"Seriously, you need to get your license."

"Why?" Zayn asks, puzzled as he slides into the passenger seat of Justin's car. "When you give me free rides all the time?"

The car pulls from the curb.

"Hilarious, bro. Hilarious," Justin replies, running his hands lightly across his short buzz cut.

"I am pretty hilarious."

And Justin sighs, shaking his head as Zayn grins, falling back to rest his head against the window. He stares out of the pane of the moving car.

"Ungrateful ass."

"Don't pretend like you don't love my company."

Justin snorts. "Maybe you're not the company I want, man."

And Zayn laughs. "Imani doesn't want you."

Justin deadpans, and Zayn laughs harder.

"What?" He exclaims. "Like, aren't you tired of being rejected, mate?"

"She hasn't rejected me."

"Yeah...Turned you down, then."

"Real funny, Zayn. She hasn't done that either."

"Yeah?" Zayn strokes his beard pensively. "What's she done, then?"

"Hey," Justin grins, rubbing his head, "she cut my hair yesterday."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah."

Zayn smirks. "Bet she'll propose next, yeah? Got the ring ready, Jus?"

"Shut up, Zayn."

"What?" He implores. "She cut your hair," he sticks his tongue in his cheek, "that's what she does, Jus. S'her job, remember?"

"So? Dude, what's up? I don't fuck with your happiness, do I? I'm the reason you know Zhuri."

Zany snorts, staring at the cars they're passing. "That something to be proud of?" He mutters.

"What?" Justin exclaims loudly. "Can't hear you, bro."

"Introducing me to Zhu...'Cause you were stalking her sister? S'that something to be proud of?"

"Not stalking. I didn't stalk."

"Crept? You were creeping, then."

Justin chuckles. "Honestly, yo. I hate you."

"Nah. You don't."

"I think I do," he nods. Y'know what? Next time, call Zhuri. She'd be happy to chauffeur your ungrateful ass."

Zayn's clenched jaw suggests otherwise.

"Uh oh," and now Justin is smirking now, elbowing his friend from the driver's side.

Zayn jumps. "Would you let up--?"

"What?" Justin exclaims. "Trouble in paradise?"

"Justin. Get off."

"It's karma. It's 'cause you couldn't set me up with Imani."

"She rejected you," Zayn sighs, slightly amused. "Can't be that, then."

"It's 'cause you're not supportive of my dreams."

"Of what?"

"You're all, happy and domestic and shit with Zhuri but I can't be with her sister?"

Zayn lifts a brow. Who's sayin' he and Zhuri are happy?

"Where'd you get that idea?"

"Pssh," Justin yells, rolling his head on his neck, "You kidding me? You think I don't see the two of you together."

Zayn rubs his face hard with both hands, not exactly wanting to go into these details with Justin. They were friends, yes, but Zayn hated talking about his personal shit.

Even with his friends.

"She's..." He pauses, staring out the window, jaw clenched, fingers against his lips.

Justin turns down the music in his car.

"She's still hung up on her ex."

"...still?"

He nods.

"Want me to ask about it? Y'know, like, Mani, or something?"

"And ask what? Look," Zayn pinches at his bottom lip, "We fought..." He sighs. "We fucking always fight..."

"So?" Justin shrugs. "Couples fight. Imani and I fight all the time," he grins, "I don't love her any less..."

Zayn laughs aloud. "Funny," he nods, "even though you're shit at giving advice."

"Thats why we keep Liam around."

Zayn's sighs.

Justin's grin falls as he notices the playfulness gone from his friend. "Honestly," he begins, "d'you want real advice?"

There's a short laugh. "Good question."

"Because, what is it that you really want?"

Zayn stares ahead. "What do you mean?"

"Like, with Zhuri. What do you want, man? You want her to be your friend? Your girl? 'Cause right now, all you do's act like an on again, off again couple, but without all the cuffing and the dating. Like, you guys skipped the foreplay and went straight to the sex."

Zayn sniffs, a tiny smile teasing the corner of his lips. "Really, Jus? Really?"

He grins proudly. "Liked that one, didn't you?"

"Like might be too strong of a word, mate."

"Anyway," Justin exclaims, chuckling to himself, "I'd say it's up to you to decide what you want. And be honest," he faces him. "With her and yourself."

"Alright," Zayn clears his throat, righting himself in the chair. "I think this just got too deep."

"I'm deep as hell," Justin grins. "Just ask--"

"I swear, if you say Imani..."

"Look," Justin grins, "honestly, I didn't want to tell you this, but..."

"But? Who's this about, Jus?"

"Relax, relax," Justin replies. "Zhuri's fine, Z. It's not about her. Chill."

Zayn rolls his eyes, pissed that he's even concerned about her and more pissed that he can't stop being concerned.

"It's Imani..." Justin pauses, a slow smile creeping upon his face.

"What about her?"

"We really have been hanging out," he says. "We've like..." He skims his bottom lip with his teeth. "I've gone over a few times, and--"

"And?"

"And we've..." His smile grows. "Y'know..."

___

It's about three AM when she calls.

"Zayn?"

Her voice is soft and low, a slight amusement in her whisper.

"Yeah?"

She giggles, and Zayn wishes he were there to see the way her face lights up and scrunches and wrinkles as she laughs.

He's half smiling now. "What, Zhu?"

"They're having sex."

"What?"

"Justin. Imani. They're next door to me fuckin' right now, I cannot..."

"What?"

"Zayn, the headboard is banging -- Ohmygod..."

He laughs.

"Keep talking to me. Please. This is too much for me to handle. I need to move out..."

"Apparently this isn't new," he says. "They've been fucking for a while, Zhuri."

"I wouldn't know," she scoffs. "I've been sleeping over at--"

"Mine," he finishes. "I know."

And she squeals. "Can you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"The headboard is banging, Zayn...Jesus..."

He laughs again. "Justin's got to go hard, Zhu. Let 'em live."

"I'm in the kitchen now," she says. "I can still hear them. And what d'you mean by that? Why's Justin gotta put in work overtime?"

"He's got the biggest crush on her," he explains. "He's probably eager as fuck right now."

Zhuri laughs. "I think you're breaking guy code by telling me."

"Nah," he replies. "I'd be breaking guy code by telling Imani. Technically, you're like, sort of different."

She laughs aloud. "Sort of?"

"Sort of."

There's a pause.

"Zayn?"

He yawns. "Yeah, Zhu?"

She giggles. "You falling asleep on me?"

"Sort of."

"I'm sorry," she says.

He stifles another yawn. "It's fine, Zhu--"

"Not for now. Not for keeping you up," she laughs. "For earlier. I'm sorry for yelling. And leaving..."

He runs his hand across his face. "I know."

She's surprised by this answer. "You know?"

"Yeah. I know. It's what you always say to me, isn't it? Every time what's-his-name comes back into your life, I'm always the one who needs the apology."

"Zayn..."

"And I can't do that anymore, Zhu. I can't keep doing this."

"Doing what, Zayn?"

"Whatever the fuck this is!" He exclaims. "Some days I can't even tell if we're friends, or more, or--"

"Or more?" She whispers.

"I think we need some space," he says, ignoring the way his heart seems to hurt with her last question. He didn't want to have this conversation tonight, but here it is anyway. "We...I need some space, Zhu."

Justin was right, it seemed. Zayn did need to decide what he wanted, and if what he wanted wasn't what was good for him then he needed to figure that out, too. He needed space. He needed time to decide if this was worth it. Because that was just his luck, right? Meet a beautiful girl. Find out she had a crazy ex. Not be able to let her go.

If Zhuri didn't want him, he had to cut his losses and let her go.

"Like," he continues, "some time apart," because more than anything, Zayn needed to know if he was even capable of moving on, and more importantly, if she was.

He needed to know if he meant anything to her at all.

There's a pause. "Okay."

"Okay?"

He can't see the way she picks at her cotton tee. "If that's what you want."

"It is," he replies, lying.

It's what he needs.

"Okay," she repeats.

"Okay," Zayn breathes out a long sigh. "And, Zhuri? Zhu--Zhuri? Hello?"

But, she's already hung up.

Zayn hurls his phone across the room.

___

Just planned this out completely and can I tell you each chapter I write makes me more excited for this.

Comment and vote because I'm hella excited for opinions/reactions!

xx