Zayn didn't mess around with girls who had boyfriends.

That was just wrong.

And he wasn't that type of guy.

But, damn it...Damn him, there was something about Zhuri.

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"It's okay to want me, 'cause I want you...

(So stop wasting all my time, messing with my mind)."

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"You're still fucking with her, aren't you?"

The question catches him off guard.

"I mean...Yeah," he replies slowly. "Why—?"

She groans, half-laughing. Her breath is warm across his bare chest. "You don't like her is why. Jesus, Zayn. Why're you with her if you don't wan' her?"

"I like her," he replies defensively. "Why'd you say that? What? What's that face for?" He pokes her pursed lips.

She slaps his hand away.

"I like her, Zhuri."

She laughs, "That's not what you said a week ago."

He searches her face, eyes brown and wide as he stares up at her beneath his bed sheets.

It's early.

Too early for Zayn, actually. It's way earlier than he'd ever willingly wake up on a Saturday, but he's awake because Zhuri always wakes up early. And that's the thing, though. Zayn didn't complain much about waking up early when she was with him.

"Things change, Zhuri."

"In days, Zayn? Okay."

He raises a brow. "Why's it matter to you?"

She smiles the smile that never fails to let lose the butterflies in his stomach. "'Cause I care about you, is why," she kisses his nose. "Can't I want you to be happy?"

"I was happy 'til you brought this up," he replies earnestly, shifting beneath her. He lifts one hand from around her waist, lifting his fingers and tracing them delicately across her high cheekbones. "I was happy when we were just—"

There's a sigh. "Zayn..."

He traces his thumb lightly across her lips. He's frowning again, corner of his lip pulled between his teeth.

"Can't I just kiss you? Can we drop this?"

"No 'cause that's not what friends do."

"Oh," he smirks, "we're friends, now? 'Cause that's not what you said last night then?"

"Shut up," she groans, "Stop trying to avoid the question."

He flicks her nose. "Why're we still talking about Gia?"

"Hey!" She yelps. He laughs. "You brought her up!"

"Well, now I wish I hadn't."

"Why? You like her, remember."

"And?"

"Don't lead her on, Zayn. If you don't wanna be with her, don't make her think you do. If you really wanna be with her," she looks between them, their bodies pressed together in his bed, "then what the fuck's th--"

"God," he sours, rolling from beneath her. "You're such a fucking hypocrite."

"What?" She sits up at once, clutching the sheets to her bare chest. "Why'm I the hypocrite?"

"You're fucking your ex!"

"No! No, I'm not."

"Fucking--" He laughs bitterly. "How long're you gonna keep telling me that lie?"

"Don't make this about me. It's not. How's that anything like you leading this bitch on?"

"We were actually dating," he replies, face twisted. "She's not a bitch."

"What-the-fuck-ever, Zayn. Look. Fine," she throws up her hands. "Do what you want. All I'm saying's that you shouldn't lead this girl on, since according to you, she's apparently a real nice girl and not a bitch," she pulls a face. "Can we move on."

"Zayn snatches up a pair of sweats. "Whatever, Zhu."

She scoffs, eyes rolling.

"What?"

She snorts. "You literally just said, 'I don't wanna be with her, Zhuri,' but you're mad at me?" She matches his glare, "All I said was, 'Don't lead her on' and you're still mad," her eyes narrow. "At me. I don't fucking get it."

"Obviously."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She quickly raises her hand, interrupting him. "You know what," she shakes her head, jumping from the bed and searching the floor for her clothes. "Forget it. Fuck you."

He runs his hands across his face, watching as she throws on her clothes.

"Don't—" He groans into his hands. "Don't fuckin' leave."

Those slanted eyes of hers narrow. "I think I'll pass."

"Why?" He challenges, following her around the room as she tosses on her clothes. "God, you're so fucking stubborn, Zhuri--"

"Really, Zayn? Then, what does that make you?"

He blinks, lips parted. He wasn't expecting that.

And it makes him angry.

"That's what I thought," Zhuri says, and she pushes past him, out of his room.

He jogs behind her. "Why won't you just admit it?"

"Ha-! Admit what?"

"That it's over!" He spits, grabbing the handle of the door to keep her from leaving. "That he doesn't really give a shit about you, Zhu! He's fucking using you, you know that?"

Her jaw is clenched. "We're. Working. Things. Out."

"That's fucking bullshit!" He grips the door handle tighter. "It's shit and you know it."

She throws up her hands. "I'm not doing this with you now!"

"Yeah? Yeah, 'cause you're used to running away from your fucking problems, yeah? 'Cause every time I bring him up you shut down--"

"Because you're so negative! You've never got anything good to say about him, Zayn!"

"'Cause he's not right for you, Zhuri!"

Her eyes are hard and cold. "You don't know that."

"You think it's fine he treats you like shit?"

"He doesn't treat me like--"

He laughs. "You're fucking joking..."

"Zayn," she scowls. "Who cares? You shouldn't."

"That's fuckin' shit, Zhuri, 'cause you already know I do."

"It's my life. You don't get to decide whether or not I fuck it up."

"And like I already said," he grits, "it's too damn late for that."

He runs his hands over his face, giving Zhuri the opportunity to grab the door handle herself.

"Just..." She shakes her head. "Lemme figure it out, Zayn. Okay?"

He shakes his head. "What the fuck're you saying, Zhu?"

"I'm saying," she sighs, "that you're gonna have to let me do this," her eyes are wide, eyebrows raised. "Alone."

And he sniffs, disdain in his curled lip and narrowed eyes and raised hands as he backs from the door. "You keep saying that," he snaps, "and one day, you'll realize you don't actually fucking mean it."

The door slams heavily behind her.

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kinda confused?

good.

lol.

so, just as a heads up, this isn't nebula, and it's not related to it in any type of way. zhuri and zayn's story is completely unrelated to zayn and anais.

comment and vote! i'm looking forward to reactions. :)

xx