|What Happened to Niall| Niall Centric

Chapter 4 -»Zayn Malik«-

I set the paper down with a sigh again. What did she not understand about "I want some peace and quiet". I thought it was pretty self explanatory but apparently not.

"Zayn please? I don't know how to do it and Mum will be so mad if she finds out I didn't do my homework." Waliyha whines. I set my sketchbook down and sigh heavily again so she knows I'm not happy about this.

"Maybe next time you should get it done when you're told then." I mutter but still get up to help her. Besides what are big brothers for? Not that many people would know.

She squeals happily and pulls me into her small room that looks more like a study than a bedroom. "I just don't understand why we need to learn anyway. Like I get that Mum wants us to be educated but it's not gonna help us any. We're gonna be stuck in the house for the rest of our lives. The only one who has a chance at a life is Doniya." She complains and I stop in my tracks, making her jolt as the hand she pulled resisted. "Zayn what are you-"

"Don't say that." I mutter sharply, making her eyes widen slightly.

"But it's true." She states and I take a deep breath to calm myself because as sad as it is to admit, she was right. We would never get to have a life because we were technically fugitives. And I didn't want that for my little sisters. I would stay hidden for the rest of my life if it meant they didn't have to.

Instead of saying anything, not being able to lie to her, I walk into her room finally. "Let's get that work done." I mutter but this time she's the one that doesn't move.

She stands in the doorway with a sad expression on her face, just watching me as I sit down on her small bed. "Well? Come on before I change my mind." I say quietly. I kept my gaze on my lap so I didn't have to look her in the eyes, I just knew there would be unshed tears there.

"I can take care of myself Z. I really can. I'm okay with never leaving, I've come to terms with it." She sniffles and I finally look up at her.

"Then why are you crying?" I wonder, getting up to hug her. She grips the front of my shirt tightly, burying her face in my shoulder.

"Because I know you aren't and it's just not fair." She wails. It breaks my heart even more.

"Don't worry about me, I'm okay." I whisper comfortingly but she just shakes her head.

"You're not though. You have so much talent Zayn, and so much love and compassion. I see it everyday and you would just be so perfect to society but you're not allowed to be and it's just not fair."

"I'm really not but it's nice that-" I start, not exactly getting the picture she was painting in my head.

"You are! You are so talented I'm sure one day you'll actually make that chip like you've been wanting to."

"I know, I know." I say quietly into her hair to defuse the tension that was now in her shoulders. I rub circles on her back as she calms down. She was too kind for this world, she really was.

I always used to tell her and Safaa that it wasn't the government that didn't want them but them that didn't want the government. The world didn't deserve my siblings.

I knew that if they were allowed out in the world then they would do great things. It's my dream to see them grow and learn, to make something of this fucked up world because I know they can.

It was too late for one of them but I still believed that Safaa could have done great things if she had been given the chance.

I wish I could have done something to stop it but I was weak then, just like I am now.

"I should probably do my work." Waliyha sniffles, pulling away from me. I look at her in concern as she shrugs and walks over to her bed like none of that even happened. She wipes her eyes on her sleeves and then pulls out the sheets of paper, turning to me with a smile. "Ok, so I don't understand 5 and 7." She mumbles.

I didn't know how she did that, took a breather and then was just fine the next second. Or at least pretended that she was. When I was upset, I did something about it.

She really was someone I looked up to, even though I was older. She was so strong and brave.

I hope one day I could be too.