Zephaniah // z.m

Sixty five

Hannah

The door flew open before I even had the chance to retrieve the keys from out of my bag. My cheeks flushed when I realised he stood in the doorstep, wearing his underwear only. "Hi.." I hesitated, looking anywhere but him because somehow your eyes were always trained onto the things you didn't want to look at.

"I'm so sorry," Zayn breathed out, pulling me inside and giving the door a light kick to close it. "It's such a hectic morning, I don't know where to start anymore." He swallowed, clearly being in pure distress.

"Everything okay?" I asked softly, actually being way too happy that he called me, because he needed help. It was the first time he actually did it, and I secretly couldn't be more proud of him. He was starting to listen to me, starting to learn.

"Zeph is crying, I cannot find the stupid Nutella jar and I forgot I had a job interview and therefore I can't bring him to school, as I won't be able to make it on time probably," Zayn sighed, hands in his hair as he opened Zephaniah's lunchbox and stuffed it full with fruit and cookies. "I called the doctor and he said it was good for him to go back to school, get into his structure again."

I stared at him for a while, feeling for him. He always had to do everything alone. And there was just so less time in the morning.

"Oh, and the warm water decided to just quit it so Zeph had to wash his face and hands with cold water and that made him upset also." Zayn groaned and I could tell it was already too much for him at this moment.

I took the butter knife out of his hand, and looked up as I searched for his eyes, wanting him to calm down. "Zayn, get ready. I'll take care of Zephaniah, including calming him down, make his lunchbox ready and find the Nutella jar."

Zayn sighed and wiped his eyes, briefly looking down at me as his cheeks coloured rosy. "I'm only in my underwear. I'm sorry, this is weird. You shouldn't see me like this." He blushed and jogged upstairs, leaving me alone.

I smiled a little, then heard Zephaniah's crying coming from upstairs, dragging me back to reality. I was structured, so as I made a planning in my own head how to change his hectic morning in a calm one, I walked upstairs as well, opening Zephaniah's bedroom door.

Zephaniah was lying on his bed, his knees pulled up while he was chewing on his pinky as he cried, fiddling with Shephy's ear with his free hand.

"Zeph?" I said quietly, not wanting to startle him.

Zephaniah immediately sat up, staring at me in pure confusion for a while, though his crying reduced to sniffles.

"Hi, love," I simply said as I sat down on his dog themed bedding, resting my hand on his soaked cheek for a brief second.

"Hi," He whispered, frowning. "W-wwhat time, Ms. Hannah?"

I glanced at the clock, noticing it was a quarter to eight, meaning we had to leave in fifteen minutes. No wonder Zayn was in distress. "It's a quarter to eight, Zeph." I said, knowing it was important to be clear.

Zephaniah's bottom lip trembled and he fisted his eyes, trying to stop his crying but he couldn't. "W-wwhy you don't- do not come after school?" He hiccuped, burying his face into Shephy.

"I will come after school too, sweetheart. Baba has a very important conversation with someone." I explained, draping my arm over his small shoulders. "Why are you crying, love?"

"Do not w-wwant to go to school, okay." He whispered, hums leaving his mouth after that.

I frowned sadly, noticing he really was upset. How was I going to solve this without making him more upset? He had to go after all, as Zayn had called the doctor.