Saltwater ~Zarry~

Chapter 10.

Zayn stumbled out of the Uber, seeing double and slurring his words. He didn't mean to get this drunk.

Realizing he wouldn't be able to go home like this, he went to the next best thing. Harry's house. After Zayn and Harry met, the Maliks moved next door to the Styles'.

Tripping over his feet, Zayn slowly made his way to the back of the house to Harry's room and knocked on his sliding glass door. He giggled as Harry shot up in his bed and looked out the door.

The waves were crashing behind Zayn and the air was salty and warm. It was around 2:37 in the morning.

Harry quickly got out of bed and unlocked the door, sliding it open. "Z? Are you insane!?" He whisper yelled at Zayn. Zayn simply giggled and walked into the room to flop down on the bed.

"No. I'm tired." He said.

"Oh. You're drunk." Harry stayed, starting to realize the reason for Zayn's craziness.

"Maybe a little." Zayn slurred, laughing loudly as Harry looked at Zayn like he was an idiot. Because he was.

"Will you be quiet?" Harry asked him, annoyed beyond belief. He had training in less than three hours and Zayn has disturbed his sleep.

Walking into his bathroom, Harry grabbed the glass already in there and filled it with cold water, handing it to Zayn and making him gulp it down. "Drink." He said.

"Ok. Where's the shots?" Zayn laughed at his own terrible joke.

"Zayn." Harry warned, and Zayn rolled his eyes, sat up, and chugged the water. After, he lay back down on the right side of the bed. Harry refilled the glass and got some Advil for the morning. "My mother is going to gut you like a fish when she sees you here tomorrow." He scolded.

Turning of the lamp, Harry laid down beside Zayn and pulled the over them. This wasn't the first time this had happened, Zayn wasn't necessary a good kid. He got in trouble with homeschool a lot also.

Naturally, Harry turned to face Zayn only to see him already staring. Zayn smiles lightly at Harry, as he blinked slowly. Harry smiles back. "I love you, Haz." Zayn whispered.

He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Harry's mouth. Obviously not realizing how close he was to kissing Harry's lips. But Harry did. The tingling in his stomach confirmed what he thought just happened.

"Love you too, Z." He said back. He was disappointed. Because Zayn didn't mean those 3 words the way Harry wished he did. But he was just grateful to have Zayn in his life at all, even if the crush wasn't mutual.

Harry smiles to himself, sadly and happily at the same time. The memory has a happy start, but not all beginnings are fairytale endings.

He sit in the hot sand he was used to, staring at the waves he missed surfing so much. A tear left his eye, thinking about how things would be now.

Nothing would be as easy as it was. Nothing would be the same. Harry wouldn't be the same.

He heard the soft squishing in the sand, footsteps coming closer. Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zayn sit down next to him. Harry didn't take his eyes off the roaring waves and orange sunrise.

Zayn looks at Harry, before looking at the waves. "You know you can't leave me at that competition alone, right?" Zayn jokes and Harry chuckled.

He looked at Zayn, "You know you can't hold back because of me, right?" Harry said. He knew Zayn would try and hold back everything he's worked toward to make sure Harry was ok.

But Harry didn't want that. "You're a great surfer, Zayn." Harry said matter of factly.

Zayn just shook his head in thought. Looking down and tracing random patterns in the sand. "Always have been." Harry finished quietly.

"Why are you out here?" Zayn asked. Harry only stared at the water and didn't get in, when he was thinking about something. Or when he was upset.

"I don't think I'm gonna compete anymore, Z." Harry said. Zayn's head snapped towards him.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked.

Harry looked at Zayn, so he continued. "Why are you giving up?" He asked.

Harry slowly looked back at the ocean he wishes he saw the same. "No matter what I do, how hard I work. It's not gonna be enough for nationals." Harry said.

"So the hell what!" Zayn said loudly. "Just because you were set back a little doesn't mean you have to quit, Harry." He waited a couple of seconds. "You got hurt, you didn't die." Harry looked at him.

Harry shook his head looking up at the water again. "Everything I've worked toward...All the early morning training, late night practices, the hard work, all the dedication and time and effort I put into this. None of it matters anymore." He let out a shaky breath.

Zayn turned his body more toward Harry. "It does. I can't believe you think it doesn't." Zayn said shocked and slightly angry. "You're the number one surfer on this island of course it matters."

"No, Z. I was. Now I'm just half of what I used to be. I have to start all over again." Harry said. He was sad and angry. At himself. At what happened to him.

"Harry." Zayn breathed out a shocked laugh. "Harry Styles, look at me right now." Zayn demanded. Harry shook his head and looked at the ground as the tears fell down his face. Zayn scooters closer and grabbed at the sides of Harry's face.

When Harry still didn't look up, Zayn made a bold decision and put his pointer finger under Harry's chin, lifting his eyes to meet Zayn's. "Look at us. We're here, together. We are getting through this, together." He assured.

Tears still falling from Harry's eyes. "Why did this happen? Why did I have to lose every thing?" He cried. Zayn closed his eyes as they began to water, then opened them seconds later.

"You didn't lose every thing, Harry. Not even close." He said softly. "That shark didn't kill you. You're still here, still alive. With a family that loves you." He said.

Harry looked at Zayn and nodded his head slightly. "What am I supposed to do now?" He asked.

Zayn looked down and back up before answering. "I don't know." He said.

Harry smiled sadly, "Then how am I supposed to know?" He asked. More tears fell from his face and his voice was shaky.

"When the time is right you'll know. Until then you hope. You listen." He told Harry softly. Harry thought Zayn sounded so sure.

"Listen for what?" Harry has calmed some now and was giving the occasional sniffle.

Zayn looks at Harry and smiles softly, "For what comes next." He finished. Harry nodded slowly, eyes meeting Zayn's.

"Hey." Zayn whispered.

"What?" Harry whispered back, wiping his eyes. Zayn moves closer and hugged Harry's shoulders. He looked down at Harry and Harry looked up at Zayn.

"Smile." Zayn said while smiling widely. Harry tried to fight it, but eventually a smile made its way onto his face. Zayn kisses Harry's forehead and the action sent tingles to Harry's stomach.

Still smiling, Harry lay his head on Zayn's shoulder as they looked out onto the sea they would concur tomorrow morning. The action also sent, still unexplainable to him, tingles to Zayn's stomach.

Right then Harry realized that everything he had doubted was wrong. He was alive. He was there to get back up again. And they will be ok.