Winter

Cold Kitchen Tiles

There was no one more surprised than me when I got a text from Zayn that Kennedy and I should walk back to his place from school.  After all the fuss about me even leaving the house unsupervised, Harry suddenly thinks it's all fine and dandy for me to walk home.  I almost want to text him and accuse him of testing me, but he can't blame me for listening to my own brother, no matter what the situation.

But now that I have seen the same hooded figure appear behind us for the third time, I'm regretting that I didn't just call him to pick me up.  I can feel my fingers shaking, and the tip of my nose begins to burn while I try to hold back tears.  I can feel myself going into a near panic attack, my breathing becoming audible enough that Kennedy looks over at me concerned, able to hear me over London traffic.

"Babe, what's the matter?  You look like you're about to have a breakdown."

"T-there's..." I can't even get the words out, and I see the man getting closer, and that's when the tears finally fight their way out of my eyes.  Kenny steers me to the side of the building, out of the way of the people trying to go about their day on the busy sidewalks.  They probably think nothing of the crying girl, pulled over by her friend.  If they give any thought to me, perhaps they think I'm being dramatic about a break-up, or some other trivial issue of a teenage girl.  

But would any of these people ever think I'm being followed by someone who wants to bring me to a man who has tortured hundreds of people to death.

"Fucking hell, Zaya, what's the matter?"

"T-there's a man who has been following us. Oh God, why'd we stop?  We have to go–" I cut myself off when I see the man approaching and I'm almost hysterical at this point. When he takes his hood off, and I see Liam's concerned face, all the fear I felt previously turns into anger. He comes closer, a questioning look on his face, and I can see the question on his lips. 

"Don't, Liam," I place my palm flat on his chest and use it to push him back, once he gets too close. When he is far enough away that I feel like I can finally breathe again, I resist the urge to just run.

"What?  What's wrong, Zaya?"

"What's wrong?" I ask, tears coming back as I think about how fucking scared I was.  "After I was attacked in alleyway by a man who got away, you decide that it would be a great idea to tail me wearing a dark hoodie! I'm fucking terrified, Liam! What makes you think that lurking in peripheral would be a good a idea, when some psycho promised he's be back for me!  I almost just had a god damned panic attack because I thought I was about to be sent to Katava! "

"I — I didn't realize," he says, the primary emotion on his face still shock.

"No, you didn't think." I tense my hands at my side, trying to release some of the building pressure inside me that was aching to burst out. I don't want to yell at Liam any more than I already have.  There's no way that this was his idea.  He's just following orders.  "What even is the point of this anyway?"  He's face suddenly crumples into some mixture of guilt and shame, which makes me growl his name impatiently. 

"Zayn wanted to see if the man was maybe following you.  So he decided to have you guys walk, with me as a tail to see if anyone was following you.  I promise that I would never let you get hurt, Zaya.  You're completely safe right now, love, " Liam says frantically as he takes a step toward me. 

"You were using Kenny and I as bait?" I ask, my voice going shrill with disbelief.  My own brother...

"Zaya, please, you have to understand.  We just want to get this guy so we can get rid of him and Katava, and then you'll be safe–."

"No, fuck you all," I say, wiping my tears with the back of my hands.  "Do me a favor and tell Zayn to–" I take a deep breath, remembering that Kenny is going to be stuck with him tonight regardless.  I am not going to risk upsetting him with my best friend completely under his mercy.  So, I just huff and stomp ahead, for once wanting nothing more that Harry's cold, empty apartment.