"Are you serious?" Niall asked when Zayn finished telling him what happened with Harry yesterday.

Zayn nodded, moving his messy hair out of his eyes.

He hadn't even bothered to get out of bed after he called Niall to come over.

He hadn't eaten anything either.

He was too upset.

Too busy hating himself for just leaving Harry like he did.

"That's so fucked up, Zayn." Niall frowned.

"I know. I feel awful. I should've said something, I shouldn't have just left." He replied, feeling numb and trying not to cry anymore.

Zayn hadn't touched his phone since yesterday.

He couldn't bring himself to speak to Harry after that.

"No, I'm talking about what he did!" Niall said.

Zayn looked at him. "What?"

"He was pressuring you into having sex, Zayn. Couldn't you tell?" Niall asked.

Zayn blinked, his whole world being rocked a bit.

He thought for a moment.

"No. I couldn't tell because I'm crazy about him." Zayn said weakly, feeling confused now.

"If you really care about someone you don't pressure them like that." Niall said.

"You also don't run out on them." Zayn mumbled sadly.

"Hey, look at me." Niall said, touching Zayn's arm.

"Sure, leaving without an explanation wasn't the best move, but I'd say Harry's more to blame with this one. Your problem is something you can't help. It's deep. It's emotional. His is just about sex. He's just horny." Niall said.

"Did he ever ask you what was wrong or did he just straight up pressure you?"

"Both. I kept avoiding the answer and he got angry." Zayn said.

"Why didn't you just tell him?" Niall asked quietly.

"It's not easy to tell." Zayn said, his voice cracking.

"You told me." Niall pointed out.

I lied to you, Zayn thought.

"Yeah."

"So just tell Harry." Niall shrugged. "If you want to. Personally I'd wait for him to apologize."

"What?" Zayn asked, having just zoned out.

"He tried to pressure you into having sex. That's not okay." Niall frowned.

"Oh." Was all Zayn could say, back to thinking about that again.

Why would Harry do that?

Especially after all that he'd been through?

"In fact, if I were you I'd...maybe take a little break." Niall pressed.

"What do you mean?" Zayn asked.

"From him. Maybe just...take a break for a while."

"Like a few days?"

"Sure." Niall shrugged.

"What about school? I have three classes with him and we eat lunch together. I can't just avoid him." Zayn said.

"You could at least skip tomorrow." Niall suggested.

"Maybe that would send a message."

"Yeah, and it would tell Harry my boyfriend doesn't want to see me anymore. I don't want to send that message." Zayn said.

"Well...maybe it won't. Maybe it'll make him realize what he did was wrong." Niall said.

"Yeah but I don't want to take that risk. I can't lose him." Zayn said, biting his lip.

"Zayn please, it's one day. You won't lose him. I know he's too crazy about you for that. Tell you what, we'll skip together okay? We can...drive around and maybe get lunch? Go to the park? Anytning you want." Niall said.

Zayn gave him a curious look.

"I just want to cheer you up." Niall said, hating to see Zayn this way.

He didn't think he'd ever have to see him this way again with how happy Harry made him.

But apparently he was wrong.

"What d'you say?" Niall asked.

Zayn licked his lips, coming to a nod.

"O-Okay, yeah."

×

×

×

"You look miserable." Zack commented as he sat down across from Harry at the lunch table.

"Forgive me for not getting myself all dolled up." Harry said bitterly.

"What's going on? Is Zayn okay? He wasn't in class today and wasn't answering my messages." Zack said.

"Yeah, join the club." Harry muttered.

Zack paused. "Did you two have a fight?"

"Kind of." Harry said, checking his phone.

He'd been checking it constantly, hoping it was Zayn replying to the ten messages he sent, or maybe calling him back after he called four times.

"Do you need to talk about it?" Zack asked.

"What's there to talk about? I don't know what to say other than I don't know what the fuck is going on because he won't fucking answer me." Harry said sharply.

He was having so many mixed emotions.

He was worried he'd done something wrong, sad because he figured he had actually done something wrong, and angry because Zayn was ignoring him.

The least Zayn could do was read his messages.

Maybe send back a period.

Anything.

But he wouldn't, and it was tearing Harry apart.

Zack sighed. "I'm sorry. I-I mean do you....when did he stop replying? What happened?"

"We were just making out and then he suddenly got up and left. We had an argument earlier and we were kind of making up but..." Harry trailed off with a shrug.

"Oh."

"Yeah. The rest is personal, I just...can't talk about it. But what should I do? I mean I bet if I left school right now and went to his house he wouldn't answer the door." Harry said hopelessly.

"Wait a minute, I don't understand who is in the wrong here. Are you trying to get in touch with him so you can apologize or are you mad because he won't answer you and apologize?" Zack asked.

"He owes me an explanation. That's why I'm mad and trying to get in touch with him. Plus I miss him and I'm scared I did something wrong and he doesn't want me anymore." Harry said without meaning to, a wave of emotion crashing into him.

His throat felt tight, and he swallowed hard to keep from crying.

"Harry," Zack said quietly, giving him a sympathetic look.

"Don't think the worst, okay? I mean...obviously he's just dealing with some shit right now."

"But I'm his boyfriend! Why can't he tell me what it is and we work through it together?" Harry asked, wiping his eyes before any tears could fall.

"Now that, I don't know. People are...mysteries." Zack said.

"I went through kinda the same thing with my ex." He added.

"You did?" Harry sniffed.

He nodded. "Yeah. After she broke up with me she chopped all her hair off. So now you're the only one I know with hair like that." Zack said sadly.

Harry frowned. "Wait, you and your current girlfriend broke up?"

"Yeah." Zack said.

"When?"

"Um, a few weeks ago." Zack figured.

Harry was shocked. "Why didn't you say anything? You used to talk about her so often."

"Yeah. It's embarrassing. Why would I tell you that someone I once praised daily grinded my heart into tiny pieces? Might as well write I'm an idiot on my forehead with permanent marker, you know?" He asked with a forced chuckle.

"I'm sorry." Harry said, feeling kind of stupid for not noticing.

Zack shrugged. "I find life much easier to live when you don't have a heart. Ironic, isn't it?"

"A little." Harry said, cracking a smile for the first time all day.

"Hey, is Niall not coming?" Zack frowned, looking around.

"Guess not." Harry said, looking over where Niall usually sat.

"I wonder if he and Zayn decided to skip together." Zack chuckled before thinking.

He didn't mean to bring Zayn up again.

"Sorry." He said when he saw Harry's expression.

"Do you think they're together right now?" Harry asked.

"Oh." Zack said, realizing he'd misinterpreted Harry's expression.

"Um I don't know, maybe. Niall could be talking him out of whatever he's in."

"So he can talk to Niall but not me?" Harry asked bitterly.

"Well sometimes you just need to vent to a friend, you know?" Zack shrugged, trying to lighten the mood.

"He didn't have to skip school with him just to vent." Harry muttered.

Zack opened his mouth to say more, but gave up, checking his phone when it vibrated.

I'm just taking a day off, not feeling well. Thanks

"Don't tell me he texted you." Harry said, staring at Zack now with dark, angry eyes.

"No. T-That was my dad." Zack lied, putting his phone away.

"He's coming back tomorrow from a business trip." He said, that part being true.

"I understand now why you wanted to live on your own. I've really been enjoying myself this weekend." Zack chuckled.

Harry sighed heavily, pushing his curls away from his face.

"I need to get out of here." He decided.

He was sick of trying not to cry during every class and having his fake friends constantly ask him what was wrong.

"You're leaving?" Zack asked, watching him get up.

"Yeah." Harry said, walking away.

Zack bit his lip, hesitating before he got up and hurried after him.

"Can I come too?" He asked when he caught up.

"Sure. Want me to take you home?" Harry asked.

"If you want. If you need to talk some more that's cool too, I'll be your company." Zack said.

Harry didn't say anytning.

He wasn't sure that he wanted company.

Of course, Zayn had Niall's company.

He deserved company too.

"I have a bunch of comfort food at my place. Plus an Xbox that brings me a lot of comfort. If...video games are your thing."

Harry smiled a little because of his rambling.

"Food is my thing. I'd love to come over."

×××××××××××

A/N: Man 😂 y'all don't even know....

.....but you will.

Stay tuned.

-Z