Zayn Malik's Long Lost Sister (Unedited)

18. Three Little Birds

Edward had insisted on taking me home, though I asked if I could walk and meet up with him later. While he got ready before we left his house, I tried to sneak away because I'm sure he doesn't know where I live anyway. But he ran out of his bathroom to catch me before I left, carried me from behind with just one arm, walked back into the bathroom, sat me on the toilet, and locked the door while he finished gelling his hair.

I watched as he unshamefully styled his hair up, his face looking a bit mysterious as he watched his reflection. He washed his hands clean and began brushing his teeth.

"You take forever getting ready, you know that?" I sighed, pretending to be overly dramatic.

"I still haven't changed my tampon, hunny. It's gonna be a while longer." Edward responded over a mouth full of foam toothpaste.

"You're gross."

He turned his head and smiled at me and making it so he has better access at brushing his front teeth.

After he spat out, he was ready to go.

"Wait, where are the tampons?" I asked, standing from the toilet.

"You need?" He asked, grabbing a small box from behind the mirror. I thought it weird that he knew exactly where it was. He held it out for me to take.

I pushed it back his way. "No, you need."

"I was joking." Edward breathily chuckled.

"You sure?" I raised an eyebrow and we both laughed.

"C'mon. Ready to go?" He asked, opening up the door for me. I walked past him and he ran to his room to grab a jacket before he met me at the front door.

We left the house and headed for the sidewalk.

"We can walk if you would like." Edward suggested. I actually wanted to be driven there so I can get this over with, the sooner the better. I told him my thoughts. He nodded and unlocked the passenger door, holding it open for me and motioned with his other hand for me to get in. I thanked him quietly and got into his car, watching as he went around the front and got into the drivers seat.

The jeep hummed to life and I buckled myself up as he pulled away from the curb.

"Alyssa informed me that you like to cuddle." I started.

"I thought we weren't allowed to speak of it. You're lucky I have no pillows." Edward teased, smirking my way for a moment.

"I can speak of it. You can't."

"That's hardly fair."

"That's the point, actually." He chuckled. "She said you hated being alone in the dark. Why?"

"I just like the comfort of being safe." He said.

"So, you sleep with someone every night?"

"No, I sleep with my pillows in my arms. It's hardly a substitute, but it works."

We came up to a stop sign with three options of directions ahead of us. I pointed straight and he drive forward.

"Why, though? What traumatized you so much that you hate being alone in the dark?"

His hand tightened around the steering wheel and his jaw tensed, his eyes glued to the road ahead of him. I could tell he didn't want to talk about it, so I didn't want to push. But I felt bad that I had upset him.

My hand reached over to his that was gripping the steering wheel, my fingertips ghosting over the back of his hand until I felt more confident and laid my palm against his hand. His eyes watched what I was doing before they flicked over to my face.