The next few days passed the same, until Thursday night. I felt the urge to talk to Liam. I needed to see him, to hear his voice, to feel his body against mine. After I heard what he had to say at the hospital, I couldn’t get him out of my mind, no matter what I did. I was willing to do this. I was so close to being eighteen. So close. I pulled out my phone from where I was sitting on my bed and clicked Liam’s contact, my heart pounding as the phone rang a few times.

            “Hello? Zayn?” Liam said, his voice rough and deep. It sounded so good.

            “Yeah, it’s me,” I croaked.

            “Thank God, I was so worried about you. You have no idea…babe, are you okay? I mean, you were in a coma. Did you…did you hear what I said to you when I came and visited?” Liam rushed.

            “I’m fine,” I breathed, still not believing that I was talking to him, “And yeah, I heard everything that you said to me,”

            “Good…that’s….great actually. I was so worried damn it. I’m just… I miss you,” Liam settled.

            “I miss you too,” I admitted, feeling that hole in my stomach start to close up. I started feeling better. Louis was right. I was still in love with Liam.

            “Your birthday is when? Next Tuesday? I’ll figure something out. Maybe I can take a break from teaching that day. I mean, since I teach Uni now it’s a lot more flexible, and maybe I can take you out to dinner or something,” Liam said.

            “Okay, Li,” I agreed, “I just…I miss you,”

            “I know, babe, I know, and I’m so sorry,” Liam mumbled, “I can’t believe that you are actually going to forgive me,”

            “When did I say that?” I challenged, “You, Mr. Payne, are going to have to beg,”

            There was a moment of silence and then, “I’m willing to do whatever the hell you want Zayn. I’m so sorry about all of this. I don’t think you understand,”

            “Okay,” I said, “I have to go now,”

            “Why?”

            “I figure I should talk to my parents,” I said.

            “Oh,”

            “Yeah,”

            “Okay, you hang up first,”

            “Are we really going to play this game, Liam?” I chuckled.

            “Yes,” He laughed back, “I’m not hanging up,”

            “Well me either,” I said.

            “Then we’ll be stuck here for awhile,”

            “I suppose,”

            “Good luck telling your parents,” He said.

            “Thanks,”

            “I love you,”

            “I love you too, Li,” I smiled.

            “I’m still not hanging up,”

            Then I chuckled and pulled the phone away from my face, hitting the end call button and shaking my head happily. Maybe things would work out for us after all. Maybe we would be just like Ruth and Mr. Landon, living happily ever after, as if nothing bad ever happened. I hoped we could do that. I hoped more than anything.

~

            Friday went by really quick, and we found out that Mrs. Welling, the English teacher, had only been a temporary replacement. She was only filling the gap until they could find a real teacher to take Liam’s place. So, on Friday when Louis told me they found a new teacher, I was more than excited, running off to the English room with Louis’s hand in mine. When we stepped inside I smiled, because the new teacher was a very fit and tall guy, probably around Liam’s age. He had smile lines by his lips and dark hair that was styled really nicely. If I wasn’t in love with Liam, this guy would totally grab my attention. I then doubted that any of the girls in our class would be able to pay attention to the actual lesson.

            “Wow,” Louis chuckled, “This school really knows how to pick insanely hot English teachers don’t they? First Liam, and now this?”

            I laughed and shook my head, because this guy was good looking, but nowhere as near as attractive and seductive as Liam. Louis and I took our seats in the middle of the classroom like normal. We were early, like always, and the new teacher turned around and gave us a big smile.

            “Hello,” He said, “You two are early,”

            “We always are,” Louis sung, smiling widely and patting my shoulder, “So, are you the new teacher?”

            The man nodded, “Yes, I am. My name is Max Hawkins, but I believe you have to call me Mr. Hawkins, isn’t that right?” He chuckled to himself.

            For some reason my brain started churning. Why did the name Max strike a chord with me? I searched my brain. I had never really known a Max before, but why did it seem like a name that I had been acquainted with? Wait a minute. Liam’s ex was named Max. I squinted and looked at the man in front of me. Surely this wasn’t the same Max that Liam had dated after he graduated. That’s crazy. What are the odds of that?

            “You okay, Zee?” Louis asked me. I nodded and bit my lip.

            “I’ll tell you later,” I said, patting his shoulder and then getting my notebook and pencil out.

            Soon class started and Mr. Hawkins launched into a really great lesson about classic English literature. I found myself immersed into his words. He was a really great teacher, a hell of a lot better than Mrs. Welling. Gah, she still gave me the creeps just thinking about her. And then it had me thinking about Liam, because he had been such a good teacher too, and I missed him like crazy. I wondered if Mr. Hawkins would allow me to use my newspaper submissions as my essays for his class like Liam did. Maybe I should ask him.

            The bell rang and everyone filed out. Louis gave me a weird look when I told him to go on without me, but he left anyway. I made my way up to Mr. Hawkins slowly.

            “Ah, Mr. Malik, is it?” He smiled at me. I nodded and smiled back. “Is there something I can help you with Zayn?”

            “Yeah, uh, our previous teacher in this subject, Mr. Payne, he let me use my submissions to the school newspaper as my essays for his class because I am already kind of swamped with school work and such. I was wondering if you would be okay to do that also,” I said.

            “Oh, Mr. Payne,” Mr. Hawkins smiled, “He was a good friend of mine a year or so ago,”

            My heart started pounding, because what are the odds that my new English teacher was the guy who had dated my old English teacher and my boyfriend?

            “Really?” I asked, “You know Mr. Payne?”

            “Yes,” Mr. Hawkins mused, looking off into the distance, “We had such a good time together. He’s a great man and I thought he was the man I was…never mind that. Anyway, of course Zayn, I would love to read your news paper submissions and grade you based on that. It seems only fair. Do you have any other questions?”

            I shook my head no, “That’s all, sir,”

            “Great, it was nice talking to you, Zayn. I know that you and I are going to get on very well this year,” He said, “I like your shirt too, by the way,” I swallowed nervously as he winked at me.

            “Er…Yeah, thank you.”

            And then I practically ran from the room. Louis was waiting right outside for me, and he grabbed my arm and slowed me down, giving me a stern look.

            “What is going on?” He asked, “I’m no idiot. What’s up with you and the new teacher?”

            “Mr. Hawkins is one of Liam’s ex-boyfriends,” I breathed, shaking my head, “What are the odds? I mean…out of all the people in the world who want to be high school English teachers,”

            Louis went wide eyed, “Really? Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Payne used to get it on?”

            “Shut up!” I said, hitting Louis’s arm. He giggled and nudged me, “I’m just messing with you, Zee,”

            “I know…but…this is so weird,” I mumbled, “Mr. Hawkins winked at me and complimented me on my shirt like it was the most normal thing in the world,”

            “No way!” Louis laughed, “What is with you and English teachers Zayn? It’s like they all have Zayn Malik conventions and meet to talk about how amazing you are and fight over who gets to claim you as theirs. This is great,” Louis was laughing so hard he was crying and I was totally not amused by his little idea there. I hit his shoulder playfully and then dragged him down the hallway.

            “That doesn’t happen,” I said.

            “But what if it did?” Louis squealed, and then he was crying out of laughter again, “Just wait until I tell Harry, Niall, and Josh about this,”

            “Louis,” I whined.

~

            After the newspaper meeting that day Louis kissed Harry good-bye and then walked with me towards his car in the parking lot. It was like every other day, only it was Friday, and I had three more full days until Liam was coming back for me. I sighed in content and longing as we headed towards the old clunker, which was parked at the far right of the lot. I looked over to where we were headed and I froze. Right next to Louis’s car was a familiar silver car. It was shiny and new and fancy. It was Liam’s car.

            “Zee, why does that man look like he is going to break into my car?” Louis asked in worry.

            “It’s Liam,” I whispered.

            “What?”

            “It’s Liam,” I repeated louder, my heart thudding loudly in my chest as I took off at a sprint towards the shadowy figure standing in the parking lot. The closer I got the more like Liam it looked. He was smiling at me, tears brimming his eyes and his arms were open, beckoning me in for a hug. He was wearing one of those sweaters that hugged his muscles perfectly and his old converse covered his feet. I couldn’t wait to get into his arms any longer, and ran faster than I ever had before, jumping into his arms at the last second. Liam’s arms were around me then, my face in his neck, and his torso against mine, our hearts beating together.

            “Liam,” I sobbed roughly into his sweater, breathing in his smell the best I could while crying like mad.

            “I’m here, Zayn,” He whispered, “I’m right here, baby,”

            “I love you so much,” I cried.

            “I love you more,”

            We stayed like that for awhile, and I didn’t even notice that my feet weren’t touching the ground until my upper body began to cramp unpleasantly. I kissed and nipped t Liam’s neck finally, and he moaned, setting me back down on the parking lot black top and looking at me from head to toe.

            “I think you got more beautiful,” Liam smiled, “God, so beautiful,”

            I blushed and looked up at Liam through my eyelashes, taking this moment to fully enjoy the fact that he was here. There were a lot of other questions swarming in my head like, why is he here today? Should I tell him about Max? Didn’t he have work today? But I pushed the questions aside, because Liam was here, and he was irresistible.

            “Let’s go back to my house,” Liam breathed.

            I gave him a confused look, “But you live like…three hours away,” I said.

            “I still own the house in town here,” Liam said, “Remember, my dad is filthy rich,”

            My heart pounded louder and louder, and I turned back to face Louis. He was smiling at us, and I opened my mouth about to ask if I could go with Liam. But he smiled and let out a light laugh, “Go ahead Zee, you don’t need my permission,”

_________________________________________________________________

LIAM CAME BACK.

Liam came back.

Lalalalala. Liam came back.

Okay, hope you guys are still liking it. Smut is coming right up. ^_^

VOTE!

COMMENT!

FAN!

SHARE!

xx