I'll Be Here for Forever || z.m.

Chapter Twenty

*Still Zayn's P.O.V.*

Kendall spent the next three months in and out of the hospital, for various reasons.

At the end of the third month, she was in the hospital, after having collapsed.

"Zayn," She whispered.

"Yes?" I asked.

"If I die," She began before I cut her off.

"You aren't going to die." I stated.

"B-but what if I do?" Kendall stuttered.

"I won't allow it. You aren't going to die." I repeated.

She didn't say anything. She must've fallen asleep.

"Mate, why don't you come get something to eat?" Simon, who'd arrived a month ago, said as he entered the room with Reese.

"No, I'm not leaving her alone," I replied.

"I'll stay," Reese said, her voice rasping.

"Okay," I stood up after contemplating this and followed Simon out the door.

"Look, Zayn, you need to understand something," Simon said after we'd sat down with our food.

I didn't say anything, I just pushed my salad around it's container, trying to make it look like I ate it.

"Zayn, she isn't getting any better," Simon whispered.

I looked up at him angrily. How could he say that?

"And, if she doesn't make it," He continued.

I tried not to listen to him, but his deep voice filled my ears.

"You can't fall apart."

"I love her."

"I know, but you have to try to be strong." He put his hand over mine.

"I can't be strong," I stated.

"For Kendall, and for the rest of the band," Simon was now clutching my hand, tears in his eyes.

I pulled it away and stormed out of the cafeteria, to the lobby, and out the exit. I stomped and screamed and pulled a cig out of my pocket and lit it.

I inhaled, then blew the smoke out of my mouth.

"Zayn,"

"Leave me alone, Simon," I growled.

"Zayn, it's Harry," He said in his slow, deep voice.

I turned around to see that it was Harry, wearing his purple Jack Wills hoody and looking particularly exausted.

"What do you want?" I stomped out my cigarette.

"I want you to tell me what happened in there with Simon," He was standing next to me now, pulling me into a tight hug.

"He told me that I can't fall apart if-" I choked out a sob into his shoulder.

Harry pulled away and held me at arms length by my shoulders. He looked me in the eye and said, "If that does happen, you have every right in the world to fall apart. Don't let anyone, Simon, Niall, Louis, Liam, or even myself, tell you anything different."