PRIDE » Zarry ✅

21: Looking For a Reason

I was holding a glass of champagne in my hands. It was barely lunch time and my campaign had launched thirty minutes ago. My father was so excited about my first ever campaign with the company that he threw an office celebration. He even asked my mother to come.

So there I was with my untouched celebratory drink, thinking about how I even got to that moment. So many people were there. Many who didn't have anything to do with the campaign but were happy to join in and celebrate my success with it. They all looked so happy for me. More than I was even happy for myself.

I felt like I didn't deserve to have so much of the credit given to me. It should have been going to Zayn because without him, I would not have been as successful.

"Hey, son. You haven't touched your champagne."

"I know. Too early for it."

He smiled at me.

"I'm proud of the work you did. You really impressed me. I'm pretty sure those Christmas sales are going to skyrocket because of it."

"Yeah. But I couldn't have done it on my own. Zayn was a really big help. It's a shame he's missing all this."

My father sipped from his glass.

"And you see, that is why you can't trust them."

"What?"

"People like him, you can't trust them. They may be great at their job. But the world has made them feel comfortable enough that they think they can just do anything and screw over anyone without consequence, just like he did you. It's happens all the time. But if I say anything about it, I'll be called a homophobe."

You already are.

"I don't think that's what Zayn was doing." I said.

"And what makes you think that?"

"He's not that kind of person."

He chuckled.

"Harry, just because you worked with him on your campaign while learning about some figures, that doesn't mean you know him. I've been his boss for two years. That beats the five months you've worked with him."

Maybe it did. Professional wise. But it didn't beat the many times I'd slept with him, kissed him and talked to him about personal things. I knew Zayn better than anyone here.

"I still don't believe he's like that. I never got those vibes."

"Well I did. I always knew he'd screw me over some day. I just thought it'd be by forcing me to have to fire him for making an inappropriate pass at someone."

I paused for a moment.

"And why's that? Because he's gay?"

"Not just gay. The man is... out there. At least now he can go be out somewhere where their target audience isn't supposed to be real manly men. What the hell did I look like employing a sissy anyway? Your mother... I swear she doesn't think sometimes."

As he was drinking from his glass, my mother came over. She looked right at me.

"What's the matter, sweetheart? You look upset."

"That's because we were talking about the accountant who quit." My father said, clearly avoiding using his name.

"Oh."

She reached forward and put a hand on my shoulder.

"I am so sorry, Harry. I feel so bad. I still can't believe he quit on you in the middle of your first campaign without warning. And then to ignore all three of our calls too? I did not expect him to be so unprofessional."