FAKE

nineteen.

(the one where Zayn is the center of the world)

The next week, school was different. I didn't get to hang with Isaiah and the squad as much. Actually, I didn't get to go to school. As it turns out, classes were almost over and exams were starting. Finals week wouldn't be but in three weeks though. However, as I was in only AP courses, the AP exams were scheduled for the following week. I have to be honest: I wasn't nervous. Indeed, I was just waiting for them to be over so I could hang with Zayn. Him, however, was a totally different story.

Ever since a stupid hashtag had gotten trending in Twitter, he had started acting strange. After publishing an Instagram picture of Hadley (and tagging me on it)) AND E!News posting a ridiculous story about how Zayn and I were secretly in love, Zayn had freaked out. Obviously, taking into account that he was engaged, he had gotten into trouble. As it may seem, Perrie had absolutely no idea that his fiancé was in upstate New York, let alone visiting me. She was demanding him to get back to London. However, him, for some odd reason, was refusing to do what she wanted.

Fairly enough, the video that Zayn had made had been a total success. That same E!News article that claimed that him and I were dating, made the piece even more popular than it was (it became viral, actually). Louis and Zayn had talked and things were way better and , truly, I could not be happier for it. Anyway, ever since Z-Man had come back into my life, I was much happier. Everything seemed right, as if finally everything made sense. Even though I was kinda focused into getting good grades, I could not stress enough over the fact that I would be losing my source of happiness soon enough, and I absolutely hated it.

"Turns out, babe, I am the center of the world", Zayn spoke as I came into his room after school. He was wearing nothing more than boxers and that had me feeling in a certain way.

"Did you just find out about that? I though that you already knew", as I spoke, I got closer to him. I finally sat next to him on the bed. He laid back, closing his eyes.

"I most definitely didn't, honey", he smiled, "I wish that I could get them to stop talking about you, at least, you don't have anything to do with all the drama".

"I certainly do, and you know it", I smiled, but it didn't reach my eyes. I knew that I was playing him by insinuating that Harry and I were dating. In fact, there wasn't a thing more further away from reality, "Because him and I, we are, you know-" I didn't get to finish my sentence. I couldn't, but I also didn't need to. He sat down again and closed his eyes and forced them to stay closed, as if he was trying to prevent himself from seeing something. Then, he sighed, and he stayed silent for a while.

"I know", he pronounced suddenly, "I mean, I've heard from the media, and the other time in London I saw you two together, but it was weird, as if it was forced".

"Are you saying that my boyfriend and I are forced?" I stood up, terribly mad by what he had just said.

"Yes, I am saying that." He gulped hard, as if doubting what he was about to say. "Harry is gay, Gabrielle."

I couldn't help but laugh at this. If anything, he could not tell me that Harry Styles, the manwhores of manwhores, was homosexual.

"Yeah, right." I spoke. "Are you sure you are not just switching from persona?"

"Are you calling me gay?", now he laughed hard. I indeed knew that Zayn wasn't gay, but I knew as well that Harry wasn't either. Truly, I didn't understand this game that Zayn was playing, but I sure as hell didn't like it. "Listen, the fact that your so-called boyfriend and you have sex issues, doesn't matter that you can go and mess with my sexuality."

"Stop calling him my so-called boyfriend, you asshole. He is my boyfriend, Zayn, and he is more of a man than you could ever be." I spoke, not really meaning anything. "I love him...I'm in love with him and he's in love with me and that's more than I can say about Perrie and you."

"Oh really? You love him so, so much, then tell me why you haven't talked to him in all the time I've been here?"

"How do you know I haven't talked to him while I was at school?"

"Because I just know, Gabrielle. You don't love him."

"Oh, so apparently you now know everything about me, right?"

"Yes, I do!" He screamed. "Oh, Gabrielle, I know you so well and you know it! You know that I could tell from a mile away that something's wrong with you and that's wrong! You and him, I mean."

"Oh really? Are we?" I replied sarcastically. "And what about Perrie and you?" I shouted out loud. "Why didn't you ask her for help when she's your damn fiancée? Why didn't you tell her that you needed her instead of coming running for me after ignoring me for months, Zayn? Why?"

"Maybe because I know that you know those assholes more than she does! Not because you're anything important!"

Immediately after he said that, I stopped talking. I couldn't respond to that. What could I tell him? My mind was running in circles. Had he just told me that I was not important to him?

Him, little fucker liar...

"Oh you fucker!" I screamed. "Don't you dare say I mean nothing to you because you know that I don't! You know that we've gone through way more than you've been with anyone else, even your future wife!"

"Oh yeah? So now you know everything about me, tell me, how do I feel?"

And what came after that was like I was word vomiting. I wasn't thinking, but I really, really meant what I said. It was like something that had been lingering in my head for years but that I had finally had the strength to admit.

"Well, for starters, you are in love with me!" I screamed.

He showed surprise for a split of a second, but more than for the idea of him being in love with me or me knowing it was for me finally saying it out loud.

But what I totally didn't expect was his answer...

"Yeah, well, and you're in love with me!" He replied.

"Oh, tell me something that I don't know!" I laughed. "We both know that. We both know that I've been in love with you for years and that I'd give anything to be with you. It's you...you, the asshole, who never, never, never makes sense! I think we're good, and we are, but then you propose to her, the girl who is so obviously not the one for you! Why? Why?"'

"Why? Because I knew that you'd never really fall for me!"

"Are you crazy? I am fallen for you, Zayn! I've been for a long while now!"

"You will never stand my shit. You don't understand what it's like, Gabrielle. You don't!"

"I do, hell, Zayn, I do!"

"And what are you gonna do about it?"

"Well, I don't know!" I started panting, as if I had just run a marathon. My heart was running fast. 

"Well, I don't know either."

"The only thing that I do know" I whispered. "Is that I love you."

And he stared at me for what seemed the longest time in the world and he smiled. He smiled simply, cutely. He just smiled. And, suddenly, without me even being able to process what was going on, he kissed me. And, then, he kissed me again.