TAINTED | Zayn Malik

Chapter 55 | Appreciation

I woke up the next morning sound of waves crashing along the beach, harshly. It was amazing how we weren't directly near it, but could still hear the waves as if the villa was right on the sand. I pulled myself up slowly, looking around the empty room as the sun brightened it up. My head feeling quite heavy at the events just last night, playing in my head but all of it disappearing as I remembered how we ended it.

Any other person wouldn't have gotten why I was so upset yesterday, they would've judged me. Regardless if they did things just as bad, but no one really understood me. It was the reason I had an hard time connecting with people, and vice versa. They didn't realize why I was hurt, but Zayn got it. Even when it lead me to explaining, he instantly pushed the fight aside to comfort me. I never had someone that would just forget our troubles and be there for me, even when I didn't ask. The truth was - although it made me feel so much better, I wasn't expecting for Zayn to do that. I just needed him to listen, I needed the air to be clear on my part so it made sense. People always labeled me as crazy in the past, but never actually put themselves in my shoes. But he did and that's what made me want to give him something I never really gave anyone else, my heart.

You would call me cliché for thinking about this, but I haven't mentally connected with someone in so long. The way both of us just reached out to each other based on how our eyes met, we said so much without voicing it. I haven't felt that way ever and it was nerve-wracking, the amount of power and loyalty I was giving him. But I trusted him enough to not hurt me intentionally, because in the end you always get hurt. Even on accident when someone doesn't mean to, and I don't think I can expect him not to fúck up. That was realistic. Hell, I knew I was gonna fúck up. But at the end we had to be mature enough to learn how to fix it. I didn't know what this was, but it was a mutual understanding and I loved that.

We're on an okay level right now, but soon we were going to have to talk about things. From the stuff I've heard, what he's told me and the rest of it, but I was going to be understanding and patiently wait. Because he did the same and it's time I returned the favor. My thoughts were interrupted when a few knocks came on Zayn's door, I looked around to search for my top and was thankful to see it folded right at the end of the bed. I quickly reached down, pulling it over my head then adjusting the covers so my legs were covered.

"Uh, it's open." I said awkwardly, not used to having authority in Zayn's room. But I was sure everyone figured out he wasn't here, and I didn't go with him.

Helga opened the door and poked her head inside, she gave me a brief smile before pushing the door in a tad more and walked inside with a tray of food and a large glass of water, what appeared to be a cup of tea and a bottle of Advil laying on a napkin beside it.

"Thanks." I mumbled before snatching up the pills, and swallowing them with the water.

The effects of yesterday taking a large toll on my body, the constant walking in heels, the pain in my wrist and the headache from crying. Then my body was sore from the activities Zayn and I did together, it was a lot. I may have been used to pain but I didn't need all of them coming at me, not at once. Helga stood to the side for a moment, watching as I grabbed the bowl of diced fruit. Ignoring her glances, I ate the fruit silently. Once I picked out all of the pineapples, she was still didn't leave her spot. Just standing off to the side, watching closely that it made me uncomfortable.