The Tattoo (zayn)

Part 12

"Ok I'm leaving." I said to Arielle as I was throwing last minute stuff into my purse.
"Ok where are you going?" She asked as she wandered out of the kitchen with her pink hair in a top knot.
"I'm going to hang out with Zayn." I responded grabbing my keys.
"How are things with you two?" She asked.
"The same as they have been."
"Wait why? I thought he liked you. What did he say when you told him about Asher?" She asked me. I had been very busy with the film so I didn't get to tell Arielle a lot over these past 3 months. Thank god tomorrow was the last day of shooting and we were right on schedule. The whole experience was probably the most fun I have ever had at any job. People took me seriously and we were just having a good time even while making this poignant film, that I knew was going to turn out great.
I didn't answer Arielle's question which I'm sure she caught on to.
"Rachel? Did you not tell him?" She figured it out. I hadn't told Zayn that Asher and I broke up. Not for any deeper reason other than filming had been really busy in the month after the breakup. I knew I wouldn't be able to handle the extra drama if I told him.
"I just don't know what I would do. I like him a lot but he has that whole thing with Melanie."
I never told Arielle about the fake relationship between Zayn and Mel because I didn't feel like it was my place to tell.
"Rachel regardless of whether or not he is in a relationship, he is your friend and he deserves to know this important thing about you." And once again she was right.
"Yah ok. I get it."
I left with that and headed to Zayn's.
I buzzed the buzzer as usual and I was let in. Surprisingly enough there was almost never any paparazzi, despite housing a couple of movie stars and I think a Kardashian.
"Hey" he said as he opened the door.
"Hey where's Mel?" I asked. I had met her a couple of weeks ago since she had to be around there every now and then for them to take Instagram pictures or be seen leaving the same place. Even though she was rather annoying, she was very nice to me and understood my situation. From what I understood she had been in love with one of her photographers for a couple of months now but they hadn't been able to be together.
As much as I resented her status, I sympathized with her.
"Hell if I know. A shoot maybe." Zayn was her friend but I could tell that always being with someone you'd rather not be, could get a little annoying.
"Ha ok. I need to tell you something." His face shifted when I said that. I smiled internally knowing that this news would make him happy.
He lead me into the living area.
I stood in the middle with his hand in mine. He looked incredibly confused.
"Asher and I broke up."
"What? When?" He asked.
"About a month ago?" I felt bad that I hadn't told him.
"What? Why didn't you tell me? Are you alright?" He pulled me in for a hug. It made me really happy that he was concerned about my happiness and not whether or not we could be together. We hadn't discussed us in a very long time. We such a good time being friends that I was never too focused on being anything more. But I still would love it.
"Yah I'm just fine." I responded. "It was time. We weren't right for each other."
"I just wish you had told me." He looked a little hurt.
"I'm sorry. Just everything has been so crazy and I had like these feelings that I didn't want to look into and I don't know. I should have told you the moment it happened."
His face relaxed a little.
"What feelings Rachel?" He asked.
"It's nothing. It's too complicated." I said my reasoning again why we never were together after all this time.
He paused for a moment. "Rachel." He grabbed my hand and put his thumb on the tattoo. "You don't have to say anything. But I want to break up with Mel. Just for the public and everything. I don't know if you still like me. But maybe you could again. I just would like to be with you. If you want to."
My heart sped up and I couldn't hear anything but the beating.