I'm a Payne // n.h.

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

"Sorry love, didn't see you there." A familiar voice spoke and I turned to meet with the familiar eyes of Zayn. My mouth parted to speak, but I couldn't find the words to, it was apparent he couldn't either. "It's been awhile." He broke the deafening silence between us and I couldn't help but feel horrible that I never stayed in contact with him.

He was the one person I could talk to in confidence, knowing he would tell no one. But I'd lost him when I'd never made the time to give the guy one fucking phone call.

I nodded and tried to smile my best, but I was failing horribly and he started laughing, and pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry." I barely let out a whisper and I held onto his body like my life was depending on it, but it started getting awkward after awhile. I let go first and we had that awkward body presence just lingering.

"So where's the little one?" He asked walking over to go sit on the large leather couch Liam had setting in his front room.

"Running around somewhere. Carter come here Mommy wants you to meet someone very special!" I yelled and Carter came through a hallway moments later yelling gibberish. When he spotted Zayn, his eyes got huge and he literally made a running start to go jump on him.

"You're from One Direction!" He plopped himself down on Zayn's lap. Zayn couldn't help but laugh and nod his head in Carter's direction.

"He's definitely Niall's son." His name being mentioned just made me close my eyes and purse my lips together. "Oh Lyss, I'm sorry-"

"It's okay, you didn't know. He doesn't know either so you may want to, you know, shut up." His smile dropped to a smirk and Carter continued pestering about pointless stupid things until I put him down for a nap. I sat right next to him and he put an arm around my shoulder. "So, what's new with you?"

"Perrie and I broke up a year ago, nothing really new. Oh I got a hair cut." He shrugged his shoulders and puffed his lips out, typical Zayn.

"After that lovely dinner?" I winked and he tried his best at an attempt to laugh and I know I'd struck a nerve. "Sorry."

"It's cool. What's been new with you?"

"Well I had a kid, moved to New York, got a new job, became a model and a writer, and that's pretty much it."

"That's a pretty deep for not seeing someone for 3 years, huh?" It was his turn to wink and joke at me. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Pretty much. Why did you come over anyways?"

"I was coming to watch a movie with Liam but now that you're here, you seem much more interesting than Toy Story." He let out a deep laugh, projecting it through the room.

"I could only hope so." I began playing with the black bracelet that I rarely took off and studied the worn leather.

"You still wear it?" He eyed me from the side and I nodded, a slight smirk playing on my face.

"Every day actually. I never could bring myself to take it off." I admitted, slightly blushing at the fact that I'd just admitted that. I thought for awhile, debating weather I should even ask the question that kept popping up in my mind, and I decided to go for it. "So, how was Niall when I left?" Zayn raised his head and thought for a minute before answering.

"He was really devastated. He wouldn't eat for days, nor come out of his room. He wouldn't speak to me for about a week before he finally cracked, and apologized. He hasn't hasn't gone on a single date or had a girlfriend since." He played with the bracelet loosely hanging from his wrist, and was quiet for a few seconds. "He still brings your ring everywhere he goes. Once, Harry took it from him, as a joke, and he wouldn't speak to him voluntarily for two weeks." That put me over the edge.