My head turned to look up as I heard a door open, my eyes widened at the sight in front of me.

A green towel was wrapped around Zayn's lower half, his v line showing from the hem. There were drops of water all over his shoulders from his wet hair that was still a bit damp. He just looked so beautiful, I couldn't help but stare.

"So like, my clothes are here and I wanted to know if I can have them back?" Zayn asked with a grin growing on his face.

I instantly picked myself up from bed and walked over to my closet where I've placed all of Zayn's belongings. Thank God my mother didn't notice them when she walk in.

Just as I turned around, I stood in startlement as I noticed Zayn get closer. He took a step forward to become just inches away from my nose.

His height was incredible compared to mine. I've never felt this sorry in so long since the only intimate height in my family is my father and it's been a while since I haven't seen him physically. Memories started to show up in front of my mind, but not good ones.

The sight of Zayn brought me back to reality which I was thankful for.

He nudged his head down a little but didn't make contact with my lips. His eyes fluttered closed as his forehead gently pressed against mine. My eyes were only focussed on his pink heart shaped lips, not knowing what else to do.

I felt my hips tightly being gripped and suddenly being pulled towards his body. Small droplets made contact with my skin as our bodies pressed together and bled through my shirt. Goose bumps started to form as his hot breath fanned over me.

I swear, he was about to go in and kiss me but my mouth just had to say something.

"Don't leave."

I immediately regretted saying that but it was too late to take it back now.

Zayn only smiled but didn't back away.

"What?"

"Stay here. I won't go to work, I'm sure Eddie wouldn't mind." My mouth spoke again.

At first I wasn't happy with what I said but then I felt like this is really what I wanted to do. I like spending time with him, he's... Different.

"I'd love that." He chuckled, "But I can't."

His voice got serious, head moving back away to look into my eyes while he still held me close in his grip.

"Why?" I almost whined staring straight in his eyes.

"Because you and I both have to work and I don't want to be the one who gets you in trouble for not going." He spoke honestly.

As much as I hated what he just said, he has a point. And I'm even glad he cares about me going to work but I was already so excited to just stay with him and talk.

He saw the disappointment in my eyes which made him smile in a helpful way. I felt his grip leave my hips to grab my hands. He fiddled with my fingers for a quick second before taking hold of my hands and bringing it up and around his neck. He took that opportunity to place his hands back where they were, on my hips.

"I understand." I looked down, my hands slowly falling from behind his neck and back to my sides.

Zayn looked around my room. A small smile curving into his lips before looking back down, catching his bottom lip between his teeth.

"Tell you what." He continued. "Do you work tomorrow?"

I nodded my head in disagreement.

"Perfect. Then when I pick you up from Charlie's, I'll take you back to my flat and show you around the place. It'll be nice." He pulled me even closer to his wet body, "You can even stay the night."

"You don't have to, really." I forced myself to smile. "Besides, I don't think my Mom would let me stay the night with you."

"And why do you still need your mother's permission to stay at someone else's flat?" He taunted.

"Because she's my mother and she deserves to know." I immediately shut myself up, the talk from last night reminding me that he might not be so thrilled with the subject.

"Never mind, it's okay. We can spend time together some other time."

"Paige..." He warned.

It started to become predictable towards what he was going to say and I didn't need to hear it again.

"I know, I know." I smiled back up at him. "Okay."

*LATER ON THAT AFTERNOON*

I stepped inside Charlie's after Zayn held the door for me. I told him that he could leave so he's not late for work but he insisted that he drops me off himself inside.

The restaurant's atmosphere was as normal as always, but being here in the early afternoon was much quieter than how it is at night. I like having the early shift, time seems as if it goes by faster.

"Paige!" I heard my name being called from further away.

My eyes looked further out into the kitchen where I spotted a mop of dirty blond hair I so dearly missed.

"Nathan!"

I started to run up to him, he moved away from behind the countertop he was standing in and walked up to me too. My arms swung around his neck in a tight embrace. I was so happy to finally see him again.

"You're back!" I squirmed over his shoulder.

"Finally!" He laughed pulling away.

The smile in his face soon faded as his vision darted to an object over my shoulder. I couldn't help but turn around and notice Zayn was still standing behind me.

I felt a little bad that I totally forgot about him but I'm sure he wouldn't mind.

"Oh, Nathan." I started. "This is Zayn."

Nathan didn't look so pleased with Zayn's train towards him. At first I didn't know why he would look at Zayn like that but then I remembered that he doesn't have such a clean reputation about the stiff he's done in the past.

I felt Zayn's arm snake around my waist and pull me closer to his body. This piston was strange and I didn't know why he was doing it but I decided to leave it alone.

"Hey." Nathan observed Zayn with a look of disgust in his eyes.

Zayn didn't reply, instead he looked down back down at me.

"Be ready by 5, I'll pick you up then."

I nodded my head and just as I was about to turn back around to face Nathan, the same pair of hot warm lips crashed into mine. It felt as if he wasn't going to stop, I felt Nathan's eyes wander around away from us.

A gasp of air was inhaled into my system as Zayn pulled away. I looked back at Nathan to where I saw he was looking back at me.

"Um.. We should get going." He said reaching a hand out to me.

Nodding my head, I walked forward but with an effort to escape Zayn's grip. He was angry, I could tell because his eyes started to squint-- the way they always do when he's not so pleased.

"Bye, Zayn." I smiled turning around when I was by Nathan's side.

Zayn had no reaction towards me. All he did was nod and turn around towards the exit. Nathan didn't waste another moment to step in front of me, eyes wide open.

"Are you fucking crazy, Paige!" His voice raised.

"What?" I knew exactly what he was talking about but I refused to speak about Zayn in a mean matter. He cares about me and I care about him. His past is something that shouldn't judge how he is now, he had a very good reason for what he did but then again, only I know about it. I think?

"You're going out with that guy!" He looked back for a moment to check Zayn was gone. He was.

"He has a name, Nathan." I scoffed turning around. I know he knows about Zayn and I'm absolutely positive he knows his name.

"Fine, Zayn , now what are you doing with a guy like that?" He asked as we entered the kitchen so I can drop my stuff.

"Can you just leave it alone, Nathan?" I asked while I took off my jacket and hanged it up along with my bag.

"He's a nice guy and I know exactly what you're going to say about him." I paused to look down, "Everyone does."

Nathan stood behind me as I put on the black apron over my white muscle cut tank top and black high waisted skinny jeans.

"That's because no one would expect a girl like you to go out with a guy like him!" He continued.

I couldn't take it any longer, anger started rushing through my body as I turned back around to meet his worried blue eyes.

"A girl like me?!" I paused, "What does that mean?"

"Nice!" He shouted.

I looked at him in fear, I've never seen Nathan act like this in front of me or anyone before. He'd never do such a thing to shoot in people's faces, so why is he doing it to me?

"You're nice, Paige." His voice called down, realizing his actions towards me weren't acceptable, "He's not."

Everything was quiet, I felt all the chefs and waiters look at us as if we were bringing all the attention to us.I didn't mind them looking, though I rather them not to, but I mostly cared towards Nathan's reaction.

"You don't know that." I spoke in a lower voice.

My body spun around to walk away but he took hold of my elbow. I turned around to see a pair of blue eyes fill with concentration towards what he would say next.

"No, Paige, you don't know that." He corrected.

"Yes I do! It's you and the entire town who sees him as an obnoxious drunk guy who only gets into trouble and hooks up with any girl for sex!" I slightly shouted.

My mouth immediately closed once I noticed the staff look at us again. Looking up towards them, they instantly got back to work.

I ignored their actions and went back to look at Nathan. He ran his tongue over his dry lips and let go of his grip on my elbow.

"You just described the type of guy he is."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring his comment and walking away into the countertops of the exposed part of the restaurant.

"Paige, I just don't want to see you get hurt. You mean a lot to me and I'm not going to let this guy use you and forget about you the next night." Nathan spoke behind me.

I swiftly turned around to nearly crash into Nathan at how close he was to me. It didn't hurt to take a few steps back to get a better glimpse of him. "That's not going to happen, Nathan. And I appreciate you worrying about me but I'm not the little girl you used to know in middle school, I'm grown up now and I can take care of myself."

"19 is not grown up, Paige." He looked straight into my eyes, "You're still going to need someone to be there for you."

"And I do." I replied his comment, "I have my family, my three best friends in the world, and you."

My voice softened at the end of my sentence. I have the best support group I could ever ask for and I'm very lucky for that. Not that I'm thinking about forgetting about Zayn but when it comes to other stuff, they've always got my back and I've got theirs. The only problem is that I just don't understand why nobody wants me to be seen with Zayn.

Nathan's jaw clenched in anger, his eyes observing my every moment before he untied the adoption around his waist and launched it to the floor, "You'll see, Paige. One day you'll see I was right all along."

And without saying another word, he turned around and walked away.

What on Earth just happened?