We All Have Our Sad Stories

Chapter 4

The next day, Zayn, feeling the need to introduce himself, sat down next to Ness on the floor, offering her his hand as he said, "Hi, I'm Zayn."

His accent was heavy, distorting his name as he said it.

She shook his hand. "Zen? That's a strange name." Ness didn't withhold the information; she was blunt and told the truth as soon as she thought it. With Liam it was different.

"No, it's Zayn." He grew agitated quickly, not impressed by her tough girl attitude. She was too stuck up for him. It didn't seem like she ever showed emotion. Even with Liam she was extremely guarded. He told her everything; but she told him nothing.

"Okay." She looked at Liam, grinning as he held her hand again. "You still have a weird name."

"And Ness isn't any weirder? Did your parents name you after the Loch Ness Monster or something?"

Her eyes flashed with anger and hurt. Her parents had named her that because it was the name of a warrior they had been friends with in the war. She was honorary enough to have her name live on.

Zayn raised his eyebrows at her vulnerable expression before it vanished from his sight. He loved knowing that she did have feelings. She never showed them so he hadn't known if she felt anything at all besides anger.

"Don't go there," she said sternly.

"Why not? Does Nessie sound better? Is that what I should call you?"

Ness' mouth dropped open and tears formed in her eyes. Her parents had called her that on rare occasions, usually only when they were about to board the plane and leave her for months. Sometimes it was years. There was one other person that called her that, but she wouldn't let herself think of them. She pat her back pocket to make sure it was still there. When she felt it, she answered him.

"Stop it," she said, still keeping her tough exterior.

"Why? Do you not like Nessie? Is it too baby-ish? Does it not fit your cruel personality?"

She scrambled for words. She knew she was cold towards people, but certainly she wasn't cruel.

He kept taunting her. "I think I'll call you Nessie from now on since you seem to hate it so much. We can be weird name buddies." He wasn't meaning to be so brutal, but he needed to know that there were instances where she would let her walls down. It was apparent that she especially didn't want to show any emotion to him. He was a stranger after all. But seeing her this way fascinated him. He wanted to see her vulnerable. He wanted to see that sometimes even the toughest of the tough had their weak spots.

"So, what else do we seem to be doing wrong here, Nessie?"

Then, she cracked. She couldn't handle it anymore. She did something she hasn't done in years-- she begged.

"Please stop," she whispered, her voice cracking as more tears built up. Yet she still didn't let any fall. "Please stop calling me that." It was too soon to hear that name fall from anyone else's lips.

He was surprised that it hadn't taken too much to take her down but complied, ceasing his words. She shook, but Liam didn't notice. While everything was happening he had zoned out again.

She started choking, air not going to her lungs like it should have. Wanting to stand up and run before he saw her, Ness started to push off of the floor. Her arms weren't strong enough and were shaking too much, so she fell back onto her butt.

Zayn only watched as her face contorted into one of pain. He did nothing to console her as she silently travelled back in time, wallowing in her own misery.