another love || z.m.

Zayn

Ten months ago, I made the worse decision of my life. I decided to lie straight to her face, potentially ruining everything I ever wanted with her. I definitely saw us going somewhere, but I screwed that up the minute I protested that she loved me. I should've just been honest and told her that I loved her back, but I didn't. I choose to reject it. I did that because the thought of someone actually caring for me on such a high level was a scary thing after what I had gone through with Cassie.

My thoughts were interrupted by a call coming from my phone. I turned it over in my hand to see Lena's name. Her and I had been in contact, meeting up occasionally to talk about how Payton was doing.

"Hello?" I answered.

"She's not good," Lena croaked. Her voice wavered.

"What?"

"I got home and the flat smelled like vomit. She tried to hide it, she acts like nothing is wrong, but she isn't healthy. I try to make her eat, and I keep a good watch over her, but she always finds a way behind my back to make herself sick. She's so pale and skinny. Her pants fall off her hips. Her shirt collars' fall over her shoulder. She needs to see you," I was frozen during her little rant, leaving Lena to be able to get everything out that she needed to.

"Okay," I answered. This wasn't going to end well for me, but I needed to do everything I could to help Payton get better.

"You'll meet up with her?" She asked.

"Of course," I nodded.

"Okay, can you meet us at the coffee house in an hour?"

"It's one in the morning."

"They are open and she needs you now."

"Fine," I sighed. I hung up and ran my hands over my face. I only had an hour.

~~

I was sat at the small two person table by the window. I cupped my coffee mug that held nothing more than black coffee in my chilled hands, hoping to warm them. It was exceptionally cool in the coffee house, and I had come in nothing more than a white tee and black jeans.

I looked to the door as the bell rang, but it was just a few teenagers, around fourteen, accompanied by one of their mothers. I wondered why they were people here at two in the morning, but they probably wondered the same about me.

My legs were shaking nervously and I kept looking up to the door to check if she was coming. I checked my watch again before the bell rang. I looked up at her, being tugged in by Lena, and I smiled. I kept my eyes on her the whole time, she kept her head down, avoiding anyone's gaze. I got the feeling she didn't know I was going to be here.

"Payton, look who it is," Lena cooed. Payton's head shot up, scouting out the room for anyone recognizable. "Over here," Lena pointed. I mustered a feeble smile and limply waved my hand.

"No, no, no, no, no," Payton started rambling, trying to scramble back to the door. Tears welled up in her eyes as Lena finally got a good hold on her and practically carried her to my table. She shoved Payton into the chair across from me and pulled one up for herself, keeping warning eyes on Payton the whole time. Lena plopped down in her seat.

"Well," she breathed.

I looked at Payton. I was strongly taken back by here appearance. Her face was an almost yellow color, there were prominent bags under her eyes that were bloodshot. I could easily see all of her bones in her body, her skin was very white, almost a sheer color. Her clothes were hanging off her body and her hair was in a matted mess, looking thinner than ever. Yet her frown stood out to me more than her trembling body.