Storms {z.m.}

Chapter 51

Chapter 51 – Christine

(Would just like to apologize for a major mistake I made on the last chapter where I had Christine say “Christine needs you in her life” what I really meant to say was “Liya needs you in her life” I'm sorry for the major mistake! I'll be sure to read over the chapters more carefully before posting!)

I'm starting to grow used to the way my mouth goes instantly dry at the sound of yet another one of my expectations collapsing. Although I still hold hope for the future, I had come to terms with the fact that even after Zayn left, he would be back frequently to check on his family now that he realized just how desperately they need him. I figured I would still get to see him every couple of months at least, but after hearing that Zayn plans to move his family out to London with him after the wedding, which is less than two weeks away, even that fraction of a dream is shattered.

“What? Why?” I ask, fumbling for words. If Zayn's family is all in London, he won't have any reason to come back to Bradford ever again. He says he needs me in his life now, but after a new album drops and the touring starts, he won't make time for me anymore. I'll become a part of his past once again. I was apparently easy to forget last time, I don't presume to be any less forgettable today.

“What do you mean 'why?'; Liya is in over her head with her drug dealer boyfriend. I can't have her hanging around those same people. I don't even want her anywhere near those people,” Zayn says in a surprised voice. He tips his head slightly so as to seem empathetic to my shock, but he really has no idea what's going on inside my head right now.

As much as I hate to admit it, Zayn is right. Moving Liya out of Bradford is the best way to make her sever ties with Andrew and his group of young delinquents, and after hearing what Liya had to say about him earlier I have no doubt that that's exactly what needs to be done.

A few months after they first started dating, Andrew decided he didn't like the feel of latex on his skin and convinced Liya to start having unprotected sex. Of course, she was apprehensive; the girl isn't stupid, but she is insecure. Much like any other teenage girl under the pressure of her “loving” boyfriend, she eventually gave in because she was too afraid that not doing so would make her disposable. Unsurprisingly, Liya ended up pregnant and incredibly scared. She figured her mum would be extremely disappointed when she found out, as would Zayn. That's when Andrew brought up the idea of abortion, which made Liya sick to her stomach just thinking about it.

“I don't see the point of you bringing another fatherless kid into the world, you know?” Andrew had told her as he hid his indifference behind the smoke of a freshly-rolled blunt.

“Fatherless? You're the dad, Andrew. What are you going on about?” she responded, humoring him by asking a question she already knew the answer to. She knew it in her gut the moment she saw the little pink plus sign on the pregnancy test: Andrew may be the father, but he would never be the dad.

“You know me, Liya. I don't do kids. I don't do domestic. You know what I do for a living, it's just not how it goes with me. If you want to have the baby, then go ahead,” he said, coldly blowing smoke in her face, “but if you really love me then you'll do the right thing for us and have the abortion. It's the only way we can be together, babe.” He softened his voice toward the end, trying to sweeten the deal before it hit her ears. By the time Liya heard it, the words her syrupy sweet and oozing with the illusion of young love. The idea of having an abortion no longer represented death, but a rebirth; a new lease on hers and Andrew's relationship. Little did she know that new lease included countless stipulations that included getting beat up occasionally, acting as a drug mule, and stealing money from her own mother.