Everything in Between

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

“God, Zayn, how did this happen?” I rubbed my hands over my face and groaned. We were sitting in his car almost five hours later after having our meeting with Simon.

“I have no fucking clue. It’s got to be one of those insane express pop tabloids. It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours.”

I started to fiddle with my hands. The sun had set about an hour ago and the street lamps were the only source of light illuminating the snowy roads.

“What are we going to tell the boys? Do we tell them the truth, or do we tell them what Simon wants us to tell the public?”

Zayn seemed to think this over. I knew what I wanted to tell them, but only if Zayn felt the same way. I wouldn’t make him do anything that he didn’t want to.

“We’ll be honest. It’s only fair considering what Simon wants us to say isn’t true and I think our best friends deserve to know the truth.”

“But do you think they’ll be mad at first? I don’t even know what to think of this situation! I like Louis, not you. Oh, God, Louis! What if he hates me!? What if I miss my chance with him? Not that I have much of a chance but still! Zayn, I –”

He grabbed my face between his hands, squishing my cheeks together like a fish. “It’s all going to work out so stop rambling.”

The remaining twenty minutes of the drive home were silent but despite what he said, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It wasn’t until we were outside of his apartment and in the hall when Zayn spoke.

“Now remember, we don’t say anything until they’ve calmed down and given us the chance to talk.”

“Let’s just go inside, I swear this hallway never has any heating.” I blew onto my hands, attempting to heat them as best I could.

“Okay, okay. I just have to find my keys.” As if those words were a secret incantation to a castle wall, the front door swung open.

“What the hell!?”

“You guys just can’t run out like that!”

“What did Simon say? Why did it take so long?”

“How long have you been together? How long were you going to keep it from us? I bet you two have been together since the beginning, haven’t you!?”

An interrogation from Niall and Harry was not what I expected.

“Were you ever going to tell us!?”

“Is that why it took so long? Were you doing it in the car?”

“Have you two been doing it every time we leave you alone!?”

“Harry and Niall! If you two would just shut up for five minutes and sit down we could actually explain what’s going on!” I shouted back at them.

They both instantly shut their mouths and sat down on the couch like obedient golden retrievers.

“Well said, babe.” Zayn patted me on the back while smirking.

I gave him the death glare. “Don’t you babe me.” 

“Do either of you want to explain what’s going on?” Liam was sitting on the other side of Harry with a serious expression on his face.

I glanced at Zayn and he motioned for me and him to sit in the chairs opposite of the couch. He looked thoughtful for a moment, as if he was trying to think of the best way to ease into explaining things, but the wait was killing me.