Rose

It was almost eleven am and people started to arrive for Zayn's birthday. His aunts and uncles arrived first with his young cousins, eventually some older cousins came and not too long after his grandparents.

"Keep in mind that this is probably the last time you'll see him.." Caroline said quietly as people entered. It made me feel extremely sad, knowing Caroline basically confirmed that she didn't see a chance he'd still heal.

Zayn was still asleep even though they all greeted him with a kiss or hug. Me and Caroline pulled out chairs for everyone around Zayn's bed while Trisha was already cutting the cake.

His young cousins were playing on the floor with their toys and Simba, which I had bought at the zoo for him, and I watched them with a smile on my mouth. They were so innocent, they didn't understand anything about what was happening to their older cousin.

The older cousins were just talking to each other and Zayn's sisters, the adults doing the same thing. When everyone and everything was settled, I sat down on the chair beside Zayn's bed.

The noises seemed to wake him up this time and he had to blink a few times to realize what was happening around him.

I turned my face to him, "It's your birthday." I whispered. Zayn turned his face to me and smiled, softly stroking my cheek with his warm hand. It made me blush a little as some family members were looking at us but they were only happy for Zayn and mine happiness, so it didn't matter.

Then Zileh, one of his aunts stood up and walked over to Zayn as I moved the upper part of his bed up. "My boy, happy birthday sweetheart." She kissed his face and handed him a present.

"Thank you," Zayn smiled and started taking off the wrapping paper. It seemed like he was weaker than a few hours ago when I bathed him, because a minute later he still wasn't done with the paper.

Another aunt came up to him and pressed kisses to his face as well. "Aren't you just so handsome? I can't believe you're twenty two!" She placed her present beside him and he smiled at her, then looked at the present but focused on his first one again.

"Happy birthday, Zayn!" The younger cousins climbed on the bed and showered him in kisses, presents and drawings, only piling it up because he was still unwrapping the first one.

"Thank you." Zayn smiled again. I could tell he really was enjoying his family's company. He was slowly looking around him and smiling at everyone who noticed and smiled back.

His uncles were now all wishing and hugging him and a few of them brought presents, placing them beside him. When everyone had finally greeted and wished him, they all sat down and waited for Zayn to open his presents.

Zayn was still busy with the first one, his eyebrows slightly furrowed as he was focused. He took a deep breath and looked up at me when he couldn't open the tape.

"Do you want me to help you?" I asked, making him slowly nod his head.

"The bones in my fingers hurt." He whispered as he looked down at his lap. I knew it was hard for him to admit his pain, so I was so proud of him that he finally did it.

I took a few presents from the pile and started opening them with him, "It's okay. I'm happy you told me."

Zayn smiled again and laid his head against his pillow and stared at me as I opened his presents. When they had opened, I gave the gifts to him and he smiled, but frowned when he forgot who gave it to him.

"Thank you.. everyone. Really." He stared at his new art and music supplies, smiling at his family who were all telling him it was more than okay.

Safaa walked up to the bed and grabbed some of his presents. "Mama, why does he get presents when he's going to die? He doesn't need them." She was confused.

Everyone remained silent, except for a soft chuckle that came from Zayn's mouth. His chuckle immediately broke down the tension that had gotten into the room but Safaa had noticed it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it." Tears had formed into her eyes when she looked at her brother with wide eyes and she quickly crawled into the bed, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"Hey, it's okay." Zayn whispered, softly kissing her beautiful black hair. "I laughed."

That made Safaa smile cheekily and she poked his cheek for a while until she got off the bed and climbed onto my lap. I was surprised, but I would be lying if I said I didn't like it.

I wrapped my arms around the little girl and held her close to me. She started to play with my fingers and rested her head on my chest as she wiggled her legs, secretly touching Zayn's bed with her toes.

I stared at Zayn and saw that he was exhausted, although he had slept for hours. He kept smiling, and even though he really was genuine, he did force them a little as he was about to fall asleep.

Everybody was talking and he tried to engage himself into a conversation but he really couldn't follow it as everything went too fast for him. He absently played with the duvets and opened his eyes every time his eyelids were about to fall closed.

"Zayn! Your beanie is so sick! Who gave it to you?" One of his cousins asked him, completely dragging him back to reality and waking him.

He smiled instantly and looked at me, "Rose made it for me." He said quietly, his eyes twinkling again.

I felt the heat rising to my cheeks as everyone looked at me but it made me feel happy that they were all so enthusiastic about his present.

"That's so cool! And so typically Zayn." They smiled at me.

"Thanks." I replied, hugging Safaa closer to me.

Zayn still stared at me, "My Rosie." He said quietly, slowly stretching out his arm to me. I took his hand and pressed a kiss on it, making him smile even more.

"Where's your mum, dad and brothers?" He asked.

I sighed a little, feeling quite disappointed that they couldn't come to his birthday. He had invited them through me. "My dad had an urgent meeting with one of his suicidal clients and my brother's girlfriend got pneumonia so he's there in the hospital with her. My mum might come in a bit with Lucas, but I'm not too sure."

Zayn frowned and slowly nodded his head, "That's sad.. his client and then your brother's girlfriend. Will she be okay?"

"I bet she will be." I smiled and stroked his cheek. He shouldn't worry about things like that right now when he was so sick himself.

"Hope your mum comes. Have only seen her once." He smiled and I nodded, grabbing my phone and seeing that she had sent me a text that she was on her way with Lucas.

She had sent it thirty minutes ago so she should be here any minute. At that moment, the door opened and my mum and brother stepped inside the room. I smiled instantly and glanced at Zayn, who had a smile on his face as well.

They greeted everyone and my mum hugged Zayn, pressing a kiss to his cheek and telling him some things before sitting down on the opposite of me. Lucas greeted him with a hug as well, which surprised me a lot. He gave him a present and sat down beside me.

"Hey." I said.

"Hi." He replied, suddenly giving me a hug. Now that surprised me. He barely did that. Thomas was the one who always comforted me with hugs and stuff, Lucas never did that.

He was very quiet and just played with his fingers, sometimes glancing at Zayn. I frowned, he really was acting weird. He was usually very social and chatty, he'd engage into a conversation with a stranger in no time.

He was quiet, but I knew why. It was like when Zayn was eating at our home. He was quiet because he knew what Zayn had was serious. He wouldn't mess around like he did with my ex- boyfriend.

Eventually Trisha came with the Marvel themed cake with colorful candles lit as she started singing happy birthday. We all joined soon and Zayn looked at the cake in admiration as she placed it on his lap. He was genuinely happy with it and that made me happy.

"Happy birthday to you!" Everyone sang the last line and Zayn blew out the candles with all the strength he had.

Trisha gave Caroline a look that said 'was that a smart thing to let him do?', but Caroline just shrugged and smiled.

When all the candles were off everyone cheered and Zayn just gave a small smile as he laid his head against the pillow, covering his mouth as he yawned.

"Do you want to cut it?" Trisha asked him quietly. Zayn thought about it for a while and nodded.

He took the knife and tried to cut the cake, but his face showed nothing but pain. I knew it was because he told me his bones hurt, so I placed my hand over his and helped him, making sure he barely had to do anything so he didn't feel the pain.

Zayn smiled thankfully at me, "Thanks." He whispered, handing the knife to his mother so she could give everyone a piece.

Zayn got the first piece but he simply placed it on his lap and waited until everyone had the cake. When everyone had it, we started eating and everyone went back to talking.

Lucas eventually started to talk to one of his cousins and as Safaa left my lap I couldn't do anything else but go back to staring at Zayn.

He had a small bite on his fork but he only stared at it. I wondered why, but when his eyes were closing again I knew he was just really tired from everything.

Caroline sat down beside me and I turned to her, "He's tired."

"Yeah, I noticed. Maybe we just need to let him sleep. I'm sure his family will understand." Caroline said thoughtfully as she stared at Zayn.

"Yeah, definitely." I slowly nodded my head and saw how he slowly took the bite but slightly shoved away his plate.

"Don't tell me you're full already!" Doniya said as she pointed at Zayn's plate. Zayn was startled at his sister's loud voice because he was about to fall asleep.

Zayn gave her a small smile, "Sorry," He whispered and I was sure nobody heard that, except for me and Caroline.

"You were always a sweet tooth. The first thing we heard when Zayn got home from work wasn't even hi, no it was either a bag of candy or crisps opening or the ripping of cookie packages." Doniya chuckled, making Trisha and the rest of the family laugh.

Zayn laughed as well and although it was very weak, it was genuine. That was all what mattered. He tried to take another bite, but he really was too tired, so within a few seconds, he fell into a deep sleep and woke up a few hours later when his family had said their goodbyes to him.

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So close to ending the book.. wew

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