She's Not Afraid

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR: THE MAN WHO NEVER LIED

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR: THE MAN WHO NEVER LIED

*ZAYN'S POV*

We didn't find Eminem in Santa Fe.

"In this case, we'll never find out where Cher is!" I sighed.

"Yeah. You want to get drunk instead? I know a place..." Harry suggested.

"Um, we're giving up already?" I asked.

"Of course not! We're just taking a break, is all." Harry said reassurringly.

"Okay then. Let's start rolling..." I said.

******

So we drove all the way to Hollywood because there's this great bar near the area that is all what Harry talks about.

And guess who we find inside?

The real Slim Shady slash Eminem the great! Whom we have spent A LOT of time looking for!

Coincidence? I think not! We were destined to interrogate him about Cher's whereabouts... I'm sure of it!

"Yo!" Harry and I approached him by the counter.

"Oh. It's you guys." He said nonchalantly.

"Yes it is." Harry flashed him a mischievous swoon-worthy smile that he usually uses when he flirts with girls just to suck up to the guy.

"Talk about desperation. Let me guess, you were going to ask me how Cher's doing and where the heck she is, weren't you?" The rapper rolled his eyes.

"Uh, yeah. Pretty much. So where is she?" Harry did the talking.

"For the thousand time, f*** off." Eminem said calmly.

"We really want to know." Harry ignores him anyway.

"And I really want to drink some beer so..."

"How about this, I won't propose to Cher ever again if you tell us where she is." I touched his hand as I made a proposal.

"You think I'm gay, kid? But okay, I'll tell you where she is just to get rid of you two once and for all." He grimaced.

"But I can't guarantee that we won't runaway together though..." I snickered.

"Then the deal's off. You should've just shut your mouth, you know?" Eminem chugged down all of his beer then he stands up and casually walks away...

"IT WAS JUST A JOKE!!!" I hollered at him but he already left the bar.

"So close." Harry shook his head.

"Damn it. I don't get why the guy's playing hard to get! Beer please." I told the bartender.

"We are SO getting wasted, bro!" I turned to face Harry by my side.

"Amen to that. Cheers!" Harry held out his mug of beer.

*CHER'S POV*

"Why are you guys following me wherever I go?!" Niall and Louis are like two lost puppies, I tell you and guess what? I'm the owner!

"Uh, because we don't have money on us which is why we're crashing in your place for the time being?" Louis said sarcastically.

"I'm okay with the crashing in my lodge part but not this... you even followed me while I'm out clubbing!" I told them to stay put but they secretly followed me anyway.

Fully dressed as waiters thinking that I won't be able to recognize them...

"So you don't want a free drink? I just came over to give you one but I get a lecture instead. Jeez." Louis sighed heavily.

"It's on the house, Cher. You have fun now... but not too much." Niall was about to drag Louis away from me once I took the drink.

"And remember, we're watching you---" Niall interjected what Louis had to say by covering the guy's talkative mouth with his hand.

"You seem friendly with the waiters." Cody spotted me with an amused look on his face.

"You've met my friend, Austin, right? Well, the thing is, he's been staring at you since you walked right in..."

"And you're obviously his wingman. I get it and I guess I could spare him a few minutes of my time..." I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, Mahone! Get over here!" Cody called the guy over.

"You know, you two would make a cute couple!" Cody teased which made me flash him a death glare.

"Or not. You kids have fun alright... but not too much fun if you know what I mean." He sounded just like Niall. Then off he went.

"Okay, here's the thing, Liam Payne actually hired me to locate you. I work part-time as a pro tracker." Austin revealed right away which made me process what he just said.

"That's pretty blunt of you." I said after a few moments of silence.

"It's probably because you look like an angel and I just couldn't lie to you up close? You make me nervous." He fiddled with his tie.

"How much money did he give you?" I got curious.

"Only 300,000$. I gave him a discount." Austin smiled.

That's the discounted price already?! Then I don't want to know the full price, if that's the case.

"Oh, and I already texted Liam your exact location. I hope you don't mind." He added.

"You did what?! Of course I mind! I'm supposed to be hiding from them and you just exposed me." Plus I've already got my hands full of Niall and Louis.

I still have to think of ways to bribe them not to tell on me.

*ZAYN'S POV*

I burst out of the bar completely drunk. Thought I needed some fresh air so I went outside to get some.

For a second, I thought I saw Cher walking fastly in the streets and so I did a double take... yep, she's still there! I'm not just hallucinating.

"Hey!" I shouted.

She stopped walking and turned to face me, wearing a surprised expression on her pretty face.

"How could you, Cher?! Leaving me just like that..." I started getting emotional.

"Zayn? Are you crying?" She asked.

I haven't heard her voice for a whole month that it made me rapidly tear up.

"I don't normally do this in front of other people, you know." I sobbed.

"I just want you back... or not. Okay, you know what? I'm over you. I've moved on. Is that what you want to hear?!" I lied.

I was the man who never lied, never lied until today... but I just couldn't break her heart like she did mine yesterday.

"You have?" She looked down so it was hard to see her expression.

"Well, good for you!" She shouted back in an angry tone.

In the middle of Hollywood boulevard, we were screaming at each other.

"So just come back for the other guys, okay?" I was drunk alright because I've never been this selfless before when it comes to the girl I love.

"It's not up to me now, isn't it?" She looked at me straight in the eye and I did the same.