Daisies • Zarry

13. Defense attorney

Zayn was back to avoiding Daisies again and he hated everything about it as he sat in the corner booth at Blue Hills, drinking a cappuccino that just didn't taste right to him, even though he was sure it probably tasted just fine to anyone else. He was perilously trying to find a new routine to fit into the new life he was creating for himself and as much as he wanted to walk into Daisies, he couldn't see Harry. He didn't trust himself around Harry and knew that if he went there that he'd think about him again, that he'd want to kiss him and tear his clothes off, and even worse, he knew that Harry would let him. So Zayn was forcing himself into settling for this second rate coffee shop to drown himself in another book, even if it was Harry's copy of Norwegian Wood.

But he only lasted sitting there for another fifteen minutes before he packed up his things and left. Maybe he'd try again tomorrow. He threw his rucksack over his shoulder and exited the shop, only to run into Anne who had been walking by.

"Zayn, hi! How are you hun?" she greeted him.

"Hey Anne. I'm well, how are you?"

"Busy," she replied, looking up at the Blue Hills sign and then looking back to Zayn, frowning a little. "I see you switched coffee shops on me."

"I, uh, I was just in this area," he fibbed, feeling a little bad about it.

"I don't see you around much anymore. What's wrong with Daisies, is it the country music? I know I play a lot of Shania Twain but I can tone it down," she joked, laughing a little.

"Oh no it's not that," Zayn replied, chuckling. "I love Shania. There's nothing wrong with Daisies, you know I love it there," he added, not sure how to explain exactly why he couldn't come there without telling her it was because of her son. "But I'll stop by soon."

"Good. I have way more almond biscotti than I know what to do with," she said. "Oh, another thing. I have a question for you. Do you happen to know what's going on with Harry lately?" She then asked, looking concerned. "He hasn't been himself in awhile. He's so quiet and has this attitude that he's never had before."

"I have no idea," Zayn lied.

"I'm just worried about him," said Anne. "If you hear anything or if he tells you, will you let me know? I know it's none of my business, but he's my son after all."

"Of course," Zayn responded.

"Thanks dear. Well, I'll see you soon then?"

"Sure."

As Anne walked away Zayn stood there feeling his stomach lurch just thinking about how Harry must be acting if his own mother was worried about him and he started to feel terrible. He hadn't seen him in a few weeks and truly didn't know what was going on, but Zayn couldn't help but think that it was his fault that Harry was acting like this. He silently groaned to himself and put his headphones on, making his way down the block toward his apartment.

* * * * *

Zayn showed up with Elias to this on campus party that Saturday night, one that he had to be massively persuaded into attending because it was not Zayn's scene at all. It was Elias' friend Liam's birthday and he was throwing a raging party to celebrate, but it wasn't just any rager, it was a frat party, and Liam was the head of the Kappa Iota Fraternity at Whitman which meant it would be filled with way too many hot headed, worms for brains, straight frat boys and equally as basic and uninteresting sorority girls who all looked the same. But Elias was friends with literally everyone it seemed and Zayn couldn't understand how he had the patience to be around people like that, but he was doing his best to try and be nice about it.

"It won't be that bad. Griff will be there, and Julian," Elias said as they walked down Sullivan Street towards Liam's building.

"Four gay guys and forty pathetic frat guys all trying to get laid."