Turning Tables

4 Months Later

Finley wiped down the table and let the warm cloth soak away the coffee that had been spilled. She had thought she'd never be working in this place ever again but she was glad she was back, glad to have some stability after her breaking up Zayn. She'd gotten the job nearly two weeks after coming back to London, her manager had been thrilled to have her back, and from there life continued on. Her injuries after falling out of the car had healed up nicely. She moved back in with her parents until finally getting her own flat in the city. Finley had even taken in a stray cat and cared for the little rascal dearly.

Although life seemed to move on, often times her heart couldn't. She was still wounded from what she had done to Zayn that day and some nights she wondered if she'd gone about it the right away. She should have followed her own advice and tried to work it out with him. Finley thought that perhaps she could learn to want a life with him, learn to except Zayn's leaving the band. Without him, she didn't feel quite whole, and yet, the rash decision was best. Zayn had come home and as far as she could tell from the news and talk shows, was doing quite nicely. She may not have made the perfect decision but she wasn't perfect, was she?

The redheaded girl went back to her place behind the counter and smiled at one of her co-workers as they started to brew a pot of old fashioned coffee. She breathed the smell in through her nose and let it linger in her nostrils, let it float around in her head. This place had always been kind to her and it was that way again. She hadn't realized how much she missed this sort of life- having to work for what you want and having to get up early because nothing in life would be handed to her, as everything had been when she had been dating Zayn. It was hard to adjust at first but she was happy.

"You okay, Fin?" Asked a pretty server. Finley smiled at her and thought for a moment.

"For the first time in a long time," she said with newfound confidence. "I think I will be."



Zayn walked around the streets of London with the rest of the band, enjoying a day out on the town. They'd go shopping and out to eat at some exclusive restaurant for lunch. Of course the occasional girl would snap a picture and ask for an autograph but most often than not, they were left to their own devices. The boys strolled along in the sun, happy as can be and a smile on their face.

Zayn treasured his make-shift family. Upon arriving back at London four months prior, he felt immediately back at home. His romantic self was jaded art first and tried to cloud him from having fun but the boys cured that quickly. It had taken little over two months to feel just as he had months before leaving London in the first place; at home. He was happy and ready to love and he thought that perhaps maybe it was time he started dating again. At this point Finley had been gone from him for four months and with no sign where the girl was now -and God knows he tried to find her but her family was not willing to sacrifice such information- maybe it was best to let go and move on.

That had been his feelings until he passed the coffee shop where he and Finley first met. He saw her through the window, cleaning the tables, a wisp of a memory of fire hair and fragile smiles. He blinked hard only to find that the memory was still in place and that in fact she was not a memory or a dream or anything in his subconscious. She was there; in the flesh, the beautiful red hair cascading around her face, smile shining at customers as they passed by. He suddenly felt his heart break once more because of her adorable. Rosy cheeks and emerald eyes... It was enough to make him fall in love all over again.

Louis was first to notice Zayn's dilemma. He placed a firm but understanding hand on his friend's shoulder. "Hey," he cooed, "Don't worry about it. Let's get out of here."

"Yeah," Zayn mouthed the word before he vocalized it. Though he'd agreed, his feet did not move from where they were rooted and his eyes did not leave his pale faced memory girl. He couldn't and he knew why. He wondered about her. He wondered if she was okay, if she was doing well... If maybe they could try again. If not, at least stay in touch.

"If she means that much to you, go talk to her," Harry suggested.

"I don't think I can," he admitted more to himself than anyone. The boys were quiet and Zayn fell into utter disdain. For a moment his heart was sullen but only for a moment. "Dinner."

"What?" Louis as both curious and slightly afraid for his friend. He had a vague inkling of what his friend was implying but thought poorly of the suggestion.

"If her and I just went to dinner together, discuss how life has been... Maybe things would lead somewhere, maybe they wouldn't, but either way we'd be in each other's lives again. That's all I want," he looked at Louis with round brown eyes, quivering with his fright. "I'm afraid to talk to her, Louis. Please."

Louis sighed. "All right, I'll ask her. But not today. I want to enjoy today."

Zayn half-smiled. "I can live with that."



Finley handed the couple their coffee and their change and watched them walk away, only to be replaced with a familiar face she hadn't seen in months- Louis Tomlinson of One Direction. She rolled her eyes and laughed and the chestnut haired boy cracked a smile.

"What can I get you, Louis?"

"Dinner," he grinned, "With Zayn."

Finley's heart dropped like a cold stone in her chest. She felt sick to her stomach and nearly felt like crying. She should have known his presence at the coffee shop would have to deal with the man she had once loved and still cared for, but she knew she couldn't -and shouldn't- take Zayn back. He had broke her trust and she had stomped on his heart. How could the two ever function without being suspicious of the other's motives. Finley had finally forced herself in normalcy and now is was being ripped away from her.

"Just dinner," Louis promised. "He doesn't expect a relationship but he doesn't want the two of you to be strangers. Please, just meet with him and talk about how life has been."

"I don't know," she whimpered, her voice less than meek. She really didn't. She thought it was a horrid idea and yet, something in her heart pulled at her. Perhaps to lay eyes on him again, to talk about the way things had been after she left... Maybe that would settle any undecided feelings. Then again it potentially cause more harm than help.

"Please, think about it. Zayn said he'll be waiting for you this Friday at the Italian restraunt where you guys used to go on dates. He said that if you don't show up, he'll know that you are happier now and won't bother to contact you on purpose, unless you contact him first."

"I'll..." Finley sighed. "I'll think about it, I guess. Now, can I actually get you anything?"

Louis shook his head and went for the door. He stopped as he opened it and let the air into the shop. "It was nice to see you Fin," he said with a wink and then was gone. Finley blushed and resumed her work, sorting the money and then wiping down the counter. A few moments after Louis had gone, a customer from one of the near by booths came to the counter and pulled one side of his mouth into a smile. He was adorable in the way that made Finley's cheeks red and her words all flustered. He had short brown hair with flecks of gold scattered throughout and crystalline blue eyes. His skin was sunkissed a hundred times over and his lips were a pale pink.

"Can I get another carmel cappuccino?" He asked. Even through his tanned skin, the red of his cheeks stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Yeah, um, sure," she giggled. "Right away." She turned around and made his beverage before handing it to him. It wasn't until she had put his money in the register that he spoke again.

"That guy, uh, he wasn't your boyfriend was he?"

"No," she asked curiously, slightly surprised that he hadn't recognized such a famous face, especially here in London. She shrugged it away. Not all guys her age paid attention the popular boy bands.

"Your ex?"

"No, but he was trying to get me to have dinner with my ex on Friday," she bit her lip and watched the blue eyed beauty. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked back and forth. He was nervous, Finley could tell. She was as well but it made the man that much more attractive.

He cast his eyes down shyly, hand still on the back of his neck. "Are you going to go?"

Finley cast her eyes down this time and closed her eyes for a second. "I don't know," she said. "I just don't know. We had a hard falling out and he claims that it's just to catch up but I know the risks. I could fall in love all over again and then where would we be? Me not trusting him, him afraid of me leaving like I did the first time; that's where. It'd be too hard for me, but maybe I owe it to him after breaking his heart. I don't know."

The man looked downtrodden. "Well, he broke your trust, right?" She nodded. "Well, in that case you had every right to leave him. I have always believed that trust is the most important component in a relationship with anyone, even your family. If they break it, you shouldn't force yourself to try to trust them again. In a way, breaking someone's trust is like breaking their heart," he blushed and a grin followed. "You don't owe him anything, sugar cube."

Finley felt the butterflies rumble around in her stomach. She was speechless for he had said it all and he had said it all with truth and with understanding. He shifted on the balls of his feet, the light from the windows reflecting off of the gold flecks in his hair. She opened her mouth to speak but she couldn't form any words and closed it again.

"Well, if you want to do something else on Friday, if you don't decided to meet your ex... Well, I'd be happy to help you take your mind off the decision not to see him. I'll probably be downtown. It's my mother's birthday party and she'd be pleased as punch if I had a date."

The ginger haired girl thought a moment, a smile on her face. "We'll see."

The boy took the white lid off of his coffee and took a pen from the counter. He scribbled down a few digits and then slid the pen to her, grinning like a child on Christmas morning. "It's my number. You call me whenever you want, okay? I'm Aleksander, by the way."

"Finley," she replied with eyes cast at her feet.

"Cute name," he breathed, took his coffee, and left. She took the lid and stuck it in her pocket and returned to work.

FRIDAY

Zayn checked his phone for the umpteenth time but he knew she wasn't coming. It had been three hours now and she'd never shown her face and hadn't given any sign of ever showing up. His number hadn't changed, she knew how to get ahold of him. He sighed and left some money onto the table for the waiter who had been all but patient for him, and he tipped him good.

He stole out into the night air and spat on the ground, heart sinking lower than ever. He should have known better. He should never get his hopes up with Finley, he knew how she was. She loved and only gave one second chance. He had broken her trust and he didn't blame her for the break up, and couldn't blame her for not coming to dinner either, but it pained him all the same.

He sighed and saw his breath in the new late-autumn air and watched as his breath went up in wisps of smoke. He breathed deep and let out one last sigh and watched as it became visible and watched it disappear. He let himself cry for a moment, silently while he stood in the middle of the sidewalk. Five tears rolled down his flesh in all and wiped them away. Zayn swallowed once and then let her go. He let Finley go for good. He put a smile and made his way into the night.