PAYBACK » Zarry ✔

Seventeen

Two and a half weeks go by and everyday that Zayn comes in for work, he and Leo make it a routine to eat lunch together. Surprisingly, they haven't been interrupted yet. Zayn has even been to Leo's work station. He had never seen it in person despite always knowing it was on that side of the building. But Leo works with the larger computer and printing machines and Zayn only works with the small ones that print labels and stickers so it makes so much sense.

Even though Leo wasn't supposed to, he took the time to show Zayn how the printing machine works and how they create the wedding banners. Zayn enjoyed it and thanked him many times for doing something that probably could have gotten him fired. Leo really didn't have to do that.

The more that he and leo talk, Zayn finds that Leo stutters less when they're alone. He still does it and Zayn wonders if that's​ something he just does. But a big part of him thinks he's gotten so much more comfortable around him now. Because to his own surprise, it's the same way for him in return.

"I lived with my father about an hour and a half away from here but then he suddenly got really sick and passed away, so I came down here to be with my mother, found this job and now here I am. And I'm glad I did move back too. Or else I probably would have never met you."

Zayn blushes before he even knows it. "Well, yeah. I suppose that is a good thing."

"What about you and your life? Have you always lived here?"

"Yeah. Pretty much. I was born not too far from here and I lived with my parents up until I went away for school."

"Wow. I didn't know that. How are your parents doing?"

Zayn sighs and looks down at his lunch box. "They're dead."

"Oh. I'm- I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"I know. Only a few here know anyway. It's not something I just go around sharing."

"Well, I understand. A parent's death is hard."

"But I would rather deal with a sick parent than to lose my parents in a car accident. At least when they're sick, you can kind of prepare for when they'll be going. You can never prepare for a tragedy like the one my parents were involved in. It hit me hard. And it still does."

The thought of waking up to that terrible phonecall that night replays in his mind and the first tear falls. He's never cried in front of Leo. This is the first time.

Leo reaches across the table and grabs his hand. He doesn't care that there are a few other people in the lunch room watching them. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's okay. You didn't do anything wrong." He wipes his eyes and sighs in frustration. "But this is why I don't like to talk about it. Stuff like this is what reminds me that Harry is right. I do still need him. He's the only one who's ever understood me and my situation. He's the only one who cares for me like that. I don't even know how I have the guts to leave him right now."

Leo opens his mouth but he's speechless. "Uh... Uhm..."

"No it's okay. You don't have to comfort me. I'm fine. I'll eventually forget and think about something else later. I always do."

"You're leaving Harry?" He finally asks.

Zayn looks embarrassed. It sucks to have a screwed up love life but that's​ exactly what it is. "Yeah. I am."

"When?" He asks.

"Soon." Zayn says. "Things haven't been what they used to be at home. He's changed. A lot."

"And how does he feel about it? About you leaving, I mean."

"He doesn't know. So please don't say anything to anyone about it. Besides me, only two people know and that's you and Melissa. He's not going to be happy about it so if he finds out, it'll just make it harder to leave because he'll try to get me to stay and I don't wanna give in to him."