Forgetting That You Weren't My Mission

Chapter 16

**Zayn's POV**

We arranged to meet at 11am in the coffee shop. She's late, as per usual. I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't turn up though, she has missed the last 5 years of my life. Mind you, I can't say anything has changed without her being here. I'm still the same old me; closed up, miserable old me. But I guess all that kinda changed when I met Niall, obviously before all the chaos. He allowed me to feel the happiness I've been longing for and slowly but surely, this man has just about changed me for the better. Before all of this happened, I used to repeat the same boring routine every day. Wake up, go to work, come home and sit by myself for the rest of the night. I mean yeah I still do that, but I go to work with a huge smile on my face, waiting for him to walk through the door and order his usual. He really has made me a better person. Now that we're friends again, I can finally get back to that. No more crying myself to sleep and shaming myself for the stupid mistakes I made.

I can't stop thinking about what he said yesterday. The way his lips moved gently as the words came out of his mouth. I don't know how I manage to pay attention half the time, he's so dreamy. And the fact that we have to sneak everywhere just to talk makes me feel so alive, almost like a teenager again. Speaking of teenagers, here they come.

The mornings are always busy in the shop, school kids coming in and out to grab a cup of coffee before they head off to hell. I would wish them good luck but I need it more for what I'm about to be put through.

"So this is where you work." she said in her piercing voice.

"Hello to you too Mother." I replied with a fake smile.

"I didn't come to say hello, I came because I heard about the crash." Oh, so she does pay attention to my life.

"Yeah it was pretty traumatic."

She stayed silent for a few seconds before opening her mouth again. "What the hell were you thinking?!" she asked in a rather angry tone.

"Excuse me?" Is she seriously mad at me?

"Are you that stupid?! You almost killed yourself for some boy?! I don't even know what goes on inside that brain of yours Zayn."

"You know nothing about it! And Niall is not just some boy, he's..." I paused. She raised her eyebrows at me as I thought of what to say. "He's... my boyfriend."

"Oh, so you have a boyfriend now? Your father said it was just a phase, but I always knew you were serious about this." she said, rolling her eyes. "Well can I meet him?"

"Uh... no. I mean, well not yet, he's... out of town. Yeah, he won't be back for like 2 months." I need to come up with better excuses because she just laughed.

"Zayn, I can tell when you're lying, I'm not stupid. We'll arrange a date and time for next week and you can bring him along. This is your chance to make it up to us Zayn, don't mess it up." she said and left the shop.

Is she serious?! Make it up to her... me? She was the one who threw me out when I was 16 because she couldn't handle the fact I like boys! And oh my gosh... I said Niall was my boyfriend! How am I suppose to get out of this? I could just cancel but I'd be proving her right... I am a failure.

What have I done?!