“did you even plan before telling them?”  “well maybe i didn't?”
don't forget to vote and comment, thank you so much for giving your time to my story and dropping feedback. Your comments and theories make my day and make me feel motivated to right further :')❤️

~

when we collide
23| “i promise.”

Zayn glances at Crystal before making a right turn on the road. It was obviously going to snow anytime soon and dámn was he not ready for it. It was already freezing crazy outside.

But something was even colder than the weather out there.

It was Crystal.

Zayn sighs as he stops at a signal, side glancing at Crystal who stares out the window, barely acknowledging him.
“Crys?”  he tries but it goes in vain. “Crys, you know, at least tell me why you're ignoring me?” he asks, voice barely over a whisper.

“I'm not.”  she mumbles, fingers drumming the dashboard of the car while the other hand encloses forehead.
“Crystal? I'm not blind.”

“Why'd you suggest this when you knew I've to go with Matt?”  she asks, her eyes digging daggers in Zayn. He rolls his eyes, hands hitting the steering wheel in exasperation. “Seriously? You're angry because—”

“Why did you want this dinner?” she asks, making him shrug. “Our family is here to celebrate with us, Crystal. Why not?”
She chuckles dryly. “They don't even know we're not together. Will you tell them?”

Zayn gives out a sigh, glancing at the light that was still red. “Zayn, you did this because you didn't want me to go with Matt.”  she states, her voice holding confidence. “Crystal, seriously? That's not—”

“Zayn, please. I'm not dumb. You are one héll of a confused man who's even more confusing.”
“Crystal you cannot blame or put false allegations on me!”  he defends, voice way too frustrated. He notices the light turn green making him start driving again.

“What's wrong in it? Even if I wanted to go on a dinner with you?”  he asks, frowning.
“You chose her,”  Crystal argues back as Zayn parks in front Ramon's.  “You chose her, you decided to be distant. It was all a matter of choice.”  Crystal swallows the lump in her throat as she clutches her clutch.

“The moment you gave up on us by kissing her, I gave up on what we had, Zayn. So don't you dare come back saying you didn't want to break what you very well promised me you wouldn't break.”  she whispers, glancing at Zayn who stares at the steering wheel, brows furrowed together.

“You're angry most of the time yet you care for me. You don't want to win me yet you're scared of losing me. You're fúcked up, Zayn.”  she opens the door and exits the car, slamming the door back. She sees her family standing at a little distance and smiles at them as they wave.

“Are you sure we'll get a table, this place is packed.”  Cecile asks.
“I'm sure Zayn didn't bring us here in vain.”  Crystal replies, smiling at her. She feels Zayn walking and joining them, standing behind her.

“Come on.”  he encourages, smiling at everyone. “You sure about this, Zayn?”  Yaser confirms, making Zayn nod in his direction. The lot walk to the restaurant and just as they enter the gates the commotion hits them. The place literally packed to the brink.

The main guy behind the desk smiles at Zayn. “Welcome, Sir. We're currently f—”
“Hey, I'd like to talk to Amanda Jones.”  the guy stops speaking immediately staring at Zayn trying to recognise him. “Sir, Mrs. Jones doesn't meet anyone—”

“Tell her my name,”  he says, voice demanding. “Zayn Malik.”
“Tell her I want a table because my family's with me. Right now.”
The guy tries maintaining his smile and composure as he nods slowly. He picks the phone dialing his head and talking in soft murmur.

“I'm so sorry, sir. Let me help you. Just a second. Mrs Jones mentioned about your deal.” he tries smiling after the immense spatting he heard from his boss. He walks them to the end and gets them a table in the open. Little to no lighting making the atmosphere very smooth and soft as a man plays the cello in a distance.

“This place is beautiful.” Cecile whispers, almost everyone taking in their surroundings.
“Let's order some food!”

“Hey, Zayn?”  Zayn turns when he hears Jack whisper his name. He leans in a little so they're closer. “Could you possibly sneak some funny liquid in your future brother in law's stomach?”

Zayn frowns at him, trying to comprehend what he means by that. “Funny liquid?”  Jack widens his eyes and it cracks to Zayn, making him smirk.
“You underage rebel.”
“Don't even act like you never had drinks when you were a teenager.”  Zayn smirks a little at that, glancing at the table that's chatting whilst looking at the menu. “You know me, J.”

Zayn coughs a little as Jack sits straight, obviously catching everyone's attention. “You guys please order something, Jack come let's see what's in dessert.”

Jack nods, standing up. Zayn throws his arm around his shoulder as they start walking.
“Desserts? We can check the menu.”  Doniya argues, making Zayn turn and glare at her.

“It's boy business, we're coming.”
They walk into the main building, laughing a little as Jack murmurs, touching a weird string in Zayn's heart.
“Even if you don't end up marrying Crystal, guys going to have a tough one matching you as a brother in law.”

“Is there any extra bedding then?” Crystal asks, as they stand awkwardly in Zayn's bedroom. Zayn wets his lips, shaking his head. “I'll take the couch, you can sleep on the bed.”

Crystal raises her brow, challenging Zayn. “Yeah? I remember you having backache whenever you take the couch.”
Zayn sighs in reply. “It's alright, I'll adjust. I don't think it's good to sleep in the living room or something,”

He walks to the door, closing it.
“I mean I know, this isn't-isn't how you were expecting y-your Christmas to be, I—”  she hears him sigh, a helpless edge to it.
“I'll take the couch.”

Crystal stares at him for moments, knowing he wants her to persuade him further probably thinking they'll end up sleeping on the same bed. She senses everything that drives through his brain even if he's oblivious to that fact.

Maybe he knows she can sense his thoughts but he masks it well. But Crystal was done, done with her being taken for granted. This time not on her watch. “Cool, your call.” she shrugs, walking to the bed and moving inside, snuggling in the blanket.

Zayn stares at for some seconds and sighs. What was he even expecting? He takes out another blanket and lies down on the couch, spreading the blanket over his body.

Silence lingers the room as Crystal stares outside the window, the moonlight striking her face. Something just couldn't let her sleep. No matter how irritating and frustrating it was to her, she knew Zayn was uncomfortable.

It annoyed her.

“Uh, Zayn?”
“Yeah?”  he replies, his voice openly screaming that he wasn't any near to sleeping anytime soon. “Can't sleep?”
“No.”

“Is it because of the couch?” she asks, her lips pressing together as she stares outside. She hears him sigh lightly. “Uh. . . yeah,”
“You couldn't sleep too?”
“Yeah.” she answers slowly.
“Why? Because I'm on the couch?”

“No.” she hears him chuckle under his breath. “What's funny?”

“You're trying so hard.” he answers. By his voice she could tell he is facing her. She was no where ready to face him though. No way. “So darn hard to be rude to me, it's cute now, that's what my dad does.”

“Is this your kink?” Crystal asks
“What?”  Zayn asks amidst his fits of laughter. “Comparing girls to your father?”

Zayn cuddles closer to the blanket as he smiles. “Why can't you sleep then? I mean obviously there must be a reason.”

“I don't know.”  she breathes, groaning lightly. “I feel tired.”
“That should make you sleep.”

“I don't know how to explain it to you.”  she whispers back. Turning a little, she lies down on her back staring at the ceiling comprehending the weird conversation they were going through. What's with conversations and night in this bedroom?

“Why are we doing this, Zayn?” she whisper asks, tilting her face slightly to glance at Zayn who stares back at her. “What?”
“This.”  she repeats. “This acting. Why don't we tell our parents the truth?”

“You can go ahead.”  he barely mumbles, turning around to change his position, his back facing her now. “Why me alone?”  Crystal tries to reason as she stares at Zayn's back. He was cuddled into his blanket, his bare shoulders visible from behind.

“I can't, Crys. I don't have that much balls.”  his answer triggers Crystal's patience furthermore.
“So just because you chicken out, we keep them in the dark?” when she receives no answer her anger rises, she clutches the duvet and turns around, facing the window.

A minute or two passes as she keeps on examining the rhythm of the wind blowing the curtains ever so slowly before her observation is cut off by Zayn's voice. “I can't disappoint them anymore.” she swallows the lump in her throat as she side glances at Zayn who still faces the back rest of the couch.

“Your parents will understand you, my parents will understand you.”  he exhales deeply. “they'll never understand me.”  he whispers barely over a whisper that Crystal was lucky to be able to hear that. “No one does,”

“That's why I'm not even trying.” he chuckles dryly. Crystal easily detects the helplessness in his voice but she was helpless too.

“That doesn't mean we'll fake it, Zayn. That's not rational.”  she reasons, having enough of it. She sits up in her position staring at Zayn who still shows his back to her.

“They will ask us one day, Zayn. When do we want to get married? Who all do we want to invite? Do you not understand?” she whisper yells, clutching her head in exasperation. “Jesus.”

“Is that a problem?”  he whispers back making Crystal frown deeply. “Obviously it's a problem.  They'll ask me soon. What are you saying?”
“The marriage thing.”  he whispers, hesitantly.

“What do you mean?”  she questions him.
“Forget it.”

Zayn's phone starts ringing, catching both of their attention.
“Your phone is ringing.”  Crystal mentions the obvious making him sit up from his position, remove the blanket from his body, making Crystal turn.

She couldn't possibly be over his bare body. It's better she doesn't look. “Don't even feel like talking.”  he mumbles, walking to the sideboard to take his phone. “Why—”
“Hey Lara,”  he breathes, making Crystal stop. “Yeah, no, I wasn't feeling good.”  he mumbles.
“Hold on let me go out.”  he throws his hoodie on and exits the balcony. Crystal stares down at her hands, playing with her nails as an inevitable sigh escapes her mouth.

Lara, Lara, Lara.
It's always her.

Crystal opens her eyes, stretching her arms to get rid of the tiredness and droopiness on her lids. She slips in her slippers and stretches again, pulling the curtains. Checking out she notices how it's still fairly dark outside and is proven right when she eyes the clock and realises it's just six in the morning. She removes her slippers again and sits on the bed, a yawn escaping her mouth. Turning around she notices Zayn, in an extremely awkward and uncomfortable position, sleeping on the couch, the blanket covering half his face while his eyes were visibly closed.

She hears footsteps walking up the stairs and then it dawns upon her again, they aren't alone, unfortunately. Zayn sits up almost immediately, scaring her again as she gasps.

“What do we do?”  Zayn whisper asks in hurry, obviously panicking due to the situation. He's literally such a light sleeper it's not even funny.

“Act natural!” Crystal whisper yells, sliding back under the duvet. “For this kind of situation the most normal thing would be to panic, so technically, I can panic.”

Crystal frowns at Zayn, seriously questioning his mental state.
“No! That's not what I meant, act like it's a normal day.”  she argues, glancing at the door when the footsteps appear closer.

“My normal days consist of me being late, leading to panic!”  he argues, the blanket sliding down his shoulder revealing his upper torso. Crystal was a fingertip near to panicking.

“Zayn! Can you cooperate?!”  she holds her forehead in frustration as Zayn stands in the middle of the room staring at the door and then turning towards her. “I'm panicking, how can I coope—”

“Kiddies?”  he hears Trisha as she knocks on the door. He runs for the bed, launching himself and falling beside Crystal making her scream lightly as he enters the duvet and pulls her down right as the door opens.

“Is everything okay?” Trisha asks, staring at Zayn, who's back faces her while his face stays nuzzled in the pillow. Crystal smiles at her as they lie together.
“Yeah,” she nods ridiculously fast.  “Absolutely.”

“You screamed?”  she questions, making her shrug. “I didn't.”
Trisha nods doubtfully. “Zayn isn't up yet? His father was asking for him.”

Crystal glances down slowly, noticing Zayn's eyes squinting as he shakes his head at her, whispering a 'no' rapidly.
“Yeah. . . he isn't.”
“Uh, tell him then when he wakes up.”  she smiles and closes the door.

Zayn sits up moodily but the door opens again right as Trisha and Zayn make eye contact. “Why is there a blanket on the couch– you're up?”  she smiles. “No, just sleep walking.”  rolling her eyes Trisha enters the room. “Your dad's waiting, go meet him. Also, good morning, you both look so cute.”

Closing the door, Zayn sighs lying back in the bed. Crystal notices the closeness between them and slides a little towards the corner.
“Do you think—”
“All the time, I'm a good thinker y'know.”  she interrupts, trying to test his patience, making Zayn open his eyes to look at her.

“That was not what I meant. Do you think—”
“Yep.”  Zayn sighs, closing his eyes. “Will you quit this?!”
“Okay.”  she giggles slowly as Zayn falls back on the bed. “Ask away.”

Zayn rolls his eyes. “Thank you.”
“You're welcome.”

“Anyway, I was saying. . . shít, I forgot what I was asking.”  he mumbles under his breath. “Zayn?”
“Yeah?”
“Trisha is gone, you can- can remove your arm.”  Crystal whispers, feeling Zayn's arm on her stomach, wrapping around tightly. He looks up slowly and notices his arm, indeed, there.

Awkwardly smiling, he snatches his arm back and sits up.
“I was asking,” he starts slowly, “Do you think I'll die if I don't go see dad?”   he gets up from his bed and slips on his hoodie.

“You might.”  Crystal shrugs, answering vaguely. “That helped, Hogward, wow.”  he walks to the door, shoulders slouching that it makes Crystal giggle.

“It won't be that bad.”
“All dads aren't like yours Crystal.”  he answers back. Crystal might have taken it in a funny way if it wasn't for the look in his eye as he bangs the door close.

Zayn walks to the room across the floor where he helped his parents settle dreading to enter it. He walked out before coming here, grabbing the newspaper from the porch and greeting Crystal's parents in the living room. Maybe his father just wanted the newspaper?

He knocks on the door slowly and gets a small 'come in' as an answer. Taking a deep breath he opens the door slowly.
“Dad, you wanted to meet me?”
Yaser turns a little and nods making Zayn hesitantly enter the room, standing still for him to say something.

“What's going on?”
“What?”  he asks, confused to the brim. Yaser turns to him, eyeing him up and down. “How's life with her is what I'm asking.”

Zayn swallows the lump that forms in his throat suddenly. “Is there no newspaper here?”  he throws the newspaper on the bed catching Yaser's eye. Picking it up slowly, he raises his brow in anticipation, obviously waiting for the answer while Zayn stands answer less.

“I. . . don't know?”
“You don't know?”  Yaser repeats Zayn, rolling his eyes. “I'm sure you must've disappointed her till now. I'd be shocked if you haven't.” he says, raising his brow at Zayn, challenging him.

“Excuse me?”  he replies, trying to hold himself. “You do realise this isn't you talking but you demoralising me?”
“Yeah? Well,”  he shrugs. “I'll be shocked if you manage to keep a woman like her happy, considering all you do is move from woman to woman every now and then.” 

Zayn rages in anger as he eyes Yaser angrily. “How'd you manage to get the bakery?”
Zayn shrugs. “Not like you're interested in any part of my life.”

“Maybe if my son would be faithful, hardworking and rule obedient child,”  he glances at Zayn for a short second, then continuing to read the paper. “I might.”

“I am hardworking, alright? I stay up late at night to work so that I can earn for myself because my father has strictly told me he'll give me no help. Even when I was completely bankrupt he was out there somewhere watching television!” he rants. Yaser stares at his newspaper giving Zayn absolutely no attention.

“Asked him to buy me a suit I liked, asked him some money for my internship with my dream—”

“Zayn,”  Yaser stops him. “You're my son, not a liability.” coughing a little he turns the sheet. “The day you decided to go against my word, you lost a part of me. I had dreams for you but where'd you go? That nuthack of a place. What do you do there anyway? Sell crayons?”

Zayn glares at Yaser, the face in front of him was indistinguishable due to the gleaming anger and pride his father portrayed. Sighing, he passes him a look, that's the least he can do to show the pain he feels. “I was promoted to the board of directors, you didn't even wish me.”  he mumbles.

Yaser looks up, staring at his son who eyed him strongly. “You do realise you're as intimidating as a butterfly, son? Stop eyeing me.”  sighing Zayn turns because he's had enough of this. “Where are you going, you do realise that's disrespectful.”

“Funny how you're talking about disrespecting someone.”  Zayn shoots back. “You don't give a fúck about anyone, dad.”  Yaser stands up aggressively, the newspaper falling on the ground.
“You might want to talk nicely, young man. I don't adorn this language.”

Zayn smirks at him. “Really sorry, but I'm not a rule obedient, hardworking child. I'm very rebellious as of now, dad.”  Yaser glares at Zayn, shaking his head. “This is what I nourished you for? Groomed you into a man for this? So that you go to highschool, colleges and then months later come running back screaming and sobbing that you're bankrupt and on the roads?”   he yells at Zayn, obviously pissed. “Stupid boy.”

“Everyone needs time, father. To reach their goals. What will you say now? I am stable,”  he argues back. “I put in all my expenses for the bakery, paid all my loans have a house of my own, earning average salary. Not like you helped me then, now or will ever anyway.”

“This industry you're working in, it's a disaster. It súcks the life out of you. It will hurt you, torment you to the line where they'll extract everything they needed and then walk all over you. Can you handle that? You can't, Zayn.”  Yaser shoots back. “I wanted my son to continue my small business, make it huge and take it to heights but. . .”  he shrugs, sitting down again.
“You're just another useless part of my life. Do whatever you want, Zayn. If that's how you want to live, do it.”  he glares from under his lashes.

“But don't expect me to be a part of it all, not now, not ever.” he whispers in a scarily low voice that Zayn feels a lump form in his throat. “Get out.”

Zayn turns around walking to the door but stops to say something he's always wanted to tell his father. “Dad?”  Yaser looks up from the paper, frowning. “I might not be a good businessman like you expected me to be, but I'll definitely try to be a better father like I expected you to be.”

“Honey, what are your plans for Christmas today?”  Trisha asks, making Crystal look up at her and shrug hesitantly. She continues eating the cereal Zayn forced to buy because apparently it's the only food item he couldn't burn.

“Nothing as such.”
“We had Yaser and Sebastian book a table at this restaurant for you and Zayn, you guys could spend some quality time together, since we disturbed your dinner yesterday.”

“We even booked a hotel for you guys, if you want to roam around and then crash there.”  Cecile adds, making Trisha giggle. Crystal looks up from her cereals not understanding why her parents were so head strong about them spending all the time together. Then her eyes fall on her ring and she stuffs another spoon in her mouth, quietly.

“Zayn's busy today.”  she mumbles back. Trisha eyes her son walking down the stairs, his face frowning in anger.
“Zayn, sweetie?”  Zayn enters the living room and glances at them, trying to muster a smile. “Yeah?”
“You're busy today?”

“No it's Christmas, I've an off.”  Crystal closes her eyes in annoyance as she turns back glaring at Zayn. When his eyes meet hers he almost backs away due to the intensity of anger they portrayed. “I- I mean I am, yeah.”
“In what?”  Cecile asks.

“That I've to figure out.”  he mumbles under his breath. “Louder sweetie?”
“Nothing Cecile, I-I'm free.”

She smiles. “You guys should sit with us, we wanted to discuss about the wedding destinations we've seen so far!”

“We even selected a draft for the wedding card!”  she adds, excitedly.
“Dresses and tuxedos too!” Trisha continues. Crystal tries to stop the torture their parents were putting them through by placing her hands on her ears because this was plain awkward. She glances at Zayn briefly, who stares at their mums with a forced smile, his brows furrowed together.

“Zayn?”  she asks, catching his attention. “Can I get a minute?”  he nods slowly, walking to the kitchen, right behind her. “Uh yeah?”

“We need to tell them.”
Zayn eyes her fearfully. “Do you look at everyone like that?”
“W-what?”  she'll probably understand human geography someday but it'll probably always stay beyond her as to why Zayn says the most random shít that crosses his head when there's a serious situation.

“You give off the impression like you'd kill everyone you look at.”
“Zayn, can we like not go off topic?”  she whisper asks. “You go and tell them, I'm not stopping you.”

“Me? Why me? Why me alone? You need to be with me, we'll do it together.”  she argues trying to make eye contact with Zayn as he searches something in the fridge.

“I don't know.”
“Fine, I'm going and telling them, but when they come screaming at you don't blame me.”  she notices him shrug his shoulders, annoying her even more. Taking a deep breath she exits to see Sebastian and Yaser on the table too as they go over the drafts of the wedding cards on the phone.

She hadn't seen her parents so happy since decades. They turn when Sebastian notices her standing there. “Sweetie, want something?”  he asks, a wide smile spread across his face.

“Uh- yeah. . . Tea anyone?”  everyone nods at her. “Get it fast and call Zayn too. We'll show you the wedding destinations.”  Cecile declares excitedly. Passing her a forced smile she goes back to the kitchen holding the counter and staring at the surface, her hair cascading all around her head.

“Couldn't do it? Now you get me?”  Zayn taunts, biting on the apple he found lying in the kitchen. “I couldn't do it because I've never seen them this happy but you–”  she turns to glare at him. “You're not doing this because you're a selfish man.”

Zayn stares at her, a pang of hurt crossing his heart. “You think I'm that pathetic?”
Crystal almost laughs at that. “You're asking me how pathetic you are? I should be the last person you ask that,”   she glares at him venomously “Zeezu.”  she whispers the name with such hatred that Zayn loses it.

“Didn't you go out with Matt behind my back, talked to him on calls when I wasn't home? That also counts as something Crystal and you're calling me selfish?”  he laughs dryly. “I'm at a stage where I don't give a dámn about anything, Crys. I've nothing to lose. You want me to tell them?”  Zayn tilts his head slowly, challenging her. “I will. I will set you free from me. If that's what you're dying for.”

Giving a last glance he exits the kitchen and stands in the living room, by the time Doniya and Jack eat breakfast on the dining table, their mother, now, sitting on the sofas and their fathers present too.

Okay. . . this isn't as easy as it seems.

Crystal stares at Zayn's back as he stands in the middle of the room aimlessly. He turns to give her a last glance as if it's a last goodbye before his statement of death sentence and turns.  “I cheated on Crystal.”  Zayn states, the room turning silent as they turn to stare at him. They maintain their smiles as they stare at Zayn whilst Crystal almost chokes.

who just throws a bomb like that?

“What, sweetie?”  Cecile asks, doubtfully. “I-I cheated on her that's why she doesn't want to stay with me and we're not together anymore.”  the smile completely falters as the room turns pin drop silent. Jack slurps on his cereal spitting it back in the bowl while Doniya stares in her phone, her eyes wide. Cecile stands up from the sofa making Trisha stand too as she walks a little closer to Zayn.

“You aren't together?”  she asks, slowly. Crystal exits the kitchen and the eyes turn to her. “No we're n-not.”  Zayn stutters, scared shítless to make eye contact with Cecile. “How long?” she whisper asks, her voice so scarily low that Crystal almost feels like crying.

“Three days?”  Cecile stares at Zayn and then her eyes turn to Crystal. “Is this a joke for you both? Leading us on like this? The concept of marriage is a joke?”  she whispers again.
“Do you realise how happy we were? We were discussing stuff and you played us like this? LIED TO US?”

“Cecile, calm down.”
“No sebastian! These kids are taking this as a joke! We're trying so hard to work with you guys. Why don't you understand at this age whoever you meet is fake, they don't care about your feelings! Why do you guys want to give away something so good!” she yells, making Zayn take a deep breath.

Yaser walks a little closer standing right in front of him. “Zayn?”  he doesn't look up, finding it was difficult than he estimated in his brain.
“You cheated on a woman?”
“I—”

“He's not alone in this, it's the both of us!”  Crystal jumps in, making Zayn look up at her confusedly. “I was also getting a little interested in another guy and we both did things we shouldn't have—”

“SHUT UP!”  Cecile yells, making them stop and look down. “We're your parents, we aren't kids. Is this a movie? That you'll lie your way through this nonsense? Do you realise how pathetic this is?” she yells, pushing her hair back.

“We've searched wedding destinations, tuxedos, clothes, florist and everything! Got a draft wedding card, decided a date! We're not kids, Jesus.”  Cecile yells, falling on the sofa and holding her forehead. Trisha sits beside her trying to soothe her but her eyes meets Zayn's.

“If you were getting interested in someone and you as well,” Trisha whispers standing up and walking to them, “you could've just told us. Why'd you play with our feelings like that?”
“Mum I—”
“No, Zayn. I'm with your father on this. We didn't raise you like this. Who was the girl?”  Zayn sighs, looking outside the window door, the outside world looking way more attractive than the present surroundings.

Can he like drown in the cereal and milk Jack had spit, right now he won't mind the sailva too if he could find escapism.

“Lara.”  he whispers, making Trisha cringe. “That girl you were so into?” she shakes her head, her hand flying to cover her mouth. “No.”
“What did you do?”  Yaser asks.
“She–she kissed me and I couldn't stop myself.”

“You're pathetic, Zayn Malik.”  Yaser spits, coming closer but Crystal sneaks in, her eyes down.
“We're sorry.”
“You, Crystal?”  Trisha asks slowly and dreadfully. She sighs as well. “It's Matt.”
“That guy who was at our place.” she whispers. “I met him a lot of times behind Zayn's back. He used to stop by the bakery and sometimes we went out.”

“Isn't–Isn't that guy from your highschool? I-I remember now.”  Sebastian whispers, making her blood run cold. “Dad I—”
“Stop.”  he spits. She notices Cecile sniffing slowly and her heart breaks into shreds. Trisha sits on the dining seat slowly holds her temple.

Jack stares at the scene speechlessly, his cereal cold now, just like Doniya as they watched their siblings being thrashed to literal shreds. Now that Zayn and Crystal hear shít it actually sounded so dumb to them.

“You both,”  Sebastian walks closer and glares right in their eyes. “You both are the dumbest kids I've ever seen.”
“It takes some different, surreal level of blindness to be so dumb and not see what you have.” 

“I think it's enough Sebastian.”  Yaser replies in a pisséd tone. “Let's get over with this.”  nodding Sebastian stares at them. “I give you both the time till new years to get your shít together and let me know. If you don't want to settle, I'm taking my daughter with me Zayn. If you do, we'll let you both know the wedding date and no questions asked.”  he announces, dominatingly.

“And once it's decided, don't expect I'll let you both meet for a very long time. You didn't do good playing with your mothers' emotions like that,”  he declares again. “Get lost.”  sighing, Zayn rushes upstairs, Crystal running right behind him.

He opens the door entering his room and standing right in the middle contemplating what just happened. “Was that supposed to happen?”  Crystal asks, her tone giving out how irritated she feels.

“Well let's say that's not how I planned it but it turned a little better than that so leave it, let it play out.”  he answers, sitting on the bed corner.

“Let it play out? Why does something tell me you had nothing planned out in the first place.”  she accuses him, making him turn and raise his brow at her. “Well. . . maybe I didn't have?”

“Zayn, how can you be so dumb? why do you want to purposely thrash your life for the bad?!”

Zayn glares at her as he stands up. “What's you problem? That's what you wanted?!”
“Zayn, there's a way of putting things out there? You literally went out there with a decision that you want to ruin your life. If you won't try to make it better don't expect others to do shít.”

“Somehow you don't even have to open your mouth to make my head hurt.”  he complains, standing up and walking to stand right in front of her.

“What? You think I enjoy this? This infatuation of mine? This horrible need to always know whether you're okay or not?” she yells, pushing him hard that he stumbles a little.

“To realise you can hurt me in ways no one in the past thousand years has been able to?”  she pushes him again but this time he holds her hands pushing her behind as her back slams the wall and he corners her into the wall holding her hands while she tries to wiggle out from his grasp. Crystal looks up at him as his breaths hit her face slowly, she stares at his face scrunched in a frown.

“Well stop it then, if caring for me is such a nuisance to you, stop it? It's doesn't do much for either of us.”  he rants, making Crystal frown as she tries wiggling out from the trap but helplessly stares up.

“I CAN'T!”  she yells, giving a hard push that he stumbles back and she wiggles out. “That's what kills me. The audacity that you're asking me that just shows how ignorant you are about the power you hold on me.”  she breathes slowly. 

He sighs. “We barely have four days, Crys.”  he whispers. “Then we've no idea what will happen.”
“That doesn't change the fact that what we had is ruined and the partial reason is our parents.”  she whispers back.

They stare at each other, thoughts racing their mind because when did they reach here? So close yet so far. Zayn's phone starts ringing, making him roll his eyes.  “I might break this piece of shít someday.”  he mumbles under his breath. The caller ID shows Lara and he sighs.

Crystal stares at him intently. “Yeah Lara?”  a frown never leaves his face. “Woah, speak slower Usain Bolt.”  he sarcastically remarks.

He licks his lower lip slowly and then the frown deepens. His grip on the phone loosens a little and he looks almost pale, as if he saw a demon. “WHAT THE HÉLL DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?”  Crystal stares at him almost too scared to say a word when she notices the vein popping in his neck.

“LARA HOW COULD YOU?”  he yells. “HOLD ON I'M COMING.” he hangs up and rushes to his wardrobe, changing into a better pair of sweats. “What's wrong, Zayn?”  Crystal almost gets scared when Zayn literally changes in front of her, bouncing around to fit in his foot.

“Zayn?”
“Nothing, Crys. I'm just the living emboidment of it could be worse.”  he grabs his phone from bed and rushes to the door.
“Zayn, what's wrong?”

He rushes down the stairs making Crystal grab two beanies for the both of them and his jacket as she slips hers fast, rushing behind him. She hears her parents screaming behind asking where they are headed to but paying no aid she rushes out slamming the door and literally running to Zayn's car, almost slipping in, in time.

“The héll, Crys?”
“What? I told you we're a team no matter how much I hate your guts right now.”  Zayn stares at her momentarily. “I don't want to involve you in my shít when I know you're leaving me soon.”

“We don't know that yet Zayn. Wear your jacket and tell me what's wrong.”

“First promise you won't leave me.”  Crystal stares at him momentarily, she's accepted that they can't be but she's also accepted that Zayn's going to be that one person she carries with her for the rest of her life, the one who is always going to make her heart jump a little and her stomach tie up in knots. No matter how happy she is otherwise.

She understands her feelings now. The boy she loves and will never stop loving. He was her bestfriend and will always be. Even if these weird feelings and strings were attached somehow. Maybe that's how it will always stay. She might not win him as something more but the love she has him as her bestfriend is eternal. She'll work to end these feelings too.

Right now as Zayn stares back at her, one hand clutching the steering while the other one cracking knuckles, what he always does when he's nervous as she's observed, she takes his advice and concludes, she might not ever have him. Her feelings might be slightly one sided, or. . . fully.

He wants a friend, a shoulder to lean on. But she wants more, and he can’t see that. It's scary how he captivated her heart so easily, yet she couldn't find a way to grab his attention.

“I promise.”

______

hello, im alive. I survived my exams and im in my last year of highschool and im not okay? The héll when did i go from drawing w crayons to studying psychology and weird theories.

Wow.

Anyway, thoughts on the 6500+ words chapter? What do you think will happen now?

Any ideas you'll like me to put in? Date ideas or something you want Crys, Zayn to do since there are only four days left. ;)))))   DROP THEM HERE INLINE.

CHARACTER QUESTIONS? inline here x

Last chap character questions-
MATT: 
1. what's your problem
What's with y'all, i literally did nothing, if y'all can be stuck in a almirah for half an hour be my guest.

CLAIRE:
1. hey sweetie, just wanted to tell you to look at yourself in the mirror, thank u next.
Just did, better than zyaan xoxo

Please share my book if possible, I'd love if your friends will enjoy my book x

See you next update hoes, love you xoxo