Chapter Nineteen:
Paige’s POV:
Zayn led into his flat and told me he would show me around in a moment, that he just needed to make a quick phone call. So I nodded and walked over to the kitchen counter and sat on a bar stool to give Zayn his privacy and wait for him.
Zayn’s POV:
I led Paige into my flat and told her I would be right back to give her the “grand tour” I just needed to make a quick call first.
I think we both knew that I was going to call Liam, and how could I not; but I was surprised that Paige didn’t try to stop me or follow me and listen to what I was going to say.
In fact, she actually just walked to the kitchen and sat down at the counter to give me some privacy.
It was surprising but I should have known by now to always expect the unexpected when it came to Paige. But, before I could ponder that thought anymore I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed Liam’s number.
He picked up immediately and said, “Have you heard from her?!”
I pulled my phone back from my ear as a reflex from Liam’s unintended harsh screaming and calmly said, “Liam, calm down, she’s over here at my flat; but listen, don’t come barging over here. I’m telling you, you’re going to push her further away from you if you do. Give her some space today and I’ll call you and you can come over tomorrow. But she’s okay for right now, we just got here, I just wanted to let you know that she’s with me and that she’s okay.” I try to reassure him.
“Thanks, Zayn. I understand. Tell her I asked about her and that if she wants to talk or anything she has my number and that she can come back over here whenever she wants and that I look forward to seeing her and....” He just kept going on and on with this message and I was trying to be rude when I interrupted him but I only had so much patience for a lovesick lad who would be seeing Paige in less than twenty four hours.
“Liam, I don’t have a notebook here, bro.” I try to get through to him.
“Fine.” He huffed. “Just….just tell her..that I care.” And with that he hung.
Well, that escalated quickly.
I don’t know how well Liam knew Paige but I knew it couldn’t be much more than I knew her but she must really mean a lot to him for him to be falling this fast for her and for him to put himself out there with feelings that may not be returned this early.
I shook my head and walked into the kitchen with a smile on my face and walked over to where Paige sat and waved my phone and said, “I was talking to Liam and I told him you were with me and okay and he wanted me to tell you….well honestly he wanted me to tell you a lot of things, it was practically a book..” I trailed off and she laughed, a genuine laugh as if she was actually surprised that someone might care about her; and then I continued, “But anyway, mainly he just wanted you to know that he asked about you and that he’s here for you and that he cares.”
She looked genuinely touched at my –well actually they were Liam’s- words.
Paige’s POV:
“….But anyway, mainly he just wanted you to know that he asked about you and that he’s here for you and that he cares.”
I can’t believe Liam actually said that to Zayn to have him tell me. I hope he wasn’t just being nice, that was probably it. He probably didn’t mean anything by it, he was just trying to be nice; it was something anyone would say.
By face started to fall and that was when the familiar thoughts came back that led me to this situation that I had landed myself in here with Zayn came back. I looked down at my wrists and were surprised to see that they were stitched up because I don’t remember doing that. I look up at Zayn with an unspoken but undeniably obvious question in my eyes.
He looked vaguely uncomfortable for a moment before saying, “Uhm..I uh..found you in the restroom and stitched you up with the needle and thread in your bag. I figured that you wouldn’t want to go to a hospital..”
I was shocked to say the least.
I felt terrible. I had a pretty good idea of the sight that had met Zayn’s eyes when he found me and I knew it wasn’t a pretty one.
“I’m sorry you had to see that; but, t-thank yo-ou.” I stumble over the l last part of my words because in all honesty I’m not really for sure if I actually appreciate Zayn saving me; because right now, I don’t want to be alive. And I know if he hadn’t saved me then I wouldn’t be. I could have been free.
He seemed to notice my restrained gratitude, but he kindly overlooked it and said, “Don’t apologize and your welcome.”
I nodded, not knowing exactly what to say and we stayed like that for a few minutes before I joking asked, “Is this awkward or what?” in hopes of lightening the mood.
Thankfully Zayn chuckled and said, “C’mon, love, I’ll show you around my flat.”
I nodded again before I decided to speak up and say “okay” because if I need too much more nodding Zayn was probably going to think I was one of those booble-heads kids buy at sporting events.
“This is the….” Zayn led me all around his flat and an hour and two sore feet later I knew every single nook and cranny that resided in Zayn’s flat.
“So what do you think of your room?” Zayn asked.
We were currently standing in the doorway of one of the more feminine guest rooms and Zayn decided that this would be my room while I was here because he was in the room right across from me and that way if I needed anything he would just “be a shout away” as he said.
“I uhm..I like it. Zayn. But I don’t think I should stay here..” I began.
Zayn looked momentarily offended before he wiped his face clean of any emotions and took on a more stern expression and said, “Paige if you don’t want to stay here, that’s fine. I understand that you don’t know me very well. So I’m going to give you four other options. You can stay at Liam’s which I know he would prefer and if you’re being honest with yourself I think you would too. You can stay with Niall. You can stay with Louis. Or you can stay with Harry; but since Louis and Harry live together you kind of only have three other options.” He paused for a moment before asking, “So what will it be?”
