Voices Numb: Zayn Malik

Chapter 15.

ZAYN’S POV:

Her lips were pressed to mind. My head was still trying to catch up to my heart. I could see her walking down the hallway towards me. I don’t think I have ever felt so angry in my life, but to be truthful if she had of asked I would have forgiven her, no questions asked.

She recited my poem. My heart literally stopped, or began working overtime. I’m not sure which yet or how to describe the feeling.

We broke apart the kiss and she was crying again. I moved her into my arms. “Sh-sh-shush. It’s ok Cole.”

She was sobbing and I held her closer and squeezed. 

“How long?” She looked up at me with red eyes.

“How long what?” She continued to look at me with those don’t-bullshit-with-me-Zayn-Malik eyes.

I sighed, “I think it was there when you got into the car when you thought I was Grace taking you out for your birthday.  I didn’t realise how strong it was until I saw you in Louis room. You looked so….” She hadn’t stopped looking into my eyes, into my soul.

“So…?” She prodded me to finish my sentence.

“So, Broken. You know I think in my heart may have loved you from the beginning. It just took some prodding for my brain to understand what I was feeling.”

A range of emotions crossed her face before settling into a crooked smile. Her mouth was smiling but her eyes weren’t. Before I could ask further Liam was back. He was carrying two coffee’s and balancing a third on his arm. Cole ran over to help him and carried the coffee back to her room.

Liam sat on the chair beside the bed, Cole scooted back underneath the blankets and then gestured for me to sit beside her. She rested her head on my chest and began sipping her coffee. I stroked her hair for a while soaking in every minute with her and letting my brain catch up with the events of the day. I made eye contact with Liam and he gave me a genuine smile that for once in a long time I was able to return.

“You. Coming. Home?” Liam mouthed to me. I glanced at the alarm clock beside the bed; it read 1:30 am.

“I think I’ll stay the night.” I whispered back so I didn’t wake Cole.

“Seeya mate, I’m really happy for you two.” I gave Liam a small wave as he left and took the half-finished coffee from Cole’s hand placing it beside the clock. She had fallen asleep on my chest and I pulled the duvet up around her shoulders careful not to knock any of her bruises.

Soon enough I drifted off into a peaceful sleep; wrapped around the girl I love finally knowing where I stand.

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My phone buzzed telling me that it was time to get up if I was going to be on time to drop Tara at school. Cole was still sleeping beside me and even in a hospital gown broken and bruised she looked beautiful.  I brushed a curly brown lock of hair out of her eyes and slipped out of the warmth of the bed.

I brushed and fixed my hair in the rear-view mirror and pulled out the address to Tara’s house.  Turning right of the highway I reached a nice looking stucco house surrounded by a cute little garden. I checked to make sure the number on the letterbox matched the number on my sheet of paper and walked up the front door.

I stepped over a gnome with a wheelbarrow and knocked on the front door. Tara came bounding down the stairs and swung open the front door. She had hair blonde hair braided twisting and turning around her head and finally settling into a long plait almost down to her waist.

She had on her school uniform and slammed the door behind her grabbing her school bag and slung it over her shoulder.

“Morning Zayn!”

“Morning Tara, What’s got you so happy this morning?” I said laughing.

“Today’s the last day of school, can you tell?” She gave me a toothy grin. “So did she say yes?”

I stopped walking towards the car, “Who?”

“Cole?”

“How did you…?”

“Zayn you forget you pupils dilate the minute you think or hear her name.”

I remembered our last conversation when she figured me out in less than 15 minutes. “That and you have a massive goofy smile on your face, oh and you are wearing the same clothes as yesterday. So either you spent the night with her or you were kidnapped and managed to escape to come and take me to school.”

I looked at her dumbfounded and opened the car door for her.  She sang to every song on the radio at full pelt and following her instructions we soon reached her school.

“Tara, should I have told your parents I was taking you this morning?”

She began twirling her plait. “Mum’s not really home much so it’s not a problem.”

I could tell that she was hiding something but I didn’t want to probe anymore this morning. “I will see you at 3 yes?”

“You don’t have to pick me up, I can just walk home.”

“Tara I will see you at 3, have a good day.”

I waved her into school and set off to return to the hospital, hopefully I could talk over things with Cole.

Pulling into the hospital parking lot, I realised that I still hadn’t changed clothes. Just a quick stop to visit Cole, maybe find out when she’s able to come home and then change clothes.

I entered Cole’s room but she was no-where to be seen. I sat on the bed trying to think where she had gone. Maybe she was released early. I checked my phone; surely the guys would’ve text me if she was allowed to leave.   

That’s when I heard it, a broken sob coming from the bathroom. My mind immediately skipped to the worst and I ran into the bathroom throwing the door open. Cole was sitting on the floor in front of the mirror tears staining her checks.

She looked up and saw the horror plastered all over my face. “Zayn, I-I didn’t hear you come in.”

I sunk down to her eye level crouching and balancing on my heels. “Why, Cole?” I took her hands examining her whole body.

“Zayn, I didn’t hurt myself if that’s what you are checking for.” She looked away from me but didn’t move her hands away from mine.

“Then why are you crying?”

“Seriously? Zayn look at me. My face is bruised, my body is broken and I still sound like a chronic smoker.”

“No, Cole you look at me.” I kept hold of her right hand but let go of her left to move her chin so she was facing me.

“I see a beautiful, exceptionally kind-hearted woman. You face has character and your voice sounds interestingly different, and just remember you will be fine. Everything will be normal again.” She laughed at my descriptions and I picked her up off the ground. Once she was standing I turned her so she was facing the mirror.

I kept my hands on her shoulders. “Beautiful!”

She cracked a smile, “Oh Zayn before I forget, Doctor Stone said that I should be to go home this afternoon after a few more tests.”

“Great, I’ll pick you up around 4?”

She nodded and I planted a kiss on her forehead, then both her cheeks, her chest just above her heart and then finally on her lips.

“Beautiful Cole, beautiful.”