Vulnerable (Zayn Malik AU)

Chapter 16

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Daisys POV

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Naaaaants ingonyama bagithi Baba,
Sithi uhm ingonyama


I spun over, gliding my finger across my phone just as annoyed as always.

"Ugh." I groaned, falling back to my pillow.

I reached to my left, expecting my hand to fall upon warm, exposed skin, but was surprised by the feel of my mattress - and my mattress alone. I turned and looked at the empty spot, befuddled.

"Zayn?" I called as I stepped into the hallway. I checked the bathroom, but it was empty. Then I walked to the kitchen, yet again finding nothing. He left. "Well, ok then..." I mumbled.

I walked back to my room and got dressed in light jeans and my dads old Eagles tour shirt before putting on my makeup.

Being that I didn't have anyone on my back while I was getting ready I actually had time to put on mascara and some eyeliner. Once I was finished, I stood up and tied on my white Dr. Martens, then walked to the kitchen to retrieve a poptart.

As I threw away the empty box, there was a knock on the door.

"Morning." Zayn said and kissed my cheek.

"Um...morning?"

"Something wrong?" He asked as he shut the door and I walked back to my room.

"When did you leave? And why?"

"I woke up like an hour ago and couldn't sleep so I went home to change clothes and get the car. And you didn't set your alarm last night by the way. I plugged your phone in and set it for you when I left." I tried to recall setting it, but I couldn't. I fell asleep right after our kiss. The way he ran his fingers along my legs and stomach was so soothing, not to mention how tightly he held me in his arms. I've never felt more protected and safe in my sleep than with him there.

"Oh. Well thanks."

"Sure thing." He smiled. "What's on your eyes?"

"Makeup?" My eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

"Why?"

"Okay, can we not." I sighed.

"Whatever." He shrugged. "I just don't see the need, but if you're comfortable..."

"I am."

"Are you ready, then?" He bent over, grabbing my backpack and Econ book.

"Yeah, hold on." I trotted over to my nightstand and grabbed my phone, sliding it into my pocket, then grabbed my key from the dresser. "Let's go."

I reached for my bag, but he slid it over his shoulder shaking his head. We got outside and I locked the door, but as we walked closer to the car, I could no longer bare the cold that violently nipped at my arms.

"I forgot a jacket." I turned back to the house, but was stopped by a warm hand gripping my wrist.

"I have one in the car." I nodded and followed him to the black car I'd grown fond of. Once we were inside he made sure to put the heater on full blast before reaching back and grabbing me his sweatshirt. It was already a bit warm, considering he was in the car moments before. "Here." He smiled, handing me a black sweatshirt. It was thin, but it was enough. "You know, I'm running out of sweaters thanks to you." He laughed.

"You can have some of mine." I said as I pulled the black material over my head with ease, then took my hair down from its bun.

"Yours may be a bit small." He joked and I opened my pop tart as we drove the short five minutes to school. "Those aren't very good for you, Dais."

"They're all I can handle this early in the morning." I shrugged.

"Full of sugar."

"Sooooooo good." I exaggerated as I stuffed some more into my mouth.

"You're a pest." He shook his head and laughed.

I love those moments. The moments when we joked around with each other. Those were the moments when he shined the brightest. When his adorable little tongue pressed to his teeth and revealed my favorite smile. If I could live in a moment forever, the joking moments would be in the top ten choices.

As we pulled into the school parking lot, he reached back and grabbed my things. There was still a few minutes until the bell, but Zayn sacrificed his 'barely being on time' for my obsession to be early.

No matter how much I demanded he let me carry my own things, the only thing he allowed me to hold was my backpack. I told him he looked silly holding his messenger bag and my bag, so he settled on just carrying my book as well as his own.

Once we made it to class, the two of us took our rightful seats in the back of the room. I began to doodle in my planner while Zayn took the more secretive route of drawing in his portfolio.

"Sup, slut?" I looked up to see Lilly taking her seat.

"Don't talk to her like that." Zayn said.

"Down boy, no need to bark." I joked and stroked his arm. "Hey, Lil."

"Hey, stranger." She smiled. "Long time no see." I immediately felt guilty at her words.

"You wanna come over after school? I miss you."

"Sure I won't be interrupting anything?" She raised her eyebrows at Zayn, and I could feel him tense up.

"No, we don't have plans. Come over."

"Alright." She laughed. "Wanna just meet me at the truck after school?"

"Yeah sounds good." I smiled and turned to the front of the room, beginning to copy down the objectives.



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"So, I guess I'll just come over after the fly leaves then." Zayn said as he walked me to fourth period.

"Fly? What does that even mean?"

"She's a pest. Just like flies." He shrugged.

"She did nothing to you. Chill." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Have a nice class, babe." He leaned down, lightly putting his lips to mine and wrapping his arms around my waist. Public displays of affection are frowned upon in our school, so I didn't let the show go on for long.

"Bye." I laughed nervously, stumbling out of his arms and he opened the classroom door for me. "Hey." I said to my teacher.

"You're lucky I love you or I'd totally write you up for that steamy scene outside." She laughed and my cheeks immediately reddened.

"You saw that, huh." I laughed, nervously.

"We all did." I turned to see a scowling Franky.

"Hello to you too..."

"Yeah, whatever."

"K." I rolled my eyes. I was too exhausted with Franky. Everything about him tired me at this point. The last time I saw him he'd told me things about Zayn that nearly gave me a panic attack, but I'd put it all behind. I didn't want to hear about it anymore. The only reminder I still had was the faint purple marks along his eye.

"I can't believe you."

"Oh my god." I whined. "Why. What'd I do now." I'm so over this nonsense, I thought.

"After everything I told you, you're still with that psychopath?" He was angry, but his voice was still a whisper, trying to keep only my attention.

"It's really none of your business." I stayed calm as I got my project out of my locker below the table.

"It is when I have to watch you two make out every day."

"Oh, please. Don't be so dramatic." I refused to even look at him, focusing on smoothing out my coil pot.

"I tell you he hits me, threatens me, and you're just completely ok with that. He's not good for you, Daisy."

"You don't even know me. What is with all of the people in my life thinking they control who I get to spend my time with? You know who I admire? Ms. Fay. She's there when I need her. Know who else? Paul. He's always there to give me a nice smile, and doesn't seem to judge me." He wasn't really a significant person in my life, but Paul was sitting there, and had honestly done more for me than Franky. Franky only seemed to cause me problems. "And Zayn. He's there for me more than anyone right now, so I'm sorry if I'm not going to give that up just because some pot-head douchebag thinks I should." He began to interject when I put my hand up. "And you know who I care about the most?" His face was low, full of mixed emotions. "Myself. Because I'm the only person who knows what I've been through, knows what I need, and what I want. I know how to keep the two separate. I know how to handle my own life, and I don't need people like you to tell me what they think I should be doing, or who I should surround myself with."

"He doesn't love you."

"What?" I was knocked off of the ladder I had just barely reached the top of with my speech.

"Don't let him fool you."

"Ok, you're officially crazy." Nobody mentioned love, his comment was so out of the blue.

"You love him, don't you? Poor thing."

"I resent your tone." I snapped. "And for your information, I don't love him. I do like him, he's a great guy. But like I said that's none of your business."

"You're so-"

"ENOUGH." I think we were both shocked when our table partner spoke up. "If she likes the guy, let her fuckin' like him. It ain't your damn business, man."

"Thank you, Paul." Despite his chronic halitosis, his interjection was needed. I excused myself from the table and walked outside, grabbing the broom on my way.

I entered the kiln shed and began to sweep, trying to calm myself down. Who clears their head by sweeping? Just me. Weird, out of the ordinary me. I'm so over all of this drama. For once I have something good going for me, and some guy I barely know is trying to ruin it. The whole situation made my mind and body run empty with exhaustion.



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Before I knew it, class was over. I'd spent the whole period emptying the kilns and organizing people's projects on the shelves. Anything to avoid sitting at that table.