Monsters Inside Him (Completed)

Chapter 20: My Match

Chapter 20: My Match

After dinner, Zayn left an extra-large tip for the waitress, implying that some of it was supposed to end up in our initial waiter’s pocket. He acted like a complete gentleman, holding the door for me and everything. I kept my guard up though; you can never be too careful with Zayn.

“You wanna go back to my place?” He asked me before he started the engine to his fancy car.

“W-what?” I stuttered, trying not to think of the implications in that question.

“NO! Not like that. Oh god, no. Darlin’, we’re moving slow- I would never… I just want to spend more time with you and the guys are coming over later so I was wondering if you wanted to come back and hang with us.” He rushed out, blushing a little. I thought it was cute- a few weeks ago I was afraid he would rape me, but now he gets flustered over the inference to sex.

“Uh, sure.” I muttered, thinking about whether or not this would be fun- would Zayn let me talk to anyone else? Did our argument earlier actually change anything?

When we arrived at his building, we didn’t say a word to one another. It was a comfortable silence that neither of us wanted to break. He held my hand the entire time, even on the elevator, and only let go when he had to look for his key card to his pad.

He walked me into his apartment, awkwardly shuffling around as he thought of what to say. I looked around nervously- every other time I had been here, it had been against my own will. I decided not to bring up that awkward piece on information.

“Er, make yourself at home, I guess.” He muttered awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck. He looked me up and down before turning on his heel and walked off into the kitchen. I didn’t know what else to do, so I followed.

“Need any help?” I asked quietly, watching him trying to balance a bunch of beers and pretzels.

“Thanks Darlin’. Could you grab a bowl for the pretzels and a can opener while I try to make it to the other room without making a mess?” He chuckled at his own stupidity. I smiled and grabbed the supplies, following him into the TV room. He set up the beers while I sat up the pretzels.

“Do you want a drink, Darlin’? I know El doesn’t drink, but I’m not sure about Liam’s bird…” He muttered scratching his head.

“No, I’m too young to drink.” I responded casually.

“What? You’re 18, right. Oh god, please tell me I’m not dating a minor.” He groaned. I laughed at his frustration and shook my head.

“No, I’m 18, but I’m also an American.”

“But you’re in England, so you can drink now.” He furrowed his brow, as if the idea of someone opting out of a beer was the most foreign concept.

“I don’t really like the taste of alcohol anyways.” I shrugged. He rolled his eyes as if I was being ridiculous and muttered something like ‘more for me’ under his breath.

“Did you say that Liam has a bird?” I asked after a few minutes. Zayn nodded and looked up at me.

“Yeah, it means girl or chick or something. He’s bringing her over for the first time tonight. I’d appreciate it if you’d try not to scare her away.” He raised his eyebrows at me knowing that I’d very much so do that.

“Is she here by choice?” I asked casually. He rolled his eyes, but nodded.

“Yes, she is. Liam asked her out and she said yes. Now they’re dating. She had a choice. He didn’t kidnap her.” He spat, catching me off guard at his suddenly bitter tone. I guess that was still a sensitive topic for him.

“Okidokey, well I’m sure she’s lovely. I’ll enjoy talking to her and Eleanor.” I try to smooth things back to how they had been. He looked back up at me; his anger seemingly vanished as he sat back in his chair. I sat on the sofa across from him and pulled out my phone, after feeling the buzz of receiving a text. It was from David.

“Who are you texting?” Zayn asked quickly. I glanced up at him over the phone before finishing my text to David.

“If we’re going to try this, Zayn, you have to trust me.” I told him. He leaned forward, opening his mouth as he was about to say something, but was interrupted by a loud ringing on the elevator door.

We both looked over to the ‘door’ as whoever was in the elevator rang the doorbell to get off on the floor. Zayn rolled his eyes and looked back to me.

“ZAYN!!! We know you’re in there!” I heard Harry shout from the elevator.

“If you don’t let us in then we’ll start pissing in your lift!!!!” Niall roared with laughter. We heard the two boys erupt in a fit of complete hysterics.

“Zayn! Please, mate, you’ve got to let me off the lift!! Eleanor and I are trapped with dumb and dumber who are starting to unzip their pants!” Louis cried out. I stifled a giggle as Zayn let out an angry huff and pushed himself out of his chair and stomped over to the elevator.

“This conversation isn’t over.” He warned me before buzzing his friends in. I put my phone on the coffee table and stood up so that my seat became available. Niall and Harry bounced off the elevator and rushed into the TV room, grabbing beers and a handful of pretzels.

“Hello Hannah!” Eleanor rushed up to me and engulfed me into a hug. I hugged her right back before she pulled away to sit on the armrest of Louis’s chair. I looked around for a place to seat, but Zayn patted his lap, giving me the order to sit on him. I sighed, but decided not to fight with him. I figured, if Zayn was going to try with me, I could at least try with him.

The boys immediately set in to a loud and obnoxious conversation over something that I could not follow. So I just sat quietly, like I knew Zayn wanted me to. He held me gently but firmly on his lap, somehow making us fit together perfectly, as if it were meant to be.

The boys didn’t stop talking when the buzzer on the elevator signaled that Liam and his girl were here.

“Would you let them in?” Zayn whispered in my ear, gently nudging me off his lap. I walked away from him, ignoring the condescending tap on my ass he sent me off. I had to grit my teeth and bite my tongue to prevent me from making a scene.

He’s trying, I’m trying. Right?

I buzz the couple in. The elevator door opened to reveal Liam holding the hand of a tall exotic looking girl. Her skin was tan, like Zayn’s, and her hair was curly and wild. Beautiful. That’s the only word that I could use to describe her. She smiled at me timidly and looked at the floor.

Liam gave me a small nod as he stepped in. The girl was pulled in beside him.

“Hey Liam,” I smiled politely. He looked over at me in confusion, and nodded at me again, but didn’t say anything as he pulled his girlfriend into the room where all the guys were hanging out. I guess he still didn’t want to talk to me. I still remembered that day in the alley where Liam made Zayn stop beating me and took him away to calm down while Niall took me to get nursed up by El. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy, but rules or no rules, Liam could at least greet me with words, like a human being.

“Guess not,” I muttered, following the couple in. Liam paused by the door, before wrapping his arm tightly around the beautiful girl’s frame and whispering something in her ear.

“Everyone, this is Danielle. Danielle this is Niall, Harry, Zayn,” he pointed each boy out, “Louis,” taking a brief pause his eyes flashed up to mine and then back to Danielle’s, “Eleanor and Hannah.” Danielle smiled politely, but she looked like she was concentrating on something. I immediately knew she was trying to remember the list of rules Liam had no doubt given her on who she was allowed to speak to. I was tempted to say ‘only girls, no boys,’ but I decided that would make things awkward, so, acting as I almost never do, I held my tongue.

Danielle looked up at Liam with a questioning expression. He leaned down and muttered something in her ear. She nodded and looked back to me.

“It’s lovely to meet you.” She whispered in a nervous voice, before looking over to Eleanor to greet her too. I smiled at her and stepped forward.

“It’s nice meeting you too. I have to say, I really like your outfit. Where did you get those shoes?” I asked her, putting my hand on her arm as if we were the best of friends. She instantly relaxed and smiled brightly at me.

“Well, I actually bought them at this discou-” Zayn cut her off mid-sentence.

“Oi, Darlin’. Mind taking your girl talk in the kitchen? No offense, but I don’t want to hear about shoes.” He snorted. I narrowed my eyes at him before looking back at Danielle, who looked embarrassed and frightened at the same time.

“Oh, ignore him,” I scoffed, “he’s just trying to get under my skin.” I assured her, angry at Zayn’s rudeness to the clearly afraid girl.

“Darlin’, I wasn’t asking. Take the girls in the other room, the lads and I need to discuss something not fit for your presence.” He snapped at me, now pissed off. I smiled sympathetically at Danielle, before turning around to face Zayn completely, my hands on my hips.

“If us girls are inconveniencing you so much, then move your lazy ass to another room and gossip!” I retorted. I saw Louis, Harry and Niall raise their eyebrows at my clear disrespect to Zayn, while Liam was whispering something to Danielle and Eleanor was trying to get my attention, shaking her head- telling me to stop.

Angrily, Zayn pushed out of his seat and stomped forwards.

“It’s my fucking house, Hannah!” He hissed, not embarrassed at all to fight in front of an audience.

“Then be a good host and take your barbaric friends in another room so I can talk with Danielle and Eleanor!” I shouted back, stepping forward so that our chests were touching, never backing down from a fight.

“If you don’t get yourself in the other room, I’ll drag you in there. Understand, Darlin’?” He shouted back, jabbing a finger towards the kitchen. I stepped away from him and crossed my arms over my chest, raising my eyebrows. I made it clear that I was not about to leave.

Zayn let out an angry huff before stepping forward and roughly grabbing me. He slung me over his shoulder, fireman style, and stomped into the kitchen. I pounded my fists on his back and shouted all the profanities I knew at him. He slammed me down and crouched down so our faces were level.

“I know I said we would try, but in front of my gang members you have to respect, submit and obey me, Darlin’. I thought I made that clear.” He snapped. I was about to reply, but he shocked me when he ripped fabric from the sleeve of my shirt. Holding me down with one hand, he yanked my other hand up above my head and tied me to a cabinet I always had trouble reaching.

“Sorry, Darlin’. I’m the leader in there and I need to assert my dominance over everyone, especially my girl.” He apologized. I screamed more profanities and began thrashing about. I don’t give a shit if the fucking Queen was in the next room, he shouldn’t do this to me. REAL couples don’t fight like this.

“COME IN HERE AND FIGHT ME LIKE A FUCKING MAN YOU PIECE OF SHIT, BALL-LESS COWARD!” I screeched loudly as he left the room. Not a second later, Danielle and Eleanor came in cautiously. Eleanor rushed over to me, while Danielle awkwardly stood by the door.

“What are you thinking, Hannah? You knew what you were getting yourself into.” She scolded me softly as she pulled my hand out of the make-shift handcuffs. I looked up at a deathly-white girl, who stared at me with wide eyes.

“Don’t worry Danielle,” I pleaded with her, “you won’t ever get into like that with Liam. I’m just a trouble-maker who’s too stubborn to know when to give in.” I smiled humorlessly.

“Yes you are. Do you even know what’s going to happen when we leave? He’s really angry.” Eleanor continued to scold me. I rolled my eyes and pushed myself off the floor.

“Oh relax,” I scoffed, “he won’t beat me.” I said confidently.

“Hannah, you really have no ide-” I shushed Eleanor and put up my index finger, signaling silence. I went to stand by Liam’s new girl and pressed my ear to the door.

“She’s really wild and stubborn, isn’t she?” I heard Liam comment with distaste evident in his voice.

“I’m working on it, Liam. It’s more complicated than that, you know? She’s actually willing to try with me if I give her a normal relationship.” Zayn explained.

“No one can have a normal relationship in the world we live, Zayn. It’s too dangerous.” Liam continued.

“Do you think you could calm her even a little bit?” Louis added in, “I think she may be a negative influence on Eleanor because she’s been acting out more lately.” Before Zayn could rush to my defense, Harry put in his two cents.

“I personally love it. Your bird’s hilarious and fit. I love coming here because I know there will always be a good show between the two of you.” He laughed. I heard Niall burst out into laughter too, while the others didn’t find it funny at all.

“STOP!” Eleanor hissed, pulling me away from the door. I rolled my eyes at her again.

“Jesus, I was just listening.” I laughed at her nervousness.

“You’re scaring Danielle,” she snapped before turning to the girl in question, “I know it seems violent and dramatic now, but it’s not usually like this. Don’t get put off, love.” Eleanor comforted. I let out another laugh.

“Oh please, El, you and I both know that as long as I am around it will always be like this.” I laughed bitterly.

“Hannah-”

“Sorry if I scared you, Danielle. That’s just how my relationship with Zayn is. We’re both very stubborn, very passionate and violent people. El and Louis’s relationship is not like mine at all- they’re both calm and reasonable people.” I explain to her. Danielle nods, and processes all the information.

“So how should I act around Liam?” She asks in a soft, timid voice after a few moments. I shrug and lean against the counter.

“However you feel is right. Liam’s a good guy though. One time, when Zayn was beating the shit outta me, Liam pulled him off.” I mentioned, as if it were no big deal. Danielle’s whole face contorted into pity and shock.

“He BEATS you?!” She gasped. I nodded.

“He did, but I made him promise he wouldn’t any more. That time was pretty bad, though, it had never gotten that bad before.”

“What did you do?” Danielle asked, but quickly slapped her hand over he mouth.

“Sorry! If you don’t want to-” I waved off her question.

“I was seen talking to another guy, but he ended off worse than I did…” I trailed off, wondering if I was taking it too far.

“Hannah, shut up. You’re scaring her. Look Danielle, don’t pay attention to Hannah- she’s just a problem child.”

“HEY!” I interrupted, laughing a little, “I am NOT a problem child.” I tried to defend myself. Eleanor raised her eyebrows at me.

“Ok, maybe I am. But you two are here by choice. You want to date gang members who are all dominant and stuff, I never did. Zayn forced me to. In fact, this is the first time I’ve been to Zayn’s place, or on a date with Zayn, on my own free will.” I pointed out. Danielle looked at me with a, once again, shocked expression, but Eleanor rolled her eyes.

“Oh please, you make this harder on everyone than it has to be.” She chided. I laughed with her and smile deviously.

“That’s the fun part.” Before Eleanor could protest, I strutted back into the TV room and plopped onto Zayn’s lap. I saw Eleanor and Danielle watch timidly from the doorway.

“You’re a cowardly asshole.” I whispered to Zayn, not being able to hide the smile on my lips. I was being quiet, although I knew everyone was watching us and could hear our conversation.

“And you’re a stubborn bitch.” He smiled back down at me before leaning down and gently brushing his lips against my own. He pulled away before we could really kiss, but I couldn’t help but blush. This relationship we had- the fighting and sweet-talk was actually more fun than I thought it would be. It seems as though I’ve met my match.