CHAPTER 30:

"Am I asleep, am I awake or somewhere in between? I can't believe that you are here and lying next to me." ~Truly Madly Deeply, One Direction.

Friday, 1st November, 2013

ZAYN'S POV

It took me a full five seconds to realize where I was, as I was awoken by warm sunglight hitting my face. I shifted around the small bed and a smile instantly formed on my face when I felt a warm body pressed against my chest, small puffs of breaths fanning my collarbone.

I admired the adorable sleeping boy in my arms, the sunlight making his hair appear a shade of golden. I cuddled my boyfriend closer and he squirmed a little as his eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning babe," I greeted him and pecked his nose.

Before I could register what happened, I was being straddled by Harry, who leaned down and planted a short but firm kiss on my mouth and placed his hands on my bare chest.

"Mornin'," he replied huskily with a sleepy but sexy smirk.

"Now that's what I call a good morning," I murmured, getting a bit turned on but Harry thankfully got off my lap, lying back beside me.

"Oh crap! What time is it?!" Harry scrambled up and slapped his hands on the night stand, checking the time on his phone. I laughed. "Relax babe, we have a good hour till we've to be at school," I informed him, getting off the bed and gathering my tux and shoes from last night. "Speaking of which, I gotta go back to my place and get ready for school."

Harry springed off the bed and grabbed my upper arms. "Please don't go yet! You always leave so quick whenever you stay here! You can wear my clothes to school like that other time, and you can shower here and have breakfast and-" I pecked him on the lips to stop his babbling. Though he looked so cute and flustered when he did that.

"Alright love, I'll stay. You go grab me some clothes for me and I'll go shower real quick."

"Okay!" Harry grinned preciously and pecked me on the cheek, practically skipping to his closet. God, he is so damn adorable!

I took a quick shower and got out as fast as I could, before I could let my perverted thoughts of Harry in the shower take over my head.

I smiled as I saw the hipsta please t-shirt and cargo shorts laid on the bed, and changed into them while Harry showered.

I styled my hair and was ready the same time as Harry. He grabbed his book bag and we walked downstairs. Suddenly a furry thing wrapped around Harry's ankle and started meowing loudly.

"Oh, hi lovely!" Harry pried the furry cat off his leg and bundled her into his arms. "Let's get my Dusty some food, eh?" He cooed to Dusty and carried her to the kitchen, taking her food out of the cupboard and pouring it into the cat bowl.

"Don't you have to get your books?" Harry asked, gesturing to his book bag.

I shook my head. "Nah. I've all the ones I need in my locker at school."

Harry nodded, then grinned. "So, what's for breakfast?" I asked cheekily.

"Er..."

I grabbed Harry's arm and steered him to the front door. "Let's hit the Starbucks then, no buts."

"M'kay, I'll just go check on Mum first."

"Harry are you up?" Harry's Mum called out from her room, just as Harry was about to go inside.

"Yeah Mum!" Harry replied back from the threshold.

She walked out sleepily and Harry's stuttered when he saw her, grabbing her thin arms. "M-mum, what...?" She blinked in surprise at Harry's reaction, then smiled weakly when she saw me. "Oh, hey there Zayn."

"Hi, Mrs. Cox." Harry had warned me to never call her Mrs. Styles. Ever. I've only seen Harry's mum one other time out of the many times I'd been at Harry's. She was mostly busy or asleep.

"Are you staying for breakfast?" She asked with a smile then coughed, making me wince. She continued to cough painfully and Harry let go of her, quickly passing her a glass of water, looking like he might cry. I then noticed how weak Mrs. Cox looked, which must have startled Harry before.

She looked noticeably thinner since the last time I saw her, which was almost a week ago.

I wrapped a comforting arm around Harry's shoulder and felt him lean against me. He had told me how his mother was addicted to all the wrong things, ever since his father had left and she had lost control of her life and her health ever since.

Now Harry had to manage everything, everything except the money, 'cos his father helped him there, even if Harry still refused to accept it. But Harry had no choice but to swallow his pride and accept his help.

I used to think that my life was tough, but Harry had it way worse than me. But I will always be here to help him through it.

I squeezed Harry's shoulder and let go, shooting Mrs. Cox a comforting smile and getting out the door, unlocking my car and waiting for Harry.

He got in after a while and burst in tears soon after. My heart clenched painfully and I felt my eyes sting as I felt Harry sobbing against my chest. "Hey babe, it's okay. Shh Haz," I soothed, carding my fingers through his curls.

"Wh-why can't she see, she's all I've left, why can't- she doesn't get better- even more sick, she doesn't care anymore- and I can't afford rehab for her and-"

I felt warm tears slip down my cheeks and hugged a hiccuping Harry tighter, kissing the top of his head. "It'll get better Harry, just you wait. You'll get out of high school, you'll find an awesome job 'cos you're so smart and then you can help your Mum. She'll get better, I promise, she loves you. She'll be better for you, I promise," I chanted again and again, hoping to soothe Harry and it eventually worked.

His sobs subsided, reducing to sniffles and he pulled back, looking at me with puffy eyes. "You're amazing," he croaked and I laughed, wiping his tears with the pads of my thumbs. "No, I'm just normal. You're the one who's amazing for taking care of your Mum like that, bearing eveything," I told him, my fists clenching as I remembered the day when his Mum's boyfriend had hit him.

"I guess we're late for school now?" Harry laughed shakily, wiping his nose.

I rolled my eyes. "Forget about it. Let's grab some breakfast first."

~*~

After we had grabbed some breakfast for the day, we reached school to find that we had only missed half of homeroom class and didn't get into trouble for it. So we quickly shuffled inside, sitting next to our friends.

Dani and Liam greeted us both and Niall waved.

"Where were you guys? Long night, I'm assuming?" Louis wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and I smacked him.

"We had to grab some breakfast," I told him, not wanting to tell him about Harry's breakdown. I didn't know if Harry wanted me to tell them all that or if he himself wanted to.

Louis shrugged. "Bummer. Me and Niall had an amazing night. We did-"

"YEAH, okay, I don't wanna know," I groaned, shoving Louis' face away.

After the teacher had marked Harry and I in the attendance as well 'cos we were late, the bell rung and we all walked to our next class. All of us had different classes for the first period, and Harry and I only had one class together, which really sucked.

"I'll see you at lunch?" I asked Harry, cupping his face. He nodded with a weak smile, then leaned into me.

I wrapped my arms around his lanky form, pulling him closer. He rested his chin on my head 'cos he was a good few inches taller than me. "I wish we had all the same classes," he murmured into my hair wistfully and I smiled sadly.

"Sorry babe, but Junior year's almost half gone. We'll be sure to have matching schedules next year."

I could easily ask for all my classes to be arranged as the same as Harry's, but I know that my parents will ask too many questions, so I didn't bother. And besides, I know Harry's studies are important to him and if I was with him in every one of his classes, me and him both wouldn't be able to concentrate.

The bell rung and I sighed and reluctantly let go of Harry, who still looked a bit down. "Hey love. Look at me. Your Mum's gonna be fine, okay? You already care for her as much as you can. Now promise me you won't worry?"

Harry nodded with a smile and pecked my lips. "For you. Promise." Then giving me a one last dimpled smile, he turned around and walked to his first class of the day.

~*~

HARRY'S POV

Lunch came around painfully slow, and I couldn't help but worry about my Mum. She looked so awfully sick today, even more than I've ever seen her. And it worried me. A lot. She won't ever agree to go to a doctor and it frustrated me.

"Hey," I felt a comforting arm on my back and turned around to see Zayn.

"You were just zoning out while standing here. You okay now?" I blinked, realizing I was standing at the cafeteria entrance like an idiot.

"Er, yeah, I'm fine. Let's go." I grabbed Zayn's hand and steered us to our table.

Bantering and chatting with my friends always helped lift my mood, and the fact that Zayn was with me now made it all the more better. Zayn never let go of my hand, 'cos he knew I needed it right now.

Unfortunately, lunch finally ended, and by that time, I had tears in my eyes form Louis' hilarious stories and his innuendos.

"Feeling better?" Zayn nudged me playfully and I nodded with a smile. We walked to History.

"I gotta go get my binder from my locker, be right back, okay?" I nodded at waited for him at the entrance.

"Move it fag!" A blonde guy bumped his shoulder roughly into mine which made me stagger back.

"Wha...?"

"Why were you standing in my way, eh?" He demanded, getting into my personal space. I wasn't standing in his way! He bumped into me on purpose!

"N-no, I-"

Even though it was nothing serious, a crowd had now gathered. "What did you just say faggot?"

Before I could blink, the guy was slammed into the locker with a fist hovering in front of his face, a fist that belonged to Zayn.

"What did you just call him, you fucktard?" Zayn growled, clutching his shirt tighter and I was suddenly reminded of the old Zayn. This is almost how he used to be before.

"Zayn, don't," I pleaded weakly and he snapped his head in my direction, suprise on his face.

Zayn sighed but let go of the guy, who sneered at Zayn, then at me. "That little shit is a fag-" And Zayn puched the guy square in the nose, then another time and then another.

"STOP! STOP IT ZAYN!" I shouted over the cheering of the students. Liam and Louis came along thank God, and pulled Zayn off the guy, restraining him. "Don't you ever call him that! He doesn't deserve to be called that!" Zayn was getting frantic and I patted his cheek to soothe him.

"I'm okay Zayn. Calm down, I'm okay." He just hugged me tight after the guys deemed it okay to let go of him. I pulled back and winced when I saw his lip was burst. "Don't ever do that, please."

"But that fucker was-"

"I could've handled it Zayn. Please." He sighed but nodded. "I'm just- you don't deserved to be called those things. Nobody does. Names hurt." His eyes darkened.

"I know," I whispered. "Now let's get you to the nurses' office, my brave hero," I joked, lightening the mood and thankfully, Zayn grinned back.

~*~

At the end of the day, Zayn didn't get into much trouble. He just got level 2 detention everyday for two weeks where as for punching a guy, you usually get suspended. And Ben, the guy who had teased me and got beat up by Zayn got the same punishment.

On the bright side, Zayn told me that now nobody would ever tease me, 'cos they were freaking terrified of him.

And it amazed me how Zayn was so protective of me, but it angered me a bit at the same time. I could handle myself as well, he needn't worry all the time.

But it felt nice when someone actually cared about you, and I have to appreciate that.

~*~

Oooh, drama! *o*

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**Next update after 50 votes, 12 comments and 235 reads!**

Please read my new Narry AU I just posted? "Tattoos and Flowers". It has a Flower!Harry and a Punk!Niall. :D

Oh, and thanks for the 17K reads and the 1.2K+ votes on le book so far. Ah-ma-zayn! <3

AND A VERY HAPPY EID TO ALL MY MUSLIM BUDDIES!

THOSE FASTS WENT BY IN A FLASH I SWEAR! :O

~bemycupcake xx