To Build A Bridge z.m

Chapter 2

That's how Zayn woke up, with her cuddled up into his bare chest. He hadn't done anything with her that night. He just held her or she held him. They didn't speak because what was he to say to a stranger. Even though the stranger had read him like an open book he wasn't going to open himself up to a person he didn't even know the name of.

"Pretty boy." The girl whispered. Zayn groaned in response to her. He wasn't fully awake and he didn't want to be. He wanted to waste away, but that wasn't going to happen now was it, so the least he could do was sleep. "Pretty boy, I need you to let go."

"I don't wanna." Zayn murmured. He didn't want to let go. She was all he ever wanted and all he wanted was some to care for him. Unconditional love? Someone who wouldn't just walk out every time they had a slight disagreement. But Zayn had a feeling the girl wasn't talking about Perrie, she was talking about the death grip Zayn had around her waist.

"Pretty boy, you've got to be kidding me. You live with a couple other people, right? You wouldn't want them to see me, would you?"

"I don't care, shut up, go to sleep." Zayn said as he rolled over bringing her with him. He wasn't aware of their close proximity until the girl sighed deeply and Zayn felt a fan of her breath on his lips. He tried and failed at holding back a shiver. Valerie smirked, she continued to blow soft puffs of air across Zayn's lip, until he did something she didn't expect. He open his lips slightly and started to breathe her in, like she was some sort of drug. She would exhale he would inhale and the process went on for while until Zayn gave up. His eyes shot open when he started to enjoy the feeling. Enjoy.

"What's your name?" Zayn asked, his arms were still snaked around her waist and he was unconsciously rubbing circles into her back. Valerie wouldn't admit to liking it, though she loved the faint touch. She liked the way his golden eyes were trying to search in her lifeless gray ones. She wanted to tell him, he would come up empty, there was nothing in there, she was practically hallow.

"Valerie. You?" She said. Usually Zayn would be taken back by someone who didn't know who he was, but Zayn had a feeling Valerie already knew.

"Pretty boy." Zayn stated with a smile on his face. There it was again, that cheeky smile no one had seen in months, but as if it were magic, that was his third time doing it in less than 24 hours.

"Alright then Pretty Boy, someone is at your door."

"How would you know that?"

"They've been peeking through your window for a while now. They're pretty persistent." Zayn groaned. He didn't want to get up, but he had to they wouldn't leave otherwise. Actually they wouldn't leave at all.

"C'mon then, up we go." Zayn said as he picked up Valerie and walked to the door with her in his arms.

"Pretty boy, put me down! I don't wanna meet your friends." Valerie exclaimed. Zayn only chuckled and pulled her closer to his chest. Zayn thought she looked cute, like a little baby. It was his first thought about another girl that didn't completely repulse him since Perrie left. He smiled, again.

"Sorry, Erie, but that's the way things have to be." Zayn smiled down at her pouted face as he reached the door and opened it. His band mates came rushing in, throwing millions of question.

"Zayn where were you?"

"Why didn't you pick up your phone?"

"You've been locked up in here for a while now, why won't you come out?"

"Who is that?" That question got everyone else to stop talking. All their attention was now focused on the girl in Zayn's arms. It was silent for a moment as the boys processed that Zayn was carrying a girl. That wasn't Perrie. And he was smiling at this girl.

"Well? Who is it?" Louis pushed.

"This is Valerie." Zayn stated. "Valerie, these are my mates Louis, Liam, Niall, and Harry."

"Hey, Pretty boy actually has friends. Im surprised." She said nonchalantly.

"Why are you surprised?" Zayn asked.

"Usually people who come to my line of business have got nothing else to live for or they just want to look cool." She stated. Zayn's heart rate started to pick up. Was she really going to tell them so easily? They would be pissed if they found out, they'd try to get Zayn help he didn't need or want. He was fine or he would be after this was over.

"What do you do?" Liam asked, skeptically. Liam didn't know what she did, but he had a feeling he wouldn't like it. He hoped Zayn wouldn't get to caught up with this girl, he hoped this was only a one time thing. He deeply prayed he'd never have to see her face again.

"Not much really. I own my own business, Zayn comes to me for help."

"Oh that's cool. That's how you and Zayn met?" Harry asked. Harry, unlike Liam, didn't care what she actually did, he was intrigued on how she could help Zayn, by staying at his flat. Harry, just like he always had, sees this as something more. This isn't just a business transaction if she's wearing his clothes, this has to be more.

"Don't make it seem like we're together, Curly." Valerie said. "You'll make this more complicated. Relationships always do."

Valerie was bitter about love. She didn't believe in it. She's had her heart broken to many times by all different kinds of guys to believe that love was actually real. Maybe that's why she was so willing to get Zayn to stop coming to Ricky. Though Zayn was her best customer, she didn't want to see him go down that road. She'd been there before. You get your heart broken, you turn to drugs, you become addicted, you fuck things up when your high, then you end up alone. Valerie lies and says she doesn't mind, but when she's alone and everything is quiet, she breaks down. She wouldn't tell a soul that, but if it meant helping Zayn, she'd tell him all her secrets just to get him to stop. She didn't know why, but she didn't want this boy to lose it all. He says he has, but he hasn't even seen the half of it.

"Anyways, Pretty boy, can you please put me down." Valerie asked trying to take the topic off of her work. She looked up at him to see a boyish grin on his face. Her stomach dropped, but she found herself smiling back. By the time she realized it was to late for her to take it back.

"No way." He said then turned to his mates. "C'mon let's watch a movie or something." He simply walked off leaving the boys confused. What was with his sudden attitude change? It couldn't be because of this one girl, could it? They had been trying to get him to date again for weeks now, but suddenly this stranger makes him smile. Maybe they had been searching in all the wrong places.

~~~

Hours later Valerie still found herself wrapped up in Zayn's arms. Ever since this morning, at least, one part of his body had been touching hers. They were either holding hands as Zayn drug her to the kitchen with him or they were cuddling on the corner of the couch. Liam kept giving her these looks, that questioned her, but she chose to ignore them. He was probably the one that was going to snoop around if she got to close to Zayn, but there's nothing either of them could do now. Valerie had a feeling Zayn wasn't letting go anytime soon. But Zayn had  feeling Valerie didn't want him to let go.

"Pretty boy, can you let go, I'm tried." Valerie muttered sleepily into Zayn's neck. She was curled up against Zayn, he was practically her bed at the moment. Her eyes shut and she used all her power to get them to open again. She saw Zayn shake his head.

"I'll go to sleep too."  He picked her up and walked to his room. There he placed her on the bed, sitting right side up so she could change. He handed her a shirt of his and told her to go to the bathroom.

Valerie had already decided she was to tired to get up, that's why she was happy he decided to sleep with her. She really didn't have any shame in her body. She didn't mind the scars or the slight anorexia she was recovering from. They were reminders to never go back to nothingness. Something she thought she was helping Zayn with. So instead of getting up, she simply took off her previous shirt and put on the new one. She slipped out of her pants and crawled into bed without a second thought. Moments later she was asleep she had no idea if Zayn had stayed or not, but she had a feeling he did.