Storms {z.m.}

Chapter 19

Chapter 19 - Zayn

That night I didn't sleep at all. I kept tossing and turning in bed unable to get the last hour's events out of my head.

After Christine broke the whiskey bottle over the tall Irish man's head, I looked into her eyes and found something that shook me to the core. Her face was tracked with running mascara but her eyes were open wide. There was a trace of panic in her green eyes, but for the most part she looked unamused. It was as if this kind of thing happened every night. I also noticed a glimmer of satisfaction in her eyes, and I didn't know what to make of it.

Christine and I were best friends for years. I know everything about her. At least I did the day I left for X Factor. I had never given much consideration to how Christine would feel after I left. I thought she would be happy for me, just like my father would have been, but clearly she wasn't. I didn't want to flatter myself and accept that her transformation was 100% my doing, but as of now I really had no other explanation for her extreme makeover.

My friend Adrian had moved away when I was 12. Yes, I was upset but I got over it. But the thing is, Crissy isn't that kind of girl and she never has been. She wears her heart on her sleeve and she isn't afraid to admit it. And yet, I felt like I didn't know just how bad it hurt her that I left.

I checked my phone and it was barely 8AM. I sighed and put on a pair of black gym shorts before heading downstairs. I heard someone cooking in the kitchen and I could smell the baked beans all the way from the top of the stairs. I really had missed being home.

When I reached the kitchen I was surprised to see Liya cooking, rather than my mom who was nowhere to be seen.

"Mornin'" I said hugging her with one arm and planting a kiss on the top of her head.

"Do you want bacon?" she asked preparing me a plate of breakfast. There were eggs, baked beans, and since I had nodded yes, she added a couple of pieces of bacon. Liya was still in her pajamas and her long brown hair was up in a bun.

"No school today?" I asked trying to remember if today was a bank holiday or something. I noticed her body stiffen before she answered.

"Mum said I didn't have to go," she said at the stove. I could barely hear her and I was sitting only a few feet away at the counter.

"Everything alright, sis?" I asked growing concerned. Mum made me go to school even when I was sick, it wasn't like her to just let us stay home whenever we wanted. Specially for several days in a row. But then again maybe everyone here changed as much as Christine did.

"Yeah, it's just. Yeah," she said. I could tell she was getting ready to say something but decided to hold it in. It was strange feeling like there was a wall between me and Liya when we were standing in the same room. When we were younger we were always really close, even when I went away she would call me and ask for advice. Whenever I actually had time to pick up her calls, I tried to help her as much as I could. I don't know exactly when that stopped, but I noticed it even more now that we were so close in proximity yet so far away in spirit.

"Liya, you know you can still talk to me, right? I'm your brother, I love you like mad," I told her. My talk with Safaa last night gave me an inexplicable desire to draw closer to my family. They were all I had before, but I feel as if I'd tossed them aside accidentally. I was just always so busy, and Perrie always received priority when it came to my free time. Looking at the recent series of events I'm starting to feel as if maybe that wasn't the best course of action.

Liya turned around and looked me in the eyes. I could see words formulating behind her eyes and her mouth opened in preparation, but nothing ever came out. Instead she just shook her head at me. My heart sank. My family was always there when I needed them but it seems I haven't been here for them when they needed me. Sure, I always sent money but that there are things money can't fix. Like whatever Liya was going through that she didn't want to talk about.

"Whenever you want to talk about it, you know where my room is," I said pointing upstairs and smiling. She smiled back and I ran up to her and gave her a tight hug.

"Alright, you big love bug!" she said pushing me off of her. She grabbed her plate of food and sat next to me on the counter.

"Now that I've got you in a better mood, there's something I've got to ask you," I said biting into a juicy piece of bacon.

"Sure," she said absentmindedly.

"Tell me what happened to Christine ever since I left Bradford."