Unseen

Chapter 6

The shrill noise of an alarm clock woke Zayn from his deep sleep. Stretching his arm across the bed he slammed his hand down to stop the annoying noise.

6.30am.

"I hate alarm clocks..." Liam moaned, rolling over in the bed towards Zayn. Zayn chuckled to himself.

"Same here buddy." he replied before leaning over and kissing Liam lightly on the lips.

Zayn shot up in bed. It was another dream. He'd been having them quite regularly lately, dreaming of things that had happened or simply just random moments with Liam. In a way they were nightmares, selecting the very thing Zayn desired the most and teasing him with the impossible situation. Zayn didn't know whether to be grateful or not. They were a good thing, these dreams, because it meant that there was a reality where Zayn was still able to see Liam's face, hear his voice, feel his touch... but on the other hand they only made things worse when Zayn woke and found himself alone in a bed, the warm touch of Liam's body against his, gone.

That day Zayn decided he would go out. He didn't know where exactly, he just felt like he had to get out of the house. Maybe it would please Niall if he listened to him for once.

A few hours later and Zayn was walking down the streets of London, hood up and sunglasses on. He was hoping no one would spot him because all he wanted right now was a peaceful walk by himself.

He went into a local Starbucks and ordered a hot chocolate to try and warm himself up. March was still a fairly cold time of year in England, and spring hadn't yet quite made an appearance.

"Hey, you're Zayn Malik!" the waitress said a few moments after serving him. Zayn lightly smiled, not really wanting to stay and chat.

"Ah I'm so sorry about... about everything. Hey, mind if I get a picture with you?" Zayn shrugged, not wanting to turn the young girl down and upset her. She quickly took a picture while Zayn searchds about for anyone watching. Luckily the shop was pretty deserted.

"Thank you so much. Have a good day." she said as Zayn walked out. He would try, he thought to himself, but he couldn't guarantee anything.

Zayn found himself walking down his and Liam's favourite park. The bare winter trees overhung the pathway. In the summer this place was thriving with people barbecuing, playing, walking, exercising, chatting, chilling... Today it was just dark and dull, the overcast sky creating a dull feeling in the pretty much empty park.

Zayn found the bench him and Liam always used to sit on when coming here for lunch. He sat down and found the carvings "ZM + LP" in the bench. For the first time in months Zayn smiled to himself, running his fingers over the carving. They'd written that on the day Liam proposed to him. It was so funny, because Zayn had been planning the exact same thing.

Zayn spent a few more minutes on the bench, reminiscing on the old days and what life used to be like. If he could turn back time, he wouldn't hesitate.

A newsagents was just across the street and Zayn needed cigarettes, so he went over to the small corner shop.

"20 sovereign please." Zayn asked, leaning on the counter. The person serving was old and took a while to find the right cigarettes. Zayn looked over at the array of magazines on the shelf when one caught his attention. He picked it up and there on the front cover was a picture of himself with the captain "Zayn no more?" Quickly Zayn flicked to the article.

"After the tragic accident killing One Direction band member and newly wed Liam Payne, widowed husband Zayn Malik has disappeared and not been seen since. Reports say he has gone on a wild one, taking drugs and now a heavy alcoholic drinker. One anonymous report even said he was drowning his sorrows by sleeping with every man he knew. Zayn Malik is obviously distraught by the loss of his husband, but has Liam's death driven him to craziness? Yet another tragic celebrity death on the horizon..." Zayn threw the magazine to the floor, anger filling him.

"Sir? Your cigarettes?" the cashier asked, staring at Zayn, but Zayn stormed out the shop without another word.

An alcoholic? A drug addict? Sleeping with every man? How dare they think that of him, Zayn thought to himself. He lost the one man in his life that truly understood him and this is how the media treated him? Zayn had never been the one to let the media effect him, just brushing it off or altogether ignoring it. He'd always been there for Liam when he needed comfort because he always took things to heart. He was so sensitive and needed his support. But Zayn was more fragile now than he'd ever been before, and tears of anger threatened his eyes.

With a fast pace Zayn walked home, not paying attention to the strangers he bumped into in the streets. Nothing Zayn did pleased anyone anymore. What was the point in living anymore?

Once home Zayn slammed his front door and went into the kitchen to get a drink and try and cool down. He went to open the fridge when he noticed the photo Niall had given him that he had pinned to the door. Zayn just stood staring at it, tears now free falling. That was the last time he had been truly happy, stood beside his whole world. Both Liam and Zayn's smiles were huge, nearly not wide enough to express just how happy they were. Suddenly Zayn punched the photo, screaming and shouting and cursing like there was no tomorrow.

"Why the fuck did you leave me Liam?!" Zayn shouted desperately, voice wobbling with rage and sorrow, "how could you do this to me? Forever and always you said! You lied! I can't fucking do this anymore! I can't do this anymore..."

Slowly Zayn slipped to the floor, crouched over while he sobbed, just like that night in the hospital when he found out Liam had died. Zayn cried the anger away until he was just an empty mass again, not sure of what to feel. It seemed like anything Zayn did it would lead him right back to Liam, and he didn't know how he was going to carry on in life without him.