Stumbling Upon This Thing Called Love

{Chapter 38} ~Annabelle~

If someone told me four years ago that I'd be here, naked in Zayn Malik's arms on the night of Louis Tomlinson's wedding, I would've suggested they get off what drugs they were doing. Yet, here I was doing just that. 

Zayn fell asleep a while ago, I'm just lying there, thinking about what I'll have to do tomorrow morning. I slide out of the bed to pack my suit case so that doesn't slow me down. I return to his warm embrace, entwining our legs and bodies again.

When Zayn said he loved me, I realized I did, too. But, I can't continue to. In the end, our love for each other will just end up hurting us both.

I snuggle closer to him, savoring the feel of this, the closeness that we will never have again after tomorrow. I try to remember every crease, every crevice, of him so I'll remember later. 

Fatigue finally overpowers me and I drift off to sleep to the steady beating of his heart.

                                                                                      *  *  *

"Belle?" I hear Zayn call my name the next morning as I'm brushing my teeth. I spit and rinse and stop to look at myself in the mirror, making myself look as passive and nonchalant as possible.

"Good morning," I say as I pass the bed. I barely acknowledge Zayn as I pick up the suitcase and place it beside the door.

"What are you doing?" He asks.

I finish brushing my hair before answering.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm leaving. God, you're so slow,"

"Why?"

Here's the blow. The line that's supposed to end it all. I take a deep breath and try to keep all my focus on slipping on my earrings. I put a cruel smile on my face before answering.

"I got what I wanted from you. It was great and all, but I really must go," I say.

He still stares at me with a confused look on his face that's slowly turning into one of horror as he starts to process what i said.

"You mean--?"

"Yes Zayn. I only dated you so i could sleep with a celebrity and now that I have, I will be on my way. It's a shame we couldn't have recorded it," I pout with fake upset, but really, my heart is splitting in two all over again. Saying something like that to the person you love and watching the emotions play on their face is one of the worst feelings in the world. It's like a part of me is dying with him.

I leave a shocked and speechless Zayn behind me as I walk to the front door. Just a mere three feet away from escape, he catches up to me, covered by only a bed sheet around his waist and grabs my arm, spinning me around to face him.

"Belle," I cringe at the sound of my name on his lips, knowing that I'll never be able to hear it again. "Please don't do this. We can work it out. You're not usually like this,"

I scoff, keeping up the facade. "Yeah, right. You think you know me, but really, you've only been around for what, two days? You barely know me Zayn Malik,"

He looks visibly hurt by my words. 

"You can't leave Belle. I love you," He whispers hoarsely.

Time to deliver the final blow. "Well, I could never love you. You're nothing but another brainless celebrity, Vain. Why do you think Perrie wanted to see other people? Because you were so fucking stupid!"

"Stay out of my life and if you ever try to contact me, I'm filing a restraining order against you. Goodbye forever Zaynie poo,"

And with that, I walk out on the person I love, heart now shatter in my chest, aching to run back and tell him the truth. But, I suck it up, brush away the tears, and walk to the elevator.

Just as I planned, the pilot of the jet is waiting for me when I follow the instructions on how to get back to the airplane landing area. He takes my bags and I step onto the staircase, leaving all the memories, laughs, and moments we shared behind me.

                                                                                       *  *  *

"How'd it go?" Lasyannaga asks, taking a seat on my bed. She was the first person to greet me when I got home seven hours later. I flop down on the bed, exhaustion and jet lag taking effect. Oh, and who could forget that pesky little thing called a broken heart?

"It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. My heart literally hurts right now," I inform her, keeping my face buried in a pillow. I hope this conversation is short, my eyes are begging for sleep.

"What happened?"

"Well, last night, after the wedding reception--which i have some pictures of--Zayn and I went up to the roof to look at stars, and then he asked about Derek, so I told him. After that, he told me he'd never leave me, we kissed and then did it back in the hotel where he told me he loved me. I realized I loved him, too, but had to put up the act and breakup with him this morning. i left him calling for me, wrapped in a bed sheet as I walked out of life," I didn't;t even want to start on all the cruel things I had said to him.

Lasy puts a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Poor thing. But, really Belle, I think this was unnecessary. You could've just let him love you until the very end,"

I shake my head. "No, I couldn't have. I can't hurt any more people, Lasy,"

"But, imagine how he's going to feel when he finds out his ex-girlfriend--that he was in love with--died the day after she left him?"

She does have a point.

"Either way, there is a chance that you could die and Zayn will find out, because he loves you that much. Has the phone ringing--" Her eyes grow wide and she cuts herself off.

I narrow my eyes in suspicion. "He called here?"

"N-no! Of course not! I mean, he may have--"

"Lasy, just please tell me the truth," I say warily.

"Fine. He did call. A lot. So much, that I just unplugged the thing," She admits. "There's probably about a thousand messages for you, though,"

I decide to deal with that later. Right now, I need sleep more than ever.

"Thanks for being there for me," I say to Lasyannaga. "Not just right now, but all the other times, too. You're the best friend a girl could have,"

This is the second time in my lifetime I see Lasyannaga cry. She brushes away tears and forces a smile. 

"You're not too bad yourself,"

We share one last laugh, treasuring our last few moments together.