Talking To The Moon [z.m.]

35: Bad Blood

Faith's POV

Pain, guilt, shock, and absolute terror struck me at once, unable to let me take a full breath of air. Tears burned my eyes at the silence Zayn gave me. He waited... But all I could do was stand there, unable to move.

No, no, no. It can't be. He's here. He's here, I know it. He's probably just hiding somewhere, pulling a prank on us. He has to be.

"Faith?"

Unable to move once again. I released air, still standing in place. My arms started to shake uncontrollably and my heart raced for what felt like a thousand beats per minute. No... He's not gone. He's here.

"Faith? Say something, please... Before I go crazy. Please do something." His voice cracked. And through the tears I could see his eyes also water, his face pained and showing what I was unable to. I remain frozen for what felt like forever.

I shook my head quickly, my muscles and bones somewhat starting to work again. But my heart felt unsteady, as if a hole was carved in it and unable to fill. Alex... I thought. He has to be here. He - He can't be gone. "No," I shake my head, my body moving quickly. "No, he's here. He's pulling a prank, I know it." I start walking without another word released in the room. And soon my walking turns into running when I hear footsteps behind me, as if Zayn were to find him before me. But I wouldn't let him, I had to find him because I knew he was here. Alex was here.

"Faith, he's not-"

"He's here." I cut him off, looking around my son's room. I move hastily, pulling up the covers of the untouched bed, finding nothing. But I don't give up. I move underneath the bed, noticing that the footsteps behind me had stopped. From underneath the bed I can see Zayn's shoes close to the doorway. I pay no more attention for him as I look for Alex... Because he's not gone. He's here. "He's here, he just wants us to freak out but I know he's here." When I can't find him underneath the bed, I look behind his comforters, the bathroom, and come back to his room, walking past Zayn. I don't know what he's feeling but I can see him from the corner of my eye lightly shaking his head and sighing. I'll show him, I'll prove him wrong. I just need to find Alex. He has to be here somewhere.

"Listen, he's-"

"Here. I know." I complete his sentence, although I'm sure his sentence wasn't going to end with my words. It was going to be the opposite. I ignore the pang in my chest as I open the closet and look for our son in the dark. "Alex? Alex, are you in there? It's mom... I want you to come out, no more pranking."

I wait... For what feels like days, hours, and seconds altogether. I wait, but the small, youthful voice does not appear. I wait... And with the time passing by, my hand resting on the wall shakes tremendously. I wait, but the tears build up in my eyes yet again, threatening to fall. With a choked throat, I open my mouth with one last sentence. "A-Alex?" I choke, my mind starting to realize the situation I had been avoiding for the past half hour. "Alex, come out. I know you and Uncle Harry had this all planned. I know he's pretending to lie still and I know you're in there. This isn't fun anymore. Come out."

I wished... So much, that my brown haired angelic son would come out and run into my arms, telling me that I was correct and he had indeed pulled this prank with Harry. And he'd tell me how it was all last minute and they thought it'd be fun to fool me and his dad. I wouldn't have minded, as long as he was safe in my arms, I would've let this pass. With him with me, I would've put him into bed after helping him brush his teeth and kissed him goodnight before having him promise never to do that again. I think he would have and have sealed that promise with our pinkies. And then Zayn would be there, watching us before he'd come over, hug us both in his arms, and kiss Alex. We would've left the room together and gone to bed, thankful that our son was indeed safe in our home and with us. That would have made me the happiest.