Live While We're Young

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Charlotte was shocked into silence. He did NOT just profess his undying love to her when her relationship with Zayn had just gotten good. He looked at her, and she was so confused, she felt like slapping him. What right did he have to tell her he loved her? He KNEW she had, at one point, found him attractive. She TOLD him on the plane. Was he trying to destroy her relationship with Zayn?

Liam reached out a comforting hand, and before she realized what she was doing, she was kissing him. She pushed him against the back of the seat, making it swing. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him impossibly closer. She had somehow ended up straddling his lap.

He wasn’t kissing back.

She pulled away. “Oh gods. I can’t believe I just...I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I just...you...and...” she scrambled off his lap, straightening out her top. She was bright red.

Liam looked at her sadly. “You have no idea how badly I wanted to kiss you. It hurts, how much I need you. But I can’t. WE can’t. It would crush Zayn. I’m sorry I told you all that, I had no right, it wasn’t my place. I’m so sorry, Lottie.” Liam cradled his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking.

Charlotte’s eyes went wide. Liam was...crying? Man, had she fucked up. What happened? She had just cheated on Zayn with one of his best friends. Pre-Spain Charlotte would have NEVER done something so awful. Maybe...maybe her subconscious was trying to tell her something. Was she not supposed to be happy? Was she meant to live her life in a mansion-prison with some guy who didn’t give two shits about her? Was her relationship with Zayn doomed? She stood up abruptly, causing the swing to jolt. She ran inside to find Zayn. She needed to talk to him.

She rushed through the sanitary halls of the hospital, upsetting more than one pile of medical supplies, angering quite a few nurses, who yelled at her in overlapping Spanish. She ignored it all, focusing on getting back to Zayn.

She ran up to the cafeteria table he was at and gasped for air.

“Zayn...I need to...talk...to you,” she breathed, tugging at his arm.

He looked confused. “Yeah, sure. Are you okay? Where’s Liam?” He stood up and put an arm around Lottie. “Calm down and breathe.”

“Can we talk, alone?”

“Of course. Guys, we’ll be back,” he addressed the table. They nodded, not looking concerned, and went on with their conversation about stripes, horizontal vs. vertical.

Lottie took Zayn to a vacant hospital room and closed the door.

“Zayn, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was doing or thinking, I never should have done what I did, and it was insane and stupid, and I wouldn’t blame you if you never spoke to me again,” Charlotte babbled, pacing across the room.

“Lottie, calm down, calm down. Tell me what happened. What’s wrong? I promise I will be here for you, no matter what you did,” he assured her softly. “I will always be here for you.”

“I...Liam...and...” She took a deep breathe. “I kissed Liam. Oh God. You hate me, don’t you? You hate me.”

“I don’t...Lottie, please. Tell me it didn’t mean anything. I can’t lose you. Not to him. Not to anyone.”

“It didn’t, Zayn. It meant nothing, it means nothing. I don’t know why I did it. And he didn’t kiss me back, not one bit. It was all me.”

“Did he tell you to say that?”

“No, no he didn’t. Zayn, you gotta believe me. He didn’t kiss me. It meant nothing.”

“Why should I believe you when you’re making out with my best friends behind my back? Huh? Tell me!”

“Zayn,” Lottie cried. “I love you! I love you so much it hurts! I have no fucking clue why I kissed him! I have no feelings for him. I have feelings for you, only you! He’s just a friend. You’re so much more than that,” she whispered the last part as he shook his head and turned to leave.

“ZAYN!” she yelled after him. “Please, give me a second chance! Let me explain! Please!” she ran up behind him and touched his back. He swiveled around and grabbed her wrist. He leaned forward and looked her right in the eyes.

“You have done nothing but cause trouble for this band,” Zayn spoke slowly and deliberately. “You messed up our plans for Legoland, you confused our fanbase and ruined any chance I had for reconciliation with Perrie. You forced us to cancel a show so we could stay here with you until you got better. Thanks to you, I’ve got a fucking lawsuit to deal with, lawyers breathing down my neck, your grandmother harassing my family. And did you really think we wanted you on tour with us?”

Lottie was silent. She looked into his angry eyes, her bottom lip quivering. “I’m sorry I caused you so much trouble,” she whispered, looking at the floor, not able to meet his gaze again. She pulled her arm away and ran out of the room.

Zayn was still for a moment, then collapsed on the bed behind him. What had he just done?