Missing Pieces - z.m.

twenty-three

HOPE'S POV

"SURPRISE!" Harry and the other boys who I still don't know the names of shout.

A small smile tugs at Zayn's lips, Macit is chuckling lowly, while Daniel is genuinely confused. Poor fellow.

"What are you guys doing here?" Zayn asks. "Shouldn't you be here in like, two more months or something?"

"Yes," a boy with light brown hair, and mesmorizing blue eyes says. "But, since I didn't have anything to do, I called these boys and asked them if we could come two months earlier and stay here in London for longer. Surprisingly, they all had nothing to do, so it made things a whole lot easier."

"Did you guys miss me?" Zayn teases. I couldn't help but giggle at his playful words, and he sent a wink in my direction, which you guessed it, surely made me blush. I just hope my face isn't as red as a tomato.

"We don't want to sound rude or anything, but, who are these guys?" a boy with black, purple-ish hair says. 

Zayn comes to my side and pulls me closer to him. "This, is my girlfriend, Hope."

Their brows raised and I can already see Harry's cheeky smile. "And these two guys, are her brothers. This is Macit, Hope's older brother, and this is Daniel, her twin brother," he explains.

"That's cool, having a twin," a boy with blondish, brown, curly hair says. "Well, it's nice to meet you, I'm Ashton."

He waves at us with a silly smile on his face, teeth showing. Next was Harry.

"I'm Harry," he says to Daniel, since he already met Macit and I. 

A brown haired boy with a buzz cut comes next.

"I'm Liam."

"I'm Niall."

"I'm Louis."

"I'm Michael."

"I'm Calum."

"I'm Luke."

"Nice to meet you all," I say to them. My brothers only nod at them.

"Does anyone want any drinks? Food?" I ask them, as they sit down on the brown leathered couches. I loved these couches. They were indeed very comfortable, just like Zayn said the first day I was here.

"No, no, that's fine, thank you," Louis says.

"Um, I'd like to have some chips, if you have any," Niall says. He then adds, "If that's alright with you."

"Of course it is, coming right up," I say before heading into the kitchen. The boys start talking as soon as I'm out of the living room. I can hear their laughter, and I smile to myself. I remember my family's laughter, and how the days and nights were so peaceful. We all were so happy, having the time of our lives. I start thinking about my parents and my sister, who I have no idea where they are, but all I know about them before my brothers and I escaped was that they were taken somewhere safe. I haven't realized it, but a tear has seemed to escape my eyes, and stream down my face. I wipe, sniffing afterwards. I grab the bowl of chips and I almost scream bloody murder as I turn around to find Zayn right behind me. 

"Zayn! I almost threw the bowl in the air!" I scold him. "You scared me, don't come up at me like that, okay?" 

He laughs. "I'm sorry, it won't happen again, your highness."

I smile weakly at him. "It's alright."

"Hey, hey," he takes my face in his hands. "Have you been crying?"

I avert my eyes away from him. He tilts my chin up, looking into my eyes sympathetically. "Why?"

"I- I miss my family, Zayn," my voice cracks at the end. He takes the bowl of chips from my hand and places it on the counter. He engulfs me in a hug, with his chin on my head, and my head on his chest. He strokes my hair, trying to make me feel better. "Shh, it's okay, it's okay," he keeps saying.