Broken || Zayn Malik *On Hold*

Chapter 4: Enchanting

Rose's POV

"Zayn," He spoke. His voice was rather rough, yet underneath lay a deep undercurrent. Then, I was overcome by confusion.....Zayn?

"My name, it's Zayn." He replied almost immediately, as if reading my mind.

Zayn. It was an unusual, unique one. It sounded even better coming from him. I played it again in my mouth. Zayn...

I looked up I realized he was staring at me expectantly.

"Rose." I said quickly, keeping my voice low. This beautiful stranger captivated me. His dark hair was almost as black as the night sky and he had flawless olive skin. His defined jawline complimented the light stubble that was spread across the lower half of his structured face. His long eyelashes cast a faint shadow over his prominent cheekbones. And lastly, his eyes. His eyes were the most amazing shade of copper. They had flecks of gold swimming in the pools of rich, chocolate brown and they were absolutely...mesmerizing.

Suddenly, I felt uneasy. It was just wrong to remotely think of someone like that, after Charlie.

Charlie...

The need for Charlie was only increased as he overtook every part of my mind. I realized why I was here. I felt my heart ache, my body weaken, and my emotions storm inside my head. I subconsciously twisted my ring around my finger, the moonlight glinting off the round diamond. I remember how he had surprised me with it, taking me to the woods, uncovering my eyes. That had been the happiest moment of my life.

I missed him. Charlie was my life, and this man kept me from seeing him again. I was so close and he just stopped me. Anger slowly began bubbling up inside of me. I know I shouldn't have been angry with Zayn, but I couldn't help it.

"Why," I hissed harshly, "Why can't you just let me go?!!"
He looked surprised by my tone of voice. His facial features showed that he was deep in thought.

"I-I...I couldn't just let you fall." He answered after a while, tearing his gaze away from me and shifting it down to his hands. He furrowed his thick eyebrows and continued. "I couldn't just stand there and watch you throw yourself away, away where you could never return from. I just couldn't."

I continued to glare at him, my eyes slitted.

Seeing my expression he then said, "You might not think so right now, but you have so much to live for. Killing yourself won't get you anywhere. And regardless, it's just a bloody selfish thing to do."

I stayed silent, guilt slowly replacing the anger that coursed through my veins.
Maybe he was right; jumping would have been a cowardly thing to do. But I hadn't thought of that, hadn't even cared.

Then it hit me, the thought tickled at my mind but I had been so wrapped up in my anger and sorry that I hadn't noticed.

Why was Zayn here, in the middle of nowhere? It's not like people spent their lives hiding behind trees waiting to save distressed girls from suicidal cliff jumping. I looked over to where he was sitting, examining him. He seemed distant from the world; completely detached from anything and everything around him.

I couldn't keep it in any longer.

"Why are you here?" I blurted out. He said nothing, keeping his gaze fixed on his hands. His eyes grew cold, and he clenched his jaw.

The atmosphere grew awfully uncomfortable, and an awkward silence took place once again. The wind began to pick up speed causing shivers to run up my spine, and goosebumps to rise on my pale skin. My unruly hair whipped in the air, vigorously thrashing around as I kept my gaze fixed on the enchanting city.

The tranquility of the forest brought me to a whole different world; a better one in which I could temporarily escape to. I was able to create my own heaven in the midst of this hell.

Alone. That's how I felt. I was alone in this merciless world, left with nobody to care for or to be cared by. I wanted everything to be over with.

"She left me..." Zayn spoke, interrupting my thoughts, "The only constant in my life left me. I...I loved her....so much. She meant everything to me. The way she laughed.....the sparkle in her eyes that appeared when she rambled on and on about some random shit, yet I would stick around and listen because her voice was worth listening to. Our love was infinite....it was the most painful kind of love...but I valued that even more. We all have scars from loving someone too much; from loving someone too deeply....from wanting to protect them too much....but now I realize that all of this is just fucked up..." He took a deep breath, trying to regain himself.

"I was gonna propose to her tonight....I came home to find her sitting on the sofa, crying, and asked her what was wrong. Sh-she told me that she couldn't do this anymore...she couldn't be with me because she was....she was cheating on me this whole time....and she was pregnant with his child." Everything was quiet as I tried to take in every word he was saying.

"So I left. I came here and then I found you....And I couldn't let you fall. There is a reason God limits our days, and I couln't let you take yours away." He finished.

I had been rendered speechless. I just stared at his glowing face, and I realized, in a shock, that his face mirrored my own. Anger, sorrow, hopelessness were written all over it.

Yet I couldn't help but whisper, again, "Why?"

"Our days are finite in order to make each day more precious. To let us live our lives to the fullest and do justice to the people who couldn't." Zayn answered.

That's when I knew that, one way or another, things would get better. It would just take time.

But I was frightened by that.

*************

Short filler chapter...sorry. I'm planning everything out on what I want to write so I honestly hope you like it!!!!

Song requests?

-R