In A Hopeless Place

Chapter 15

"See something that you like?" Liam smirks and arches an eyebrow at me.  

I look away, slightly embarrassed.  

"Sorry," I mumble.  

"I got it during a fight," he says and I look up at him.  

I knew he was referring to the scar that I had been staring at. It was located on his cheek bone, just beneath his eye.  

"Nick had me locked in a choke hold and he had a knife..." He paused. "Hurt like a whining bitch." 

"How deep was it?" I ask.  

"I got stitches if that answers your question." He chuckled slightly and I nod.  

"How did you escape?" 

"Zayn." He replied. "Zayn knocked the living shit out of him." He laughs as he recalls the memory. "Then once Nick was knocked out, he grabbed me by the arm and smacked me in the back of the head." 

I almost scoffed. "Why would he do that?" 

"He's Zayn. You can't expect anything." He laughs again. "He told me that I need to stop being such a pussy and that I should start acting like a man. Then he took me back and Josh stitched me up." 

"Zayn could've been nicer." That made Liam burst into laughter.  

"Ha! Zayn, nice? Oh, that's cute." I roll my eyes. "He's practically my brother and I love him the way he is." I nod and notice him stare off at something. A smile playing on the corner of his lips.  

I turn to see what he was staring at and all I saw was Danielle. I find a grin making its way on to my lips.  

"Do you like her?" I ask him, still grinning. He looks at me.  

"She's my girlfriend," he responds and I'm shocked. I was pretty sure my mouth was hanging open. He chuckled at my reaction. "So... yes, I do like her." 

"What- Why- What?" I ask bewildered. He chuckles again. "How long have you guys been together? I never would've thought that you two were together..." I trail off and think of how Danielle always criticizes him and it was starting to make sense.  

"Almost three years now." Almost three years?! "It was one of those corny romance things where two friends had crushes on each other, but were too scared to admit it. Then, they have a huge fight and admit their feelings to each other while yelling." He smiles and laughs at the memory and looks back over at Danielle. "We've been together since I was sixteen and she was twenty-one." 

"Twenty-one?" I ask incredulously. I didn't even think that Danielle was five years older than him.  

"Yeah, and well it just happened." 

I shake my head and smile. "You're right. That was so corny." 

"So, what's going on between you and my 'brother'?" He asks me with a smirk. I look at him.  

"Nothing, why?" 

"I thought Danielle was being sappy and her stupidity was catching up with her, but I've seen the way you two act around each other." 

"And how do we act around each other then?" 

"Just... I don't know how to explain it. He's just... He's just different around you. He has never been that caring towards any simple injury before." 

"I was shot." I glared at him.  

"Okay, maybe it wasn't simple, but he wouldn't have acted like that if Danielle or Eleanor were shot and they're basically his sisters. We're all like family. And the way he treated you when you were shot, that was just unbelievable. Zayn's never really had a heart, well, none of us really thought he did until you came along." 

"I doubt that. It's not that hard to find." 

He smiles widely at me. "Exactly. It's not hard for YOU to find because he cares about you." 

"He does not," I say doubtfully.  

"Whatever, Carter," Liam says when he notices Zayn walk in, thankfully, not in time to hear our conversation.  

He ignores me, again, giving me a cold look along with the cold shoulder. 

He grabs a beer from the fridge and leaves again.  

"And then he goes and does that," I mumble and Liam looks at me. "Does he do that a lot?" 

"Do what? Drink?" 

"No. Be all friendly and caring to completely ignoring you and questioning your existence?" 

"Not really. I honestly don't have any idea why he's doing that, but then again he is Zayn. You can't expect anything." And I know that what Liam said was true because by tonight, Zayn will be that heart-growing man that I'm starting to become attached to.  

Liam picks up the sandwich he was making and leaves. I notice a mirror just above the sink and look at my reflection.  

My bruised eye was still very well bruised. It's probably going to turn an ugly, old, yellow color when it begins to heal. I also have a cut on my lip from Harry too.  

I felt dirty every time I thought of Harry.  

I feel an arm brush against mine and am shocked to see that it was Zayn. I'm even more surprised when he grabs my hand.  

"Come with me," he whispers into my ear and pulls me towards the back door.  

I don't argue or ask any questions. 

I just let him lead the way.

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Yay! Another chapter! Sadly, just a few more chapters till this stories done. Thanks to those who've been reading and please, some feedback on what you think of the story? Love you all! :) 

Comment, Vote, Fan!!! 

-Abby xx