Playing With Fire || z.m

"Is it true?"

ZAYN

I stand over the girl laying on the floor gasping for air, waiting for her to catch her breath. Her brown hair is all over her face and her skin has gone pretty pale. I’m getting more and more concerned with every second that passes.

“Ellie, breathe.” I crouch down over her, moving her into a different position hoping it’ll help her. Her big, wide eyes gaze up at me, panic stricken and an unbelievable amount of guilt washes over me. I did this. I just punched her.

All of a sudden she takes a large, deep breath, finally managing to fill her lungs with fresh air. She leans over, on all fours and pants. I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty relieved I’m not going to prison for murder.

I need to leave. I need to get out of this place. Not only have I landed Harry in Minor Injuries with a bust jaw, I’ve now almost killed his girlfriend. What the fuck is wrong with me?

Without another thought I lurch at the door and leave, I can’t be in this hospital any more.

“Zayn?” A voice calls from the other end of the corridor and I swivel round on the spot. It’s John, one of our huge body guards. “Where has Ellie gone? Harry’s going crazy in there!” He gestures to the door behind him.

“I don’t know.” I lie. My voice sounds weird. “I have to leave, can you escort me to the car please?”

“Are you not going to say bye to Harry?” John frowns as he plods towards me.

“You can tell him for me. Tell him I had a call and had to rush off somewhere.”

“Sure.” We begin walking along the corridor towards a large sign labelled ‘exit’, our feet moving quickly. “Are you okay, mate? You’re all pale and acting a bit weird.”

“I don’t pay you to ask me questions.” I snap. I just nearly killed Ellie.

“What is that on your face?” He suddenly asks, slowing down and gazing down at my face. “Are you bleeding?” fuck! Yeah, I probably am, seeing as Ellie tried to beat ten tonnes of shit out of me. Fucking bitch. I’m suddenly aware of an awful dull ache on my eyebrow and I automatically put my hand to it.

“Did I not just say that I don’t pay you to ask me questions?” He immediately looks away and speeds up his pace again.

“Go straight home, Zayn, yeah? Don’t get yourself into trouble.” John says as we approach my Bentley in the car park. 

“That’s the plan.” I jump into the car, just wanting to be on my own and not speak to anyone. I just nearly killed Ellie for fucks sake. I’m a woman beater.   

*

“Is it true?” Harry’s soft voice asks through the phone that lies on my face as I’m curled up in bed. I’ve been here all day feeling sorry for myself. Or hating myself, how ever you want to look at it. My mind won’t stop replying the fight with Ellie and every time I imagine it my stomach churns. I feel absolutely awful but I can’t bring myself to call her or go and knock on her door. I can’t trust myself around her anymore.

“Is what true, mate?” I yawn.

“I think you know what I mean.” He sounds serious and my heart beat instantly picks up. He knows.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I have to act innocent. How could he have found out? Has Ellie told him? Have we been spotted together, or over heard?

“Have you not checked your emails yet?” I scramble out of bed and grab my ipad that’s sitting on the sofa at the end of the bed, pressing the emails app. An email immediately arrives in my inbox from management and I open it, scanning it quickly.

The moment I read the words ‘sordid affair’ I know this is it. Apparently a story is being printed tomorrow about my affair with Ellie. Oh fucking hell.

“Is it true, Zayn?” I have to tell him. I have to. There is no way I can carry on lying. And also, if I deny it, Ellie could admit it! I’m dead.

“Yes.” I whisper.

“I can’t believe you.” He lets out a sob that he’s obviously been holding in. “I thought we were brothers?”

“We are, Harry, I just,” I can’t believe he is crying. The reality of the situation suddenly rushes over me causing me to break out in a cold sweat. What have I done?

“How could you do this? How could you ruin everything? You are so selfish.”

“I haven’t ruined anything.” I defend myself.

“Oh what, so the band can just carry on like normal? Your relationship carries on like normal? My relationship carries on like normal?”

“You and Ellie are hardly in a relationship!”

“What is Perrie going to say?” Okay, Harry, touché. “I want to know everything, every little detail about you and my girlfriend. But at the same time I don’t. In fact I can’t even talk to you right now.” He ends the call but I stay frozen, the phone still held to my ear.

I don’t think you want to know any details at all, Harry!

*

“Is it true?” It’s Perrie on the phone this time. My Perrie. My Perrie whose heart I’m about to break.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why would you do that, Zayn?” I shrug but she can’t see me. I can tell by her voice that she’s crying.

“I, I,” I stutter. “I have no excuses. I’m sorry. I was stupid. I made a mistake.”

“A mistake?” God, I can’t stand her crying. And to know I’m the cause of her tears breaks my heart. “How can an affair be a mistake? How long has it been going on for?”

I can’t lie to her. I’ve lied enough, I can’t possibly tell her anymore bullshit. “A while.”

“How long is a while?” I sit round on the edge of the bed and rest my head in the hand that isn’t holding my iphone to my ear.

“About four months.” She begins to sob. How has she not come round here and ripped my head off?

“You’ve completely mugged me off.” I have, she’s right.

“I’m sorry.”

“You’ve made me look like a bloody idiot and everyone will know. This will be everywhere tomorrow. You’ve broken my heart, Zayn.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop saying you are sorry!” She shouts. “I want to know everything.” She lowers her voice back to normal Perrie volume. “Every dirty little detail. Tell me everything.”

“Perrie, I’m not going to do that.”

“I want to know. When did it start? How many times did you shag her? Where did you do it? Did you do it in the same bed I slept in at night?”

“Perrie,” I warn. She needs to stop.

“I knew it. I knew it, I had that nasty nagging feeling ever since you were at her house the other morning at 5am and you lied to my fucking face. You’re an arsehole!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t you think you’ve lied enough?” She shouts again and the line goes dead. I chuck myself backwards and lie on the bed taking deeps breaths. I’ve fucked everything up!

  Thank you for reading/voting/commenting it means so so much!!

I’m dedicating this to @ann_j99 for being a little star!!

Quick question – how do you all want to see this end? Do you want a happily ever after or something kinda sad? I’m not sure what way to take it but don’t want the ending being rubbish for you.