Maybe I'm the Wrong You Like

ii.

*&*&*&

Several weeks ago…

Zayn met Niall three days after Liam called him and the couple to his flat to announce that he’d broken up with his girlfriend because it just wasn’t working out anymore.

“How is that possible, Li? The last time I saw you, you were very much in love with her,” was all Zayn could say. Because the last time he saw Liam was just a little more than a week ago. He couldn’t possibly go from smitten to not working out anymore in the span of a week now, could he?

“A lot can happen in a few days, Zayn. It’s not like I wanted to not feel anything anymore. I just…changed.”

“Change how, Liam? And how the hell can you do that to Dani?! You’ve been together years. YEARS!” Zayn couldn’t contain himself. He liked Dani very much. She’s the perfect combination of sweet and strong and talented. Also, she loves his friend. For Liam to hurt her and dump her just like that, it was unacceptable and out of character.

Out of character. Come to think of it, Liam is acting strange. First, he isn’t crying. Actually, he isn’t even sad about the whole thing. Second, he’s not even flinching that he’s being a total douche about breaking up with Dani. And Liam is not like that. Not at all. So, naturally, there’s something going on.

“Alright, out with it, Li,” he said as looked at his friend in an angry squint.

“Out with what?” Liam asked, a little too innocently.

“You’re hiding something. I’m sure of it. Now, spill.”

“I just broke up with someone, Zayn. Give me a break. I’m not exactly ready to talk about it yet,” he said, now a little bit mad.

Louis sighed from where he was seated and looked sternly at both of them. “Okay, kids. That’s enough for one day,” he turned to Liam, “we’re sorry to hear about what happened, Li.”

“At least someone’s actually feeling sorry for me,” he muttered. He turned to his friend, “Thanks, Lou.”

“I’m still not satisfied, Liam,” Zayn insisted.

“You think too much, Z,” Harry piped up. “Liam said he’ll talk when he’s ready.”

“How come you two aren’t standing up for Dani? We like her,” Zayn said.

“Rightly so. And it’s not that we aren’t standing up for her—” Louis said.

“It’s just, we don’t know the whole story,” Harry finished.

“Exactly,” Louis said as he proudly beamed at his boyfriend like he just did something perfectly.

“Finishing each other’s sentences isn’t cute,” Zayn said bitterly. God. He wished someone would finish his sentences too. He scowled at his friends but otherwise dropped the subject. He figured he’ll find his answers soon enough.

Louis just raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at his comment while Harry cleared his throat, “Okay. Now that that’s cleared up, we should uh…comfort Liam.”

It turned out that comforting Liam meant watching kid movies—like his favorite the Toy Story trilogy and Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc.—and eating popcorn and drinking soda that left Zayn feeling like he was in some pyjama party…for seven-year olds.

Not that it wasn’t fun. Hanging out with his best friends has always been the highlight of his week. But the general lack of oppressive atmosphere bothered him. Because shouldn’t break ups involve alcohol (which, okay. Liam doesn’t drink) or tears or fists or shouting or random flying (like bottles or shoes or electronic gadgets) and crashing (like lamps) objects?