Believing in love...Again (A Zayn Malik story)

Chapter 8: They don't know about us

ZAYN:

I heard someone knocking on my door. I got up and rubbed my eyes. My eyes felt heavy, as if I had cried myself to sleep. That’s when I realized that I must’ve been dreaming about…her. I shook the depressing thoughts as I heard Rashel’s voice outside my door.

‘Zayn, you there?’ she asked.

‘Yeah, just a sec.’ I said as I got up and opened the door. Outside stood Rashel with a confused expression on her face.

‘Did you seriously fell asleep?’ she asked, disbelief lacing her voice. I got out the room and walked with her to the living room.

‘Yeah, is that wrong?’

‘No, it’s just that it’s 2 in the afternoon now and you’ve been in your room for over two hours.’ She said and I realized that it was indeed and odd time to sleep.

‘The heart wants what it wants and it wanted to sleep.’ I said and smiled at her, a genuine smile. It seemed as if I could be a bit better only around Rashel. It was like she was my personal happiness.

We sat on the couch and I noticed that no one else was there.

‘Where are Zach and Andrew?’ I asked.

‘Zach is still at Mr. Anderson’s and Drew ditched me again for his friend. See my brother, he loves me so much.’ She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm at the last part. 

‘He does, Rashel.’ I said.

‘Yeah, that’s why he came to Wentworth after almost a year and a half and then he leaves me to go and see his friend and Cara and everyone instead of staying with me.’ she said as she rested her head against the couch.

‘I can tell that you’re the most important person in his life.’ I said. ‘I am good at reading people.’

‘Yeah, I know. I am important.’ She said. Her voice wasn’t as sarcastic but I could tell that she didn’t mean it.

‘So, who’s Cara?’ I asked.

‘She’s the manager of the diner we usually go to, our mother figure.’ She replied as she rubbed her temples.

‘You okay?’ I asked.

‘Yeah, just stressed.’ She said yet again.

‘How can a 19 year old be so stressed?’ I asked. I know I shouldn’t have, because god knows that Rashel was indeed stressed but I wanted to find out. Maybe she’ll tell me.

‘You’d be surprised.’ She said and I mentally sighed that she once again didn’t say a single thing. Aren’t girls supposed to be all trusting and open? Why was Rashel not like that?

I just nodded.

‘So, Zayn, tell me, how’ve you been?’ she asked and even though it was just a simple question, the intensity of it surprised me. I knew what she was trying to ask.

‘I am surviving.’ I said as I closed my eyes.

‘You say, birthday girl, what about you?’ I asked. I deliberately called her birthday girl, to get some reaction from her, to pull her from the coldness.

‘Man, don’t remind me.’ she said as she once again rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes.

‘People are happy on their birthdays. Why are you not, Rashel?’ I asked.

‘I am getting old.’ She said as she looked at me and smiled.

I snorted and said, ‘You’re 19, babe.’