Vulnerable (Zayn Malik AU)

Chapter 25

My weekend was spent in tears. They weren't constant, but there was enough to dry me out.

By the time Monday came, I was numb. My dad tried to talk me into doing something on his night off, but I wasn't in the mood. All I could stand doing was watching old romance movies or laying in bed. The ladder seemed to be more suitable.

I hadn't seen or heard from Zayn since Friday night. After awhile I stopped expecting him to show up or call. The only thing that kept me sane was imagining him bursting through the door ready to confess and tell me everything. I was waiting for it, but it never came.

Monday morning dragged on. I had to get up early so that I could walk, assuming Zayn wouldn't be there for me. I was too tired for makeup, and I didn't take my hair down. I even had half a mind to just go in my pajamas. Most people did that on Mondays anyway.

I took my time walking to school. I should've just stayed home, because there's no point in being there physically if you're not there mentally.

As I passed through the student parking lot, I realized I didn't pack a lunch or breakfast. I stopped for a minute and groaned at my lack of thought, but decided it didn't matter. I wasn't hungry.

I checked my phone for the time and realized there was only a couple minutes until the bell. I should've known from the full parking lot, but that bit of information went unnoticed by me. I spotted Lilly in her truck, and my feet went where my mind couldn't. Within seconds I was knocking on her window.

"C'mon, Lil. Talk to me." I reasoned with her when all I got was an annoyed stare.

"What." She barked as she opened the door.

"I hate having you mad at me." She crossed her arms. "We've been bestfriends forever!" She rolled her eyes. "Lillian Marie Cottle!"

"Don't."

"Everything we've been through and you're just gonna throw it away for a guy." I almost choked.

"Yup." Something changed in her eyes, almost a happy gleam taking them over. "At least my man is faithful." She smirked and closed her truck, locking it up.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" She ignored me. It was like that nightmare I had all over again. "LILLY. What the fuck does that mean?!" I pushed her against the truck.

"Damn, Daisy. You really have changed." Her eyes were shocked.

"Explain."

"I will. Let's go." We began to walk to class. "I'm just saying I was a bit surprised at first when I didn't see you at the party."

"Party? At Christians? I thought it was just a small get together."

"Oh, no it was. And everyone had someone to hang with but Zayn." I felt a little bad, but I wasn't the only one at fault in the situation. "That's ok though. He occupied himself with Julia." I could tell she was trying to get a rise out of me, but I wasn't going to allow it.

"You're right. I have changed. But, I like to think its for the better." I turned around and ignored her shouts. I didn't want to go to class, and coming to school at all was a mistake.



•••••



I wasted the day in bed. After hearing what Lilly said, I walked home. I didn't want to torture myself by sitting in six classes completely miserable. I barely even took off my bra and jeans before plopping onto my bed and rolling myself into a burrito.

Around noon my dad woke up and came downstairs. I hoped he wouldn't notice I was home, but in all honesty I needed to ask him to call in for me anyway.

The first thing he did when he came down was check my room, and I wondered if he always did that. I asked why he was up so early, and he said he usually woke up at eleven on his days off. Being that he never came downstairs I didn't know that little tidbit.

After I promised I was ok and didn't need anything, my dad let me be. I heard him give the school a call to clear my absence, and from there I slipped into what one could only call a wanna-be-nap.

For hours I dozed in and out of sleep as I just stared at myself in my closet mirror. I almost didn't recognize the girl staring back at me. Lilly was right, I did change. The old me didn't cuss, or miss school, or get upset over boys. Yet there I was: sulking over a guy instead of sitting through classes. The stubborn side of me wanted to say I changed for the better, but my reflection told me I was wrong.

I checked my phone every-so-often, only to be disappointed. Each time I saw the blank screen it was nothing more than another shot at my already fragile heart.

Dad came back in around three, asking if I was hungry. When I said no, he proceeded to ask about my eating habits. I hadn't eaten in almost two days, but what was the point? Why eat if you're not hungry?

I knew it was a problem that I couldn't stomach the idea of food, but that was just another thing that changed about me. I used to eat more than my father. We used to even have eating contests, and I would win, but those days were long gone.

At some point, I had drifted back to sleep, but awoke when I heard a knock on the door. I thought it was my bedroom door at first, but I looked up to find my door open. I checked my phone and the time read 5 o'clock.

As I unraveled my cocoon, dads feet sounded on the steps and he answered the door.

"Sup."

"Is Daisy here? Is she alright?" It was Zayn.

"She's been better. But you wouldn't know that." I mentally hugged my dad for standing up for me.

"Can I see her?"

"That's not up to me."

"Would you ask, please?" Zayn sounded almost as miserable and exhausted as I felt. After a moment I heard my dad sigh, and footsteps grew louder as he got closer to my room.

"Baby girl,-"

"I heard." My voice was quiet.

"Well?" I thought about it. After waiting for three days to hear from him, he'd finally showed up at the door, and I felt no relief. No weight was lifted off of my chest, if anything a heavier burden was put on. The idea of getting into another fight was something I didn't want to ponder, so I made my decision.

"I don't want to see him."

"Figured as much. Go back to sleep." I nodded and acted like I was situating myself of my bed until he shut my door. It was easier to hear them when it was open, so I had to be closer.

I tiptoed across my room and put my ear to the door, but could barely hear my dad. "She doesn't wanna see ya, dude. Tough luck." I cracked my door open to hear anything I could.

"I messed up." I imagined Zayn in that moment. His eyes full as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"How'd she get to school this morning? Did you drive her?"

"No. She didn't go." Wrong.

"Oh. That's good I guess. At least she didn't have to walk." If only you knew.

"You said you'd take care of my daughter, bro." My fathers tone was serious.

"I am, sir. I mean, I was...I'm..I'm trying. We got into a silly fight, and I'm going to fix it. I will. I have to."

"Whatever. You're rambling. Just fix it. Remember what I told you." What? What'd you tell him?

"Yeah, yeah. Goodnight."

"Later."

The front door shut and I cowered behind my still cracked door. I wanted to talk to my dad, but I didn't want him to know I was eavesdropping. I had to play innocent.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?" He was in the kitchen when I came out of my room.

"What'd you say?"

"That you didn't want to see him." He shrugged.

"What'd he say?"

"He said bye and left. You hungry?" He asked as he searched the fridge.

"No. I'm gonna take a shower, actually."

"Alright, sweetie. Don't drown yourself or I'll kill you."