Scarred ➵zauren

Chapter 9

"Wake up sleepy head," a low familiar voice coerced me out of my sleep. "I think I've waited here long enough," Harry chuckled as my eyes adjusted to his figure.

"Harry, what are you doing here?" I furrowed my eyebrows as I sat up.

"It's your birthday asshole, I came to celebrate."

Shit, was it Saturday already? The couple days between when Lauren and I kissed to today were kind of a blur. Probably because I felt lost with the distance that had grown between us. Lauren who usually hung around my room even when she wasn't checking on me had been avoiding me whenever it wasn't necessary and I had to admit it stung. I knew rejection from her would hurt but this was not what I thought was going to happen. I probably would've put it off longer if I hadn't felt some sort of sign from her, maybe I misread. She said she needed time to process everything and though it was unpleasant for me, I wasn't going to force anything and I just let her do her thing.

"Well thanks," I smiled when I realized he had a gift bag in his hand. "If it wasn't for that I'd think you were only here to see Camila."

"Oh I already saw her..in your bathroom..so thanks for sleeping in buddy," Harry smirked.

"Figures," I chuckled. "What time is it anyway?"

"Noon, did Lauren drug you up or something, you're usually up at eight."

"No, I don't think she did," I sighed. "She probably hasn't even come in today."

"She has, but she was being weird. What's up with her?"

"I told her I'm into her and we kissed but it got weird with her after, she's been super distant. She said she needs to figure everything out," I told Harry.

"Oh yikes, that hurts."

"Tell me about it."

"Well, maybe you gotta impress her a bit and maybe this can help," Harry mentioned as he handed me the gift bag.

I reached inside and felt some clothes. No one would guess it but both Harry and I were quite into fashion so I knew whatever was in there was going to be amazing.

"Versace?" I recognized a jacket from the new men's collection.

"You bet your ass. I got it when I went to Italy with my sister over the holidays. Do you like it?"

"I love it mate, thanks so much," I appreciated as I looked inside the bag to see a medusa head t-shirt and a pair of black jeans as well.

"Of course brother, you bet."

We were interrupted when the door opened; Lauren was behind it and she smiled at me briefly.

"Happy birthday," she added as she walked into the room.

"Thanks," I smiled back.

"That's some nice clothes," she noted the gifts on my lap.

"All courtesy of moi, the best friend a man could wish for, right Z?"

"Right," I chuckled in agreement.

"Hey Harry, do you think I can talk to Zayn alone for a second?" Lauren wondered.

"Sure," Harry nodded as he stood up, towering over Lauren. He mouth 'it's the clothes' and winked at me as he walked out of the room. I knew it wasn't the clothes, Lauren wasn't the type to be impressed by things like that.

As he walked out, Lauren locked the door before peeping through the closed blinds of the window that looked out to the hallway.

"Is everything okay?" I asked as Lauren sat on the edge of my bed.