Everything's Changed - Zayn Malik

Guys suck

"Alexis!" I heard Jessie's voice call.

I began walking in her direction to join her at a bench.

"Whoa," she gasped. "You look like death. What's wrong?"

I didn't know whether to laugh at her insult or go right ahead and tell her what had happened.

Over a week had passed since I'd found out about Zayn and Perrie. The 'Zerrie' engagement. The fans on Twitter were really eating it up; they were so excited, talking about the wedding plans as if it were their own.

The day I found out, Alyson stayed at my place as I broke down. I couldn't stop crying.

How did this happen?

Zayn had called a few times, he even texted me, but I never responded. Eventually I just left my phone off.

He had to know I would find out about this.

Why didn't he tell me first?

Was this real?

I believed him when he told me about his relationship being just for publicity... so why was I quick to believe the engagement was real?

Even the engagement was for publicity, this was a whole new level of lying. I didn't feel fully okay being his girlfriend when he already had a fake girlfriend, but now that she was his fake fiancé... I felt like I shouldn't be with him at all.

I knew deep down I should answer the phone and let him talk to me and explain the situation, but I was scared. The conversation could go many different ways and I wasn't ready for that.

Ignoring him wasn't any easier though. I'd hardly been sleeping and barely made it through each of my shifts. I'd had Cassius the previous weekend and we'd basically stayed at the apartment the whole time. Alyson had stopped by a few times, but she was busy for the most part.

I'd been struggling to eat since everything tasted like cardboard. When I actually did taste my food, I thought of Zayn and the knot in my stomach prevented me from eating.

Pathetic, right?

I'd known this guy for all of what, less than two months?

It was really stupid, to be honest. I was so hurt because of a guy that I barely knew. But he had been so... perfect. He promised this would work.

And I believed him.

"Everything," I answered dramatically.

I couldn't even cry anymore because I'd already done it so much. My body was actually exhausted from all the sobbing I'd done.

As we sat in a moment of silence, she put an arm around me to give me a side hug.

"If you want to talk, I can listen," she said quietly.

I didn't really feel like explaining everything, but I'd come here purposely looking for Jessie to finally tell her. I was on my lunch break so I decided to get on with the story.

"We broke up," I sighed.

"I figured that much," she said sympathetically.

She kept her arm around me and squeezed me closer to her.

"I don't know what happened," my voice shook.

"It'll be okay," she rubbed my arm in an attempt to soothe me.

"All of sudden he's fucking engaged what is this I---"

"What?!" Her voice cracked.

I nodded, my expression completely somber.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"It's not your fault," I shook my head.

I felt so awkward. I couldn't cry because my eyes felt completely cried out. Somehow I felt like I was crying without tears though. It was insane. I was going insane.

"How does this even happen..." She asked rhetorically.

"Can you keep a secret?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

She nodded, clearly still thinking about what I had said.

I took a gulp of air and exhaled before telling her everything. Names included.

Her eyes were wide the entire time. I almost forgot what her eyes normally looked like. Under different circumstances I would've laughed at her shocked expression.

But there was nothing funny about my situation.

Jessie stayed quiet a few moments after I finished telling her everything. She still hugged me warmly though, which made me feel comforted.

"Guys suck," she said after a long silence.

I laughed and it sounded foreign to me. I hadn't laughed in a while. What she said wasn't even funny, but my lack of sleep and words gave me no other option than to laugh.

"Hey. Why don't I call and take the rest of the afternoon off and we'll do something?" She said after another silence.

"I can't," I groaned. "I actually need to be going back to work."

I checked the time on my phone and saw that I only had a few minutes to get back.

Who cares if I'm late? I thought.

"What time are you off?" She asked.

"Five... but then I have to pick up my son. Sorry," I frowned.

"Wait. I have to drop off Cassius tomorrow with his father so maybe we could do something after," I suggested.

"Okay," she smiled. "You okay to get back to work?"

"Yeah, just a few more hours," I forced a smile.

"Okay," she looked relieved.

"Thank you so much, Jessie," I said sincerely. "You've been more of a friend to me than most people."

"Same," she laughed. "I don't really talk much to people. Well I guess I talk to a lot of people but I don't have a lot of friends.

I nodded understandingly. I didn't talk to a lot of people or have a lot of friends, but I understood.

We parted ways to return to work and although I was still hurt because of Zayn, I was happy that Jessie was so willing to help me get over it.