trying to sell tickets into Heaven.." Taylor groaned. She stomped out of the kitchen. "I hate when those people come to my door," Katie said.

She grabbed a pinch of shredded cheese and dropped it into her open mouth. I slapped her hand. "Don't eat that. You and Taylor need to learn patience." Katie laughed.
"Okay, says the girl who took a finger full of icing from Taylor's birthday cake last year before she could even blow out the candles." I smirked and squinted my eyes at her.

I heard a throat clearing and when I looked up Taylor was standing there and Zayn was standing a few inches behind her. My heart stopped and then I felt it ferociously skip a beat. "What are you doing here..?" I asked after Taylor cleared her throat again. "I want to chat with you," he said.

Katie gasped loudly. "Did I not just say the mysterious british guy was at the door? Am I psychic?!" Taylor threw a plastic spoon at her. "We'll leave you two at it.." Taylor grabbed Katie's arm and they left the kitchen. I knew they didn't go far. I saw their shadows on the dining room walls.

"We can go outside," I said. Zayn nodded and followed me. We cautiously sat on the hammock. Things were awkwardly silent as the hammock swayed back and fourth. "What do you have to say? You said you wanted to talk. So talk," I finally said. I couldn't handle another minute of silence. Another minute of Zayn biting at his bottom lip, staring aimlessly at the ground, wondering what he was thinking about.

"I'm sorry," he managed to say. "I know you don't want to talk to me. And I know that I've properly upset you the other day. I haven't even really thought about what to say to you. I've thought about the whole situation, but not what to say in regards to it. I guess I should've thought about that before I came here. I don't know- I just I missed you, and I have off for the rest of the week so I didn't really have anything to preoccupy my thoughts from you." I didn't say anything. I just resorted back to my anxious fidgeting of the rings on my fingers. I wasn't sure what to say. I didn't think he'd actually come to talk to me.

"I want to show you something," he suddenly said. He stood up and held his hand out toward him. I didn't take it. I crossed my arms over my chest. "Please. I really want you to see it."
"What is it?" I asked. Zayn clenched his mouth shut making his jaw flex. "Can you just come with me? It involves the two of us being in a car together. I never beg, but please..?" I gave in and stood up.

Taylor and Katie were constructing tacos. "Sorry, we thought you were gonna be out there for a while.. and we were getting hungry," Taylor said.
"It's fine. I'm actually gonna head our for a little," I said.
"Do you have any friends or relatives my age out here?" Katie asked Zayn. He tried not to laugh. Taylor put her hands over Katie's mouth.

"Sorry about her.." I said after Zayn got into his car. He twisted to the key in the ignition. "It's okay," he chuckled.
"So, where are we going?" I asked.
"Somewhere to see something that you'll hopefully like."
"Alright. I'll trust you," I said.

Things became calming once Zayn put on music and rolled the windows down. Not many words were exchanged though.

It didn't take long before I realized we were going to the beach. "Why are we going to the beach?" I asked. Zayn didn't respond until we were in a parking spot. "I told you." He pulled his key out of the ignition. "I want to show you something."

I followed him and then another realization hit me that we were going to the art cave. "Why are you bringing me down here?"
"I finally found my inspiration. I didn't even know that it was in front of me the whole time," he said.

Zayn parked close, so the walk wasn't terrible. "Take a look. Tell me what you see," he said. I walked in and used my phones light to guide the way. All of the paintings from last time were still there. I saw a few new ones or maybe I just didn't notice them last time.

A painting stuck out at me.. A cartoon girls head with her long brown hair cascading like a waterfall, her lips were pink and plump and her green eyes were so detailed it was almost like they were real. I recognized that girl because that girl was me.

I turned to Zayn and it was impossible to disguise the grin trying to eat my face. "Wait. You made this?" I asked. Zayn nodded and dug his hands into his pocket, suddenly shy. "The other day after everything happened, I needed some way to take out my frustrations and I usually resort to art and I bought some paint and this is what came of those frustrations... my inspiration. I hope I did some justice. This was all from mind."

I looked back at the painting and then to Zayn. "It's beautiful.. Thank you. So much."
"I was working on it all yesterday. It's not my apology though. I wanted to just show you that. And yeah, thank you for being my muse. It felt amazing to create something again."

Zayn walked out of the cave and I followed. "I'm sorry, again. I don't know why I said what I said about not wanting to date you. I do want to date you. You're an amazing girl, and I'm obviously a fool for passing you up. I just don't want to hurt you. I know that sounds clichè but it's the truth. I don't want to hurt you, and then seeing you cry really fucked me up. I didn't want that to happen. I don't want to be the reason that you're crying. I also don't want you to think that I'm stringing you along because that's just not the case. You're a beautiful soul, Lauren. I don't want to be the one to get into it and damage it in any way. At the moment I thought telling you that I just don't want to date would be a solid enough answer, but it wasn't at all. Everyone deserves an explanation."

Zayn took my hands in his. "Nothing is wrong with you, alright? You're the most down to earth girl that I've met. It would actually be an honour to call myself your boyfriend. I don't want to fuck things up though because I don't want to see the good thing we already have go away. I hope I'm making sense right now... this is all just my jumbled thoughts coming to life."

"I forgive you. Thank you for explaining everything to me. It makes a lot of sense to me."
"I care too much for you. I should've just said all of that in the first place." Zayn released my hands and held his arms out. "Can we try again?" I sighed and then smiled. "Yes. We can try again." I walked into his awaiting embrace, and he squeezed me tightly, comfortingly.

He kissed me on my temple. "I just don't want to mess this up," he softly said. "I won't mess this up," he reassured himself.