Jinx

6

          Zayn was feeling awfully floaty as he stared up at the ceiling, trying to take inventory of his injuries. He knew he was in the hospital and the very nice nurse, who's badge read "Jesy," had told him what had happened. "Liam?" he'd asked as soon as he'd managed a couple of sips of water, wondering what had happened to Liam when the accident had occurred.

"I think he's in the waiting area," she said, smiling as they were joined by a doctor. Zayn squinted at the script on the breast of his way-too-white lab coat. "Dr. Higgins."

"You're awake," he said, smiling down at Zayn who nodded, regretting it instantly.

"Well, you have a bit of a concussion, a broken wrist, and numerous contusions, but other than that, you were very fortunate," the doctor explained as he shined a light into Zayn's eyes quickly. "We're just glad to see you awake."

"Liam?" Zayn asked, confused when the doctor chuckled.

"He's had a bit of a shock and seems to have a limited vocabulary like you," the doctor answered as he scribbled something on the tablet in his hand.

"Sorry?"

"He can only say, 'Zayn'." Zayn could feel the flush on his face starting as Dr. Higgins' smile grew. "I know he's not family, but maybe I can sneak him back here if you like."

"Please," Zayn whispered, reaching for the cup of water with his left hand as the doctor left. Jesy helped him again. When the curtain twitched, Zayn looked up expectantly with a smile for Liam, surprised when it was his parents who appeared in the curtained off area. "Mum. Baba."

"Oh, Zayn," his mum exclaimed, tears in her eyes as she hurried to his side to press a kiss to his forehead, her hands skimming over the cast on his wrist. "How badly are you hurt?"

"Um, concussion and broken wrist," Zayn responded, looking past his mum to see his father wipe at his eyes. "I'll be okay," he assured them, letting her squeeze him tightly, even though it hurt a bit, and sharing a mutual eye roll with his father.

When she seemed to gain control of her tears and loosened her tight hold on Zayn, he yelped as she swatted his left arm with her purse. "How could you not tell me you were friends with Liam James Payne?" she hissed. "How long has this been going on?"

"Mum!" Zayn laughed. "I've only known him, like, a week." The laughter hurt his head but felt good at the same time. He'd forgotten how silly his mum could get sometimes. "I hope you didn't embarrass me out there. Liam's a bit skittish about his celebrity status." His mother huffed, but refused to look him in the eye. "Mum, what did you do?"

Yaser was laughing as Trisha opened her mouth to speak before quickly snapping it shut again. "She was a bit cold," he told Zayn.

"Oh, mum, really?" He could just picture it, his mum had a tendency to be standoffish when she didn't know how to behave. "This is already the worst first date in history," Zayn muttered, pulling the sheet up over his head.

"Date?" Trisha squeaked and Zayn groaned. He noticed his father's lips twisting into a smirk to rival Louis' most mischievous before he disappeared from the cubicle.

"Yeah, guess so," Zayn admitted, smiling as his mother slid onto the bed next to his hip, tugging the sheet away from his face.

"Tell me everything," she told him.

"Not really a whole lot to tell, mum." He picked at the edges of the blanket. "He lives in my building and we met in the laundry room. He's having a hard time with school, so I helped him out." He shrugged. "Then it seemed like he kept showing up every time I turned around." He shared the stories of running into Liam on campus and how they'd ended up at the museum together.