when you sleep :: [malik]

"loving someone..."

"Imani. You're not flying by yourself."

"I won't be by myself, remember? I'll have my brother and my sisters, Jus. Chillax."

"First of all, chillax? You're pregnant. I can't chillax, baby. And secondly," Justin scowls as he watches his baby's mom ride shotgun in his Audi, and Zayn watches this whole exchange amusedly from the backseat. "I know your siblings'll be there, but--"

"I can't just not see my grandma, Justin," she huffs.

"Yeah, but you're pregnant, remember?"

"Pregnant women fly."

"Not this far along!"

"Yes, they do," she shakes her head, "You're trippin' babe."

"I'm not trippin'--"

"Sure, boo. Your son doesn't agree."

"Yeah? Well this concerns him, too, Mani. I want you both safe. If anything happened, I'd..."

And Zayn can see his jaw clench, his hand running frustratedly across his face.

"...I'd probably never forgive myself."

"Justin," and Imani takes his hand in hers, resting it between them in the car, "Nothing's gonna happen, I promise. If anything," she adds reassuringly, "I'll be even safer 'cause I won't be able to do anything down there with my whole family around."

"I know, but--"

"And you can ask the doctor today about what's safe for me while flying."

"Okay, yeah, but--"

"And if you're anxious about me going anywhere alone, just come."

He snorts, "I don't wanna be an afterthought. Like, crashing your family reunion or some shit."

"Boy, you know I wouldn't invite you if you were gonna crash a family reunion."

And Zayn muffles his laugh behind his fist as Imani stares up at Justin with a playful smile and he tries not to seem amused.

He's not amused.

He's pissed. He's sick of playing this what-if game with Imani. He's sick of this up in the air status they're living...that she's seemingly content with.

"You should come," Imani states.

"But, I--"

"You won't be intruding on anything; you won't be crashing anything either," she sighs. "My momma's been dying to meet you, anyway. "

"I'm sure she is," And Justin pulls into the driveway, right behind Imani's parked car. "She's probably dying to meet the white boy who knocked up her daughter."

"Wow."

Zayn can't help but feel the sting of those words.

He grabs for the car handle.

Shit.

Still locked.

"Or," Imani retorts, her nostrils flaring angrily and Zayn is thinking, fuck, now Justin's brought out the Zhuri in Imani, "she could just be wanting to meet my boyfriend who has been doing such a great job of taking care of me."