Can't Let Go (Zayn Malik AU)

Tara walked to the backyard of her parents house and sat on the swing; the same swing Zayn bought her on her sixteenth birthday, she remembered how they would set here every day after school, how he would hold her hand as he told her about his day, how he would massage her shoulder after a long day of stressing and studying, how they would talk for hours about the future; they always said they would be together forever.

A small tear escaped Tara’s dark brown eyes as she remembered all their conversations about their future,

Zayn would always say he would become a writer in a big publishing company while she would become a chef and open a little family restaurant that everyone in town would fall in love with, they would get married by 24 and have a big wedding, invite all of their friends and families. They would have 2 daughters, Arial and Stella and get a golden collie and name her Lacy; just like that movie they both love. They would grow old together in the old white house at the edge of town and go through life’s ups and downs together, they would always be there for each other.

But he left, he left her all alone. He left after he promised he won’t, he promised to always be here. He was her everything, he was her friend and her lover.

She looked at her watch, it’s almost noon, she got up and walked to the mailbox like everyday hoping that today she’ll find something in it; something to bring her hope, something to hold on to, something from him.

She took her last step toward that small box, standing right in front of it, she closed her eyes and took one deep breath before opening it fast, like ripping a bandage; she opened her eyes slowly in anticipation, hoping to find that small piece of paper inside but as usual there was nothing, a small part of her knows there will never be anything here but she refuses to listen to it, she refuses to believe he is gone.

Closing that mailbox again, a fresh tear fell on her soft skin as she walked back inside the house, she wanted nothing more than to find a letter from him in that box, she wished for nothing more than to read his words to her, to have something of him even if it was just a small piece of paper.

“Nothing?” Her mom asked giving her a cup of hot chocolate.

Tara took a deep breath and shook her head no, trying to fight back the tears to appear strong in front of her mother. But that simple word made her already aching heart shatter to pieces.

Mrs. Slogan gave her daughter a sympathetic smile; she wanted her daughter to move on, even though she was the one who introduced the two of them when the Maliks first moved here. Tara and Zayn were only 8 years old but even at that young age they formed a strong friendship, they spend every day together and as they grow so did their feelings, at the age of 14 they both admitted they had feelings for each other and began dating.

Mrs. Slogan loved Zayn and approved him dating her daughter, she knew that he loved Tara and that he was a good influence on her, always telling her to get good grades and think about the future, she even gave him her blessing to marry Tara after college when they both get decent jobs.

But now that he has been gone for more than 2 years, her daughter had done nothing but cry and wait for him, she wants her to move on, and stop waiting, she believes that Zayn will never come back and that was the reality in her eyes, a reality she wanted her daughter to accept but knew she was too stubborn and too in love to do so.

She opened her mouth to say these words to her broken daughter, maybe this time she would actually listen but Tara took her hot chocolate and walked upstairs before she can say anything, she knew exactly what her mother would say and she wasn’t in the mood to break into tears in front of her mother who thinks she should just forget about him, like he was never even there. Tara could never understand how her mother would say such a thing, she saw how happy and in love Zayn and her were, how could she just forget him. He was the best thing in her life, she can’t find anyone else like Zayn or even close to him, she doesn’t want to, she only wants him.

To be cont.