Baby Lips

Chapter 34

After waking up with a pounding headache only five hours after my upchucking incident, Zayn drove us back to his house where we spent Christmas Eve and Christmas and several days after that doing absolutely nothing. Except lots of eating and drinking wine and explaining to his uncles about seven different times that I am not his girlfriend. 

It was actually a lot of fun and Zayn’s family is absolutely phenomenal. His mother automatically gave me a hug and kiss and told me to make myself at home and his sisters gave me clothes to change into and would constantly want to play with my hair or have me do their makeup. I always had quite the shaky hand when it came to applying someone else’s eyeliner, but I did my best.

We would sit for hours around the tree just listening to stories about their family. Some that made Zayn’s cheeks go red and the rest of us laughing at his expense, but he was always a good sport. The Malik family was beautiful. They all really loved each other and couldn’t wait to spend more time with the other. They wanted the best for each other and were proud of whatever someone accomplished. Whether it was being in an internationally famous boyband or getting a good mark on an exam.

On Christmas morning Zayn even surprised me with a small gift, something he told me wasn’t much but he thought of me when he saw it; it was a silver necklace. A silver necklace with a tiny silver pendant that was shaped like the symbol for pi. 

“Kind of cheesy.” He said when I opened the small box. “I saw it in a shop about a week ago and I was going to give it to you as sort of an apology gift, but... then everything else happened.” Zayn coughed. “Weird how things work out, huh?” 

Without trying to think too much on the bad that has happened over the holiday I thanked him multiple times and reminded him how sweet he was. 

But I had spoken to Harry. Mostly because Zayn forced me to because he knew for a fact he was going absolutely insane by the amount of times Harry has called him. And I finally broke down and called him while Zayn was right next to me, for moral support of course. 

Our conversation was awkward to say the least. Harry sounded more than relieved to finally speak to me but I was short and still couldn’t bring myself to find his accent cute like I used to. I just assured him I was alive and assured him to not come pick me up and assured him that I was still very, very upset with him if not more. 

He listened like a small child getting lectured and the way his feeble little voice said goodbye sounded like that small child that was getting lectured just heard his parents say the dreaded words of: “I’m very disappointed in you.” And then because there wasn’t something right in my head I started sobbing in Zayn’s lap for about the fourth time since I had been at his family’s home.

And when I stopped crying and ate one too many of those cookies his aunt makes that are perfectly iced and chewy, I fell asleep.

And I slept on the whole ride home from Zayn’s house to my flat.

And I was hoping to sleep the rest of the day in my warm bed with Newton, but I was greeted by a crazed Maddie (who generously took care of Newt while I was away) holding a certain cat in one hand and waving her fist in the air and threatening to punch me if I didn’t give her answers with the other.

“Why have you not returned my calls woman?” She yelped and dropped Newton. He landed on his feet; shocker. “You were supposed to be home yesterday!”

“I know.” I grabbed both of her wrists so she wouldn’t uppercut me to the jaw but for such a twig she packed a punch. “Things just, well, things just got fucked up.” I shook my head. Maddie stopped fighting with me and grabbed my wrists this time.