call (beep me)

zayn

It's been about five days, and Cash still hasn't responded to my text. I didn't expect her to after everything, but hope was still in my heart that she would.

I was already back home, and I texted Liam to see if Cash was okay and if he was going to come back anytime soon. He replied:

lima bean: cashmere is fine. I'm spending the break in ew York to help her figure some shit out.

zayn: what does that mean

That was two days ago, and I still didn't hear back. It felt like no one was trying to see that I was ready to accept the consequences of my rash behavior.

"Zayn, jaan?" My mother called me from the kitchen and I sighed before getting up from the couch and making my way to her.

"Yeah, mum?" I said with a yawn, letting the aromas of her cooking filling my nose. My sisters were laughing in the dining room, most likely playing around while setting the table before we were supposed to have our dinner.

It was Christmas Eve, and we were only eating today because my dad wasn't going to be here tomorrow night. He had to fly out to do some stupid shit for his job; as if someone else couldn't do it.

I'm not gonna complain like some little pussy about my father never being home. In fact, I love it when he's not here. He's the one who kept encouraging me into a relationship with Jasmine, while Mom just wanted me to find a nice girl.

"Come and see how this tastes," She instructed, holding the spoon out. It was surprising that she asked me to do this because she hasn't since I was a kid, but I smiled and brought the utensil to my lips.

"This is good," I complimented, hugging her before walking to the fridge to look for something else to eat for dinner.

"It must not be since you've taken in upon yourself to look for something else to eat," she chided, slapping me on the wrist. "And since you couldn't tell me you were playing games on thanksgiving weekend."

"Mum," I whined, rubbing my hand before closing the fridge back again. "I'm hungry. I'm a growing man, I need food in me."

"You can wait like everyone else and go help your sisters," she ordered, shoving me out the kitchen.

I groaned before walking into the den and sinking into the couch. I didn't really feel like getting up and doing anything except eating dinner.

My phone buzzed, and I took a glance at it before doing a double take.

1 notification from Cash

I almost cracked my phone from how fast I typed in my password to check the message.

cash: it's ok. i'm fine. I'm trying hard to be mad at you, and trust me, i am. but it's okay

My eyes widened, and my hands flew across the keyboard.

zayn: no it's not. please just talk to me

As soon as I sent the text, I called her. It rang for thirty five seconds before I almost lost hope.

"Hello?" Oh fuck.

I cleared my throat before responding. "Hey."

"What happened? Are you good?" Her voice was raspy and I couldn't help but wonder if she was sick or if she was asleep.

"Yeah, I'm fine, are you okay?" I couldn't help but nervously play with my fingers.

"You texted me this, and I already answered it," she responded, and I could hear her sigh into the receiver.

"Yeah, I know but I just wanted to hear your voice," I quickly said, getting up and slowly starting to walk back and forth.

There was yelling in the background, and a crash before she said: "Zayn, I have to go."

"No, wait. I just want you to know that I'm not giving up on us, no matter how far you go to school from me, no matter what we've been through in this short while, I'm not giving up."

It was silent for a minute, and all I wanted to to hear was her response.

"Zayn..." her voice trailed off, but her saying something was all I needed to keep speaking.

"You are worth fighting for, Cashmere Rawlings. And I will fight until the last round for you, okay?" I heard a small gasp and I glanced at the doorway to see Waliyah, my sister staring at me, wide eyed.

"Zayn, this is too much," she replied, and I could basically hear the gears turning in her head. "There's too much to deal with on your part. You just need to focus on football—"

I cut her off, not wanting to hear the statement everyone has been telling me for my entire life. "I can't focus on football when you're the only thing on my mind."

"Please, Zayn, I..." She sniffled and instantly I knew she was crying.

"No, I didn't say any of this to make you cry," I stammered out, not wanting to her her soft sobs. "Please don't cry, baby. I'm sorry. 'M gonna make everything up to you, okay? Don't worry."

I hung up, because I was sure that if my heart raced any faster, it would beat the olympic record.

"God, you are so in love it's actually fucking gross," Waliyah commented, rolling her eyes and sitting down next to me on the couch.

"I'm not in love," I replied, rolling my eyes.

She scoffed. "Oh yeah? 'Baby, don't cry. I'm gonna make it up to you.' You're so whipped for that stupid bitch it's disgusting."

I tensed before narrowing my eyes at my sister. "Don't talk about Cashmere like that. You've never even met her, and you're passing judgement without any type of basis."

Her eyebrows raised. "Who's Cashmere? I thought that was Jasmine."

Oh, that makes sense. None of my sisters ever liked Jasmine, and they made that pretty clear whenever she came over for dinner. Jasmine would always complain about how much they hated her, and always told me to get them to like her. Safe to say that that never worked.

"Cash is– was my girlfriend," I said, shaking my head. "Jasmine is part of the reason we're not together anymore."

"Tell me everything," she ordered, holding her head between her hands.

I told her everything, starting with Cash's story and ending with Diego, Jasmine and Justice. When I was done, she shook her head and scoffed.

"Jesus, if I knew Diego was such a tool, I wouldn't have slept with him," she said, rolling her eyes.

"You WHAT?" I yelled, shooting up from the couch. "What the fuck, Liyah?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Relax, that was last year. I'm glad it was because he's really not shit at all. Jesus, Z. You have no type of character perception at all."

"When the fuck did you two have sex?" I questioned, ignoring her insult towards me.

"Spring break in March," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "While you were partying it up in Cuba and didn't tell Mum or Dad, Diego was back home. I went over to his house looking for you, and one thing led to another."

"I cannot wait to beat the shit out of him when I get back," I said, my nostrils flaring. "My little fucking sister. I'm gonna kill him."

"Enough about that," she said. "How do you plan on getting her back?"

"I have no idea," I admitted. "But I know that whatever I do has to be big."

She grinned before standing up with me. "I have a few ideas, but this is going to be a long, strenuous process that will reap the sweetest fruit. Are you ready?"

I nodded, but Safaa walked into the room before Waliyah could respond. "Mom says food is ready. And Zayn, Dad is here."

"Fuck me," I muttered before looking to the ceiling. "Someone strike me down right now."

"Yeah, no," Waliyah said, with a chuckle. "I like sitting at football games in the sky box for free. So wait until you're concussed and have brain injuries for that to happen."

"Shut up, idiot," I joked, nudging her shoulder. "Let's go eat in peace before the war begins."

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a/n: heyyyyyyyy! so so so so very sorry I haven't updated in a while.

I started college like a month ago & I am having so much fun here! parties are A M A Z I N G

weed is G R E A T. I am lit and so are every one of you guys that read this and especially the ones who comment! pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaase comment I wanna know your opinions on the words I think and say.

welp goodnight y'all!

rachel