Lost

Chapter 87: "Wounds of Regret"

Remember to vote. And comment as you read! Presenting Zayn's P.O.V (Unedited)

The hall outside the dressing room was noisy. Having changed into their sports gear, the players were literally shaking with anticipation. The team officials ran up and down, consulting their papers, making sure everything was in order. The newbie Hamza was nervously jumping on spot, too excited to sit still with just the knowledge that he was in the starting lineup today. Tyson, the goalie, kissed his girl and hugged her one last time.

Zayn weaved his way through the crowded hallway to Niall and Claire who were standing in a corner. It was his first match after the three-match-ban he was slapped with for simply walking off pitch halfway through the game, without an explanation or a word to anyone. He had gone out of the stadium and disappeared for three days straight. Passing forced smiles as he approached the two, Zayn received the encouraging pats and shouts of appreciation with a heavy heart. Niall grinned at him.

"Alright there, mate?"

Zayn shrugged, mumbling, "Guess so."

"Dude, show some spirit!" He punched him on the arm. "It's a big game!"

Zayn tried to act happy, feeling oddly exposed under the silent gaze of his sister. He was saved the trouble of putting up a mock show of excitement when Hamza ran up to where the three were standing. He tapped Zayn on the shoulder.

"Captain, coach's calling!" he said hastily before running off to join the team huddle. Zayn turned to two.

"Gotta go then," he said, trying to force a smile for his sister who was too quiet.

"Break a leg, bro!" Niall clapped him on the back.

Zayn attempted a chuckle at his choice of words. Claire gave her brother a quick hug.

"Go get'em!" She whispered.

"Thanks Goldie."

"Son! It's time!"

"Coming grandpa!"

Zayn faked another smile before turning around to join his team in the dressing room. Niall saw Claire's sad eyes trailing after him. She, like him had noticed how forced and fake Zayn's smiles were. The past few weeks had been hell for the three of them. Zayn seemed to be getting better, but on the inside, he was still wrecked.

"Come on," Niall whispered to Claire, taking her hand in his and leading her back to their seats.

Niall threw another look back at his friend. Zayn was standing a little way behind the team, staring at the ground, his eyes downcast and distant. Ever since the night when Zayn manhandled Salma, he has not been himself. Now, he was at least trying to put up a mock show of having moved on, but Niall knew the guilt was keeping his wounds raw, hurting him as bad as it did after he came to his sense that night.

A shiver ran down Niall's spine recalling what Zayn had done when he slipped past them only half an hour after they discovered him and Salma.

That night, Claire had jumped out of the car the moment they reached the Biological Sciences block before Niall had even turned the engine off. The two of them were surprised to run into a security guard and a lab attendant on their way up to the roof, where Alex said Zayn would be.

"Where's Zayn?!" Claire had asked, panicking.

"What?" the lab attendant had blinked stupidly.

"Zayn! Zayn Harris! The dark haired guy - Oh nevermind! There's students stuck on the roof, we gotto go!"

Claire broke into a run up the stairs and Niall followed suit. It did not take the two bewildered men long to keep up. They kept asking questions as they climbed the steps but Niall and Claire ignored them, determined to get to Zayn without wasting a breath or another second.