In Between Styles and Horan

~6~

Tree, tree, another tree, oh shit. I tripped over a rock. There it is, our tree. The tears and memories punch me in the face.

I climbed the tree to where we were the other day, I feel broken and empty.

"Kayla!?" Zayn's voice came from about a mile away.

I was silent. I don't want anyone to find me. I just want to, you know, sit in a dark corner and cry my heart out.

"Kayla! I know you're here. I have some news for you, it's about Harry." his voice is closer.

"I don't want to talk about him. At all, what's done is done and that's it. I can't go back and change it all." tears were sliding down my cheeks and Zayn was in front of me with his arms out, telling me to jump.

I didn't jump, it was more of a fall. He caught me and put me on the ground.

"No talking about him?" He asked me.

"Not a peep." I told him.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm positive." I told him.

"What about-" I cut Zayn off.

"Nope, I'm not going to his funeral either. I won't be able to look at his family and explain what happened. I also won't be able to see his beautiful body in a coffin before he goes underground." I explained.

"Okay, whatever you want, you shall get it." Zayn told me.

Is he flirting with me? God, I hope not. I cannot do this anymore, I need time to be alone.

"Thank you, Zayn, for everything. It really means a lot to me." I gave him a hug, "But right now, I want to be alone."

"I understand." He told me, "If you need anything, you know where to find me." He left for Harry's house.

I ran to my house and found Riot on my front porch.

"C'mon, bud, let's get you inside." I told him and opened the door.

Riot went straight to the kitchen and wagged his tail. This is odd, I smell cookies, chocolate chip cookies. Is she really up and about? Dad and Harry are dead and she's up making cookies. Good, now I can tell her everything that she has done wrong that involves the death of the two most important men in my life.

I went into the kitchen and saw her, it's like looking into a mirror that shows you when you age. My mother is wearing jeans, a red t-shirt, and an apron.

"Mom." It came out way nicer than I wanted it to.

"My little girl has gone through too much in such little time, so I decided to make your favorite thing, cookies!" My mother told me and brought me into a warm hug.