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“How'd the talk with Easton go?” he asks.
“It was shocking to say the least,” I reply. “But that's not why I'm in here.”
“Oh?”
I exhale slowly. “I owe you an apology.”
He instantly shakes his head. “No, you don't.”
“I really do,” I press. “You were only ever trying to help, and I was awful to you. God, I feel so stupid.”
Stepping closer, he grips my chin and forces me to look in his eyes. The crystal blue color renders me defenseless, and the way the corners of his mouth raise threatens to melt me.
“You are not stupid, Meelz.” The sincerity in his tone brings tears to my eyes. “We all get a little lost sometimes.”
It's relieving to hear him say that. I wrap my arms around his waist, and he slowly strokes his fingers through my hair. I start to think about all the things he's done over the last few weeks that I thought were annoying or selfish, but were really just him trying to protect me.
Trying to stop me from getting in the car with Blade.
Kissing me to try to get me to choose him instead.
Staying at parties he very obviously didn't want to be at.
He was keeping an eye on me, and it wasn't for any reason other than to make sure I was okay. Just like he did everything he could to help Easton, he was doing the same for me.
“I thought you were just jealous,” I admit shyly.
He chuckles and presses a kiss to the top of my head. “I was.”
Pulling away to look at him, he shrugs like he didn't just restart my damn heart with two simple words. “You were?”
He nods once. “But that's nothing to worry about now, babe.”
I realize that as much as I'd love to make him expound on that, he has a point. An involuntary yawn rips through me, and I cover my mouth with my sleeve.
“You should go to sleep,” he tells me.
I take a deep breath. “Can I just stay in here for a little bit longer? You make me feel safe.”
As if he could never deny me of that, he smiles and pulls me over to his bed. He sits down and leans against the wall, maneuvering me so I'm lying with my head in his lap. His fingers run through my hair, massaging my scalp each time, and I melt into the mattress.
My eyes droop closed despite how much I fight them, and a much-needed sleep takes over in minutes.
I WAKE IN THE middle of the night to someone carrying me down the hall. I peel my eyes open just enough to spot the familiar scruff on his cheek. Instead of fighting it, I cuddle closer into his chest. Zayn carries me into the guest room and softly lays me down before tucking me in.
Just as I doze back off, I feel him press a gentle kiss to my forehead.
“Goodnight, baby.”
I almost think I'm dreaming, but that doesn't stop the butterflies from coming alive and a smile to spread across my face.
THE FIRE MARSHAL LEADS Kennedy and I up the stairs and to our dorm room. The yellow caution tape that surrounds the entrance doesn't look good, and as soon as he opens the door, I can see why. Everything is completely black. It looks like the only thing that survived the fire is a part of one desk and Kennedy's metal lockbox.
“The fire originated in here, so unfortunately, you guys got the worst of the damage,” he informs us.
Kennedy looks completely distraught as she grabs the only remaining item of her belongings, and I feel terrible. If I had just listened to Zayn in the first place, this would never have happened. No one can convince me this wasn't Blade's doing. Between the way he acted when I broke up with him, and that threatening text message, there's no one else it could have been.
“Do you know how long it'll take them to repair it?” I ask.
