One Direction One Shots

So Alone Before You~Ericka and Zayn

Zayn couldn't think properly, and the yelling of the people around him didn't help any. His eyes were full of tears, he just couldn't believe it. What had he done wrong? Why did his father hate him? There was no reason Zayn could think off, but according to his father he was stupid and worthless so it wasn't shocking that he couldn't think of anything.

Coming to the city was probably a bad idea. It made it harder for him to think, but it made him feel better. The buzz of life going on around him, made him feel alive. Made him feel like he wasn't alone in this world. But he was. Now Zayn didn't even have a home to go back to. No one that cared for him, no one to care if he died, no one cared if he just stopped breathing. Maybe he should jump in front of a car, maybe his father would finally care. Maybe he would come to Zayn's funeral, maybe he would cry and mourn the lose. Maybe he would laugh and be grateful that Zayn was finally gone.

Ericka rushed down the street, the clouds in the sky signaled rain. She needed to get back to her apartment to feed her cat and make sure her mother hadn't phoned. Her mother would kill her if she missed the call. Ericka wasn't paying attention to where she was going and rammed into another body, sending both of them flying. "Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry! I should have been watching where I was going!" she gasped scrambling to stand up. "Oh, it's my fault. I should have been paying more attention," came a deep, smooth voice from in front of her. Ericka finally looked up at the man in front of her. At first all she could see was the large bruise covering his eye, and the bright red hand mark on his cheek. But then she saw the most beautiful hazel eyes, the golden flecks dancing around like they were hiding something. His exotic, bronze skin almost seemed to glow, and his lips were slightly swollen almost as if he had just been punched in the face. With the way he looked, it was almost likely.

He couldn't believe his eyes when he looked at the girl he stumbled into. She was beautiful, drop dead gorgeous. Dark brown hair tumbled in waves around her shoulders, and her black eyes pierced his soul the brown drops made them look like warm chocolate. She had a bright smile spread across her face that was almost blinding. She was slightly tan, but still fairly pale. She almost looked like she was made from porcelain. And her voice flowed like honey through his ears. "Oh, dear! That's a nasty bruise you've got there! Come on this is my apartment complex," she took me by the arm and dragged Zayn towards the building. "I... um..." Zayn tried to say, but couldn't get anything out.

Once they were inside the apartment, the girl began to dance around the flat doing all that she had to. Instantly hitting a button on the phone so that all off her messages played. "One new message," the monotone voice rang out. "Shoot!" she exclaimed as a new voice spilled into the air. A women, probably her mother, began going on about how much she missed Ericka. Which Zayn assumed was her name after the third time the women said it. "Oh!" Ericka exclaimed, "I haven't introduced myself! I'm Ericka," She held an ice pack out to him, which he gladly took and pressed to his eye. "Zayn," he muttered. "So, Zayn, what happened? I mean, no offence, but you don't look very good?" she stated as she began to move again. She turned on the T.V., the news playing low. Almost like she needed background noise, because as soon as she turned it on she moved away without a glance at it. "I... Um... Had a bit of trouble at home," he whispered looking away from her. Ericka froze, "Oh." 

Ericka cleaned him up, and put him in an guys shirt and pajama bottoms she had bought to sleep in. "What? They're comfy!" she giggled when he looked at her oddly. "Alright, you want to stay here to night or i can pay for a hotel room for you," Ericka looked at him expectantly. Zayn was quick to respond, "I wont be a bother, I have a place to stay!" even though he knew he didn't. She gave him a look before walking over to the closet on the other side of the room. "I know you don't," she pulled two blankets and a pillow from one of the shelves and tossed them down on the sofa. "Sorry, I don't have guest bedroom. Now go to sleep, we'll talk about where you're going to stay in the morning,"  Ericka flicked off the lights and padded off to her room.

As Zayn fell asleep he knew that he had finally found someone who cared for his well being, even if it was only for a night. Ericka's kindness had showed him that he wasn't a completely hopeless case. When the next morning finally rolled around Zayn was terrified. What if she kicked him out like his father had, what if she wanted to know why he needed a place to stay? What if she just didn't care? And Zayn couldn't bare that thought so he put on his clothes and neatly folded the ones she had given him. He was about to simply walk out the door, when a voice stopped him. "What no note, doll?" Ericka was leaning against the kitchen door. "I-I'm sorry... I just..." Zayn stuttered and stumbled over his words. She smiled and beckoned for him to follow her. 

The two sat at the kitchen table, not saying a word. Then Ericka spoke, "I figured you would try to leave before I woke up, sadly for you I wake up fairly early." Zayn flinched, and looked away from her. "I though it would be best if I left, I didn't think you wanted me to stay," his coffee was starting to get cold and he hadn't even taken a sip yet. "Look, love, I know you had some problems before, but this is now. So stay, okay?" Ericka placed a hand on top of his and gave him a sweet smile.

And he did stay. He stayed for years and years after that. He stayed for their first kiss, and they're first fight. He stayed for the friends that couldn't stand him, and the friends that flirted none stop with Ericka. She stayed through when he got down on one knee, and she stayed when he didn't want to invite his father. She stayed through the "I Do"s, and  the honey moon. They both stayed through the first child, and stayed till the last one was an adult. They both stayed when they were sick, and they both let out their last breathe beside the other.

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Wrote this for @BradfordBadGirlMei. You didn't tell me who you wanted it to be with, but I assumed you wanted Zayn. 

xo SaraBeth