Make the Most of It

44. Family Matters

The next morning I woke up a lot earlier than I had planned. When I checked the time, I saw that it was only nine. We had just gone to bed seven hours ago. I tried going back to sleep, but that didn't work so I got up and creeped downstairs, trying not to wake Zayn up.

The light was shining through my dark colored curtains, so it was still dark inside, but a pretty kind of dark, one that made me really happy for some reason. So, I decided to make breakfast.

Unfortunately, since I had been gone for a almost two months, there wasn't a single speck of food in my kitchen, so cooking breakfast was out of the question. To add to my unhappiness, I was beginning to get sleepy again. Instead of going upstairs, I sat at one of the dining table chairs and rested my head in my arms on the table.

In a few minutes, I heard Zayn walk up. "What are you doing sleeping down here?"

I looked up and shrugged. "I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep. How'd you wake up?"

"I didn't feel you on the bed," he replied, then took a seat across from me. "So what's for breakfast?"

"A couple dead spiders and some dust," I joked, which made him crack a smile.

"Then let's go grab coffee. I have to go to my apartment anyway and you can just come with me," he suggested.

"Yeah ok," I agreed. I got up and starting walking up the stairs. "Just let me go change." I went upstairs and came back in shorts, tank top, and a bun in my hair, knowing that LA weather in the middle of summer was not something that was easy to deal with. Zayn had also changed and grabbed his bags from the living room.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Yeah let's go." We walked out to the car, where we put his bags in the trunk, and drove to a small café around the corner to pick up coffee. Then, we went to his apartment, which looked just as dull and empty as my own. Except there was one change; there was a small notice on the front door. He grabbed in, and then let us both inside.

"Two months sure can do a lot," Zayn complained, as he read the paper.

"Yeah," I agreed. "What's wrong though?"

"Apparently, you have to pay the monthly rent." My eyes went wide, as I realized how much trouble he could get into.

"Zayn!" I exclaimed. "That's crazy. You didn't tell them anything?"

"No, I basically just left."

"Well what does it say?" I asked.

He was silent for a moment then quietly said, "Pay it within five days or get kicked out. But, the notice was almost a week ago." I took a sharp breath then sat next to him on his couch. I grabbed his hand and interlocked it with mine.

"You can try talking to your landlord," I suggested, but I could sense his frustration. He threw his papers on the coffee table and stood up, letting go of my hand.

"I can go to court now if I don't leave," he said, shaking his head at himself. "God, I'm so stupid."

"Hey, it'll be okay. Relax," I said, trying to calm him down.

"It's not that fucking simple, Nikki! I have two months worth of rent to pay and I have to find a place to stay." I remained silent, letting him let all his anger out. "Look, I'll talk to you later. I just need to figure this out right now."

I nodded, then walked to the door. Before I left, I said to him, "I love you," but unfortunately he was already in his own world so he didn't respond.

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When he called again, it was early in the afternoon, around two.