THE CURB (MATURE HARRY STYLES AU) #WATTYS2016

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

"Stella, you okay?" Harry whispers in my ear, snapping me out of the trance and I blink rapidly before uttering a small 'yeah'. My eyes are still fix on the beauty in front of me thinking if he's even real. When I'm done checking him out, I realize that Zayn's eye brows are drawn together and he's staring at me with his lips slightly parted. I shift uncomfortably in my place, cursing at myself for gawking at him so openly, he must've noticed.

"Shit, are you real?" Zayn mutters as he take long strides to reach where I'm standing. When he's barely at foot's distance, he stops. His eyes running all over my face and then down my body before he looks back up in my eyes.

I frown at his question, why is he asking me that. I'm the one supposed to ask that from him. He's the one who looks like a Greek God, not me.

"You two are scaring me with this staring contest." Harry speaks up beside me causing my attention to turn towards him. "I think, I should give you two a little time alone. I'm gonna go put the food in the microwave, must've turned cold." He says, letting go of my hand and nodding in Zayn's direction whose still staring at me with his eyebrows furrowed. What the hell is wrong with him, have I grown two heads or something?

Once Harry is out of our sight, I clear my throat, shifting my weight on one foot, standing in front of Zayn awkwardly. I'm not sure what to say or even if I'm supposed to say anything. His face is giving nothing away about what he's thinking and it is making me extremely uncomfortable. Moments pass just like this, the silence is way too awkward and for the first time on forever, I wish that Harry was here.

When I'm hundred percent sure that he is not going to start the conversation, I decide to take it upon myself to initiate it.

"Laura." I say in a small voice, nervously bringing my hand forward for him to shake.

I watch as Zayn takes in a sharp breath, looking down at my hand before he looks back up with a disgusted expression.

"Stella, Laura, I don't fucking care anymore. I made a huge mistake by trusting her and I'm not doing it again." He snaps causing me to flinch at his sudden harshness. Woah. He lightly bats at my hand, letting me know that he doesn't want to be polite enough to shake it and I quietly lower it, letting it rest by my side.

"Listen to me and listen carefully." Zayn speaks up again, his voice cold and threatening, "I don't know what you're playing at but if Harry gets hurt again, I'll make sure to kill you by myself." I gasp at his words, taking a step back away from him. Can he not see I'm also a victim here or does he also have some anger issues like Harry?

I want to scream at him that such a nasty mouth doesn't go with his handsome face and he's a dumb bastard but before I can utter even a single word, footsteps sound in my ear causing me to look over my shoulder only to find Harry entering the living room with a huge tray in his hand.

"Thought you two will like to eat here rather than the dining room." Harry says as he walks towards the table and sets the tray there.

"Sure, man. You know us better than anyone else." Zayn says his voice suddenly normal, not sounding threatening at all like it was just a few seconds ago. A gasp escapes my mouth when I feel him wrapping his arm around my shoulder pulling me closer to his side.

I hesitantly turn my head in his direction, my eyes wide at his sudden friendly attitude. He raises his eyebrows when i look at him, a smile tugging on his lips and I feel like rolling my eyes and push him away from me because not just so long ago he didn't even want to touch my hand.

"Why are you two still standing there, eh? Come on." Harry's voice causes me to look back at him, a smile tugging on his lips as well. Is he not jealous that Zayn has an arm around who he think is his girlfriend's shoulder?