Lovely » Zedward [Discontinued]

Chapter 7

EDWARD

Edward didn't move an inch from his spot, fearful of what's to come. There was a small part of him that wanted to look in Zayn's direction, but the erratic beating of his heart said otherwise.

The large, graceful, yet destructive tidal waves of the ocean were moving along the cold, soft breeze of the night, and soon, Edward was positive that they were bound to reach both him and the black haired boy beside him.

With shaky fingers, his hand makes its way into his pocket, as he searched for his packet of Marlboro that he never forgot to bring with him. The cancer sticks provided Edward contentment, as it eased his nerves whenever they would go haywire on him.

He could feel eyes watching his every movement, but he didn't find it in himself to even tell the Bradford native to fuck off, nervousness being the reason for his lack of gibe.

Fingers gripping his lighter, he places the end of the blunt to his lips, and they immediately wrapped themselves around it instinctively. Once the fag was lit up, Edward breathed in, loving the familiar burn inside of his chest, lungs expanding and hit with addictive nicotine.

"Those are going to kill you, you know that, right?" Zayn told him with a hushed voice. Edward stayed silent, as multiple rings of smoke mixed in with the stagnant air.

"What universe do you think we're in?" Edward blurted out of the blue, surprising Zayn with a question of his own. The cooling atmosphere lingered, and Edward hears his own breath hitch when his eyes darted downward, noticing how Zayn beckoned himself closer to the curly headed boy, until there were a few meters left of space between them.

Swallowing a forming lump in his throat, Edward mustered up the courage to repeat himself, though this time, he corrects himself, not even thinking twice for a split second, butterflies blossoming and roaming around the pit of his stomach.

"Is there a universe where you don't hate me?"

Edward shouldn't be anxious around Zayn.

This was a contradicting feeling against hate and spite, and at the moment, Edward wasn't exactly sure what to make of it. Never had he experienced something as strange as this feeling of of warmth and tingles.

Edward's throat suddenly became dry and enclosed, which he took to be a bad sign, but doesn't bother questioning himself.

"Possibly.." Zayn responds as the fleeting waves gradually became louder and the moonlight reflected against the rough, ominous body of seemingly, complete nothingness. Stars had dissipated into the night sky, giving them dim light, as the noiselessness dominated the previous scattered dialogues they've exchanged earlier.

After a long, antagonizing silence, Edward finally spoke,"What are you doing here, Malik?" Zayn noticeably perks up, and licks his lips. "I think I should be asking you that. I come here everyday after school. Haven't seen you come here before." Zayn tells him, hazel boring into his side.

Truth to be told, Edward stopped coming near the waters ever since he was fifteen. There was no significant reason of his sudden lack of interest of the sight of the glimmering, serene cerulean, but he ignores the gnawing of guilt crawling into the pit of his stomach, replacing the once cloudy, soft feeling he had just felt earlier. Edward's emotions represented a destructive whirlwind, them being entirely confounding and unfathomable.

As Edwards cigarette was down to a small bit, he throws it into the shining water, eyes following as it drifts away with the shallow movements of the meager tides.

"See you later, Malik." Edward muttered underneath his breath, breathless as he turned away to locate his boots and pack up to start his journey of going home, unaware of Zayn trailing off closely behind him.

"You didn't answer my question." Edward rolls his eyes at Zayn's apathetic demand, not even fazed by the boys crude tone, and slips both of his feet into old, worn-out leather and grabs his coat, swinging it over his shoulders.

"And I'm not planning to do so." Was the last thing he said before he leaves with his heels digging into the ground, creating patches of footprints.

He sighs lowly and finds himself faced with the parks gate, locked and chained, screaming of no one to enter. Though, Edward shrugged at the thought.

When did he ever obey the rules?

Climbing over the metal bars was quite the task, but he manages to get over the barrier, almost falling on his face instead of a decent landing.

It was altogether deserted, and there was barely any noise audible. Street lamps were his only source of light

Why his feet lead him here?

He himself had no idea.

• • • • • •

"Mum! Elise has a boyfriend!"

"What? No I don't!" The younger one of the two denied, glaring at her older brother.

"Who's jack then?" Edward smirked at her smugly, holding out her phone in front of her and laughed as she struggled to chase him when he fled from her room and makes his way towards their staircase.

"Eddie! Give that back!" She yelled across the room, stomping childishly and pouted as they both entered the kitchen, of where their mother was busily chopping up vegetables, a fond grin appearing on her lips as she spots them both.

"Ed, give Ellie her phone back." Edward grumbled and said something about Elise growing up too quickly but gives the thirteen year old her device and rolled his eyes as she squealed.

"She's growing up way too fast, mum." Edward said.

"Well, that's just how life is, baby. If she has a boyfriend and is happy with him, I don't see why she shouldn't invest in a relationship." She wipes her hands with a clean towel after washing her hands, and faced him.

"But I don't want her to get hurt! What if —" Edward whined but was cut off shortly.

"Edward, honey, how will she learn how to cope with it then? Everyone goes through sadness and heartbreak. It's just a part of life that we can never really avoid. Each time she gets hurt, she becomes stronger than she was before."  Louise pulls him into a strong hold, and he automatically wraps his own arms around her waist.

"You can't call it life without its harsh reality, honey. No matter how much you want to protect her, you need to understand that the present is much more important. Sure, maybe at some point she'll get hurt, but she'll also heal eventually. Pain is what makes us human, love. Pain is what makes us better." Edward nods against her chest, not finding any response to her statement.

"She'll be okay, yeah?" Louise smiled down at his, kissing the side of his head.

"Okay.." Edward said, still wrapped up in her arms.

"I need to check on the chicken, love. Be a dear and set up the table, yeah?"

To Be Continued ...

Edited ( but still shitty )