{ON HOLD} Melt|Zauren

M.29

Zayn and Selena were the last things on my mind during this girls night. If they wanted to be together again, despite how fucked up that relationship may have been then they can be.

It did suck though.. I wanted Zayn so so bad for so long, and I finally get him and this happens. Maybe he and I just weren't meant to become something. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was just the "stockers stalker." Great, I'm thinking about it.

"Hey!" I snapped back to reality, and realized that the girls were staring at me. I cleared my throat. "You're not thinking about Zayn, are you?" Dinah asked. I laughed and then sighed. "You guys can see right through me, can't you?" I questioned pushing my hair out of my face. "We sure can, now perk up. We're going bowling," Normani said grabbing her car keys.

"I'm trying not to think about it, but it just happened. It's not like I'm dwelling on something from weeks ago."
"Call him," Camila suddenly said holding my phone out toward me. I patted my pockets. "Wait, how'd you-"
"It doesn't even matter, just call him." I shook my head. "I'm not- I'm not going to call him. That makes me look like the stupid one."

"No it doesn't," Dinah said. "It makes you look like someone who wants an explanation."
"And by how many times he's called you, I think he wants to give you one," Normani said.
"Yeah, he's even having Harry reach out to me to reach out to you," Camila said. That was news to me. I shook my head. "I don't think I want to listen to him right now." I stood up and grabbed my purse off the table. "Let's bowl. Please?"

We were at the bowling alley, and I was actually having such a great time with the girls. Normani and I were on a team and Camila and Dinah were on the other. It was up to Normani to score these last points. We needed just seven to win.

"I'm praying girl!" I jumped from my seat and stood on the sidelines jokingly biting my nails. And then that's when Normani did it. She scored us a strike. I started jumping up and down screaming. Then she bowled her last time and knocked down eight pins. "We won!" Normani and I latched hands and started jumping in circles. People were certainly staring, but I couldn't care less.

"Rematch!" Dinah demanded standing up. "Just face it, you guys fucking suck." Normani laughed. I high fived her. Dinah balanced her shiny red bowling ball on her big palm. "Camila, let's show them how it's really done," Dinah said. We turned to Camila who was grasping tightly to her phone and making a face.

"You okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, you look like you just sent a scandalous text to the wrong person," Normani chuckled.
"I am so sorry," Camila said. She was staring at me when she said this. I raised a thick eyebrow. "What do you mean? What are you sorry about?"

She was looking past me. I turned my head in that direction, and that's when I saw Zayn, Harry and the others getting shoe rentals at the counter. I turned back to Camila with fury in my eyes. "Girls night. Girls night. Do you not comprehend what that means?" I was furious. "I didn't know they were going to show up. Harry asked where we were, and I told him. He didn't respond for a while and a minute ago said they were here. I didn't know what-" I held my hand up to silence Camila. I sat down and started unlacing my beat up bowling shoes.

"I'm assuming we're not going for another round..?" Dinah placed her ball back in the ball slot. "Camila," Harry called out. His voice was close. Based on Camila's facial expression he wasn't coming over alone. "Dinah, Normani, and Lauren. How's the girls night?"
"It was going smooth," Normani sarcastically said.
"Don't worry we're three lanes away from you guys," he said.

I refused to look up. I just continued unlacing my shoes. I finally got them off, and slipped into my doc martins. There was a tap on my arm. I raised my head slightly. I turned to see Zayn standing right behind me. He nodded in the direction of the exit door. I sighed, and stood up. "I'll be back," I said to the girls.

Zayn held the door open for me, and I walked out behind him. I was leaning against the wall with my arms crossed over my chest. The Summer breeze and smell of a soon-to-come rainstorm lingered in the air.

"I know that the phrase it's not what it looks like is so clichè and played the fuck out, but it's the truth in this case. I haven't talked to Selena. I do still have her number, but I haven't texted her or called." I made a face to show I'm listening. "I was just as confused as you when I saw those pictures she sent. I swear I'm not cheating on you with her or any one for that matter. I want you, Lauren. I want to try this with you. I texted her and asked why she did that? and she hasn't responded. I don't know if those were even meant for me."

His explanation seemed genuine. I let out a sigh. "And now it's my turn to explain myself. I wasn't in your phone to purposely try to find anything. I was checking the time, and I saw the text messages from Selena, and I don't know- I guess curiosity just got the best of me because last I heard you weren't even talking to her. I'm sorry. I'm stupid." I hit my forehead with my palm.

Zayn didn't say anything. He just moved from in front of me to beside me. I looked up at him. "I really am sorry," I said. "I should have listened when you were trying to explain yourself."
"It's okay," he said. He turned and kissed me on my temple. I got pleasant shivers. I sighed, keeping my gaze on the sidewalk. I could not make eye contact with him. "I feel really, really stupid right now."
"Don't," Zayn said with a playful laugh. He placed two fingers under my chin and lifted it so I was looking up at him. "It's not your fault. It is a pretty sketchy situation, but I wouldn't do something like that, Lauren."

A/N:
This wasn't even the completed chapter, but I've had it in my drafts forever, so I felt like it was better to give you guys something rather than having you wait for who knows how long for me to finish that chapter up.
I also have a new zauren story called bucket list. Go check that out!