In Orbit

When I opened up my eyes, they were met by a ridiculously bright light. My body felt completely numb, almost as if I were paralyzed. Swallowing, I tried to get up, but the pain surged through my body and I instantly gave up. My memories were vague, I couldn't remember what exactly happened aside from the fact Rex had lost his damn mind. Moaning a bit, I tried to turn my head and after a few seconds I succeeded. My eyes fell upon Zayn's sleeping figure in the chair beside me. He looked at peace in those few moments and it looked as though he hadn't left my side even for a second. Behind him on the table there were several vases of flowers, a couple of get well soon cards, and a few stuffed animals. A small smile came to my face and I left out a breath, looking back to Zayn.

"Zayn," I rasped out, moving my arm up to try and touch his hand that was hanging very close to the bed. It was hard though as I tried to move, I felt so stiff as though I'd been laying in the same spot for months. There was a warm sunlit glow in my room, so I knew it was the daytime and from outside my door I could hear some nurses outside talking. Clearing my throat, I tried to call his name again. He barely even stirred, I assumed he was very much out.

Just as I was about to reach for him again the door slowly creaked open and my eyes lifted to the person walking inside. To my surprise it was Liam Payne, looking handsome as always. When he shut the door and turned around his eyes fell on me and widened in surprise.

"Rahne," Liam said gently. "I'm glad your up." He walked over to me and glanced at Zayn.

"What happened?" I croaked out.

"Rex and his thugs," Liam explained to me as he sat down on the edge of the hospital bed. "Zayn found you, he hasn't left you since."

"How long?"

"About four days now," Liam answered, looking at his friend. "I've tried to get him to go, we all have...he won't though."

"Where's Rex now?" I asked, coughing a bit. Liam shrugged his shoulders and rubbed the back of his neck. That wasn't an answer I liked, that monster had beaten and nearly rapped me. His ass should be locked up for the next fifty years. "Great," I grumbled, shaking my head in disappointment.

"We'll find him, Rahne, don't worry," Liam said with a soft smile and placed his hand on top of my own. I smiled back at him and mouthed a thank you before turning to look out the window at the bright sunny skies. "Well I better go, I was just near by and thought I'd check in on you and Zayn." He gave my hand a light squeeze before letting it go and getting off the bed.

"Thanks Liam," I muttered out with a small cough. He gave me a sympathetic look and waved before making his way to the door.

"Rahne," Liam called out gently as to not wake up Zayn. I looked over at the boy and he leaned against the doorjamb for a moment. "He's a good guy, give him a chance." He nodded to Zayn and I nodded slowly. Nodding back, Liam lifted a hand to say goodbye one more time before exiting the room and quietly shutting the door.

Liam was right, Zayn had been good to me the past few weeks I had known him. I was just some bar girl, but he treated me like a lady with the proper respect I deserved. Now he was sitting in my hospital room, sleeping and hadn't left my side since I arrived. For so long I just kept everyone at arms length, but now I was forgetting why I even did that to begin with. After the loss of my parents, I just didn't want to be close to anyone. The pain I suffered when they went away was more than I could ever bare again. It was hard though to not have someone close, someone to trust and love you, as human I suppose we need that sort of affection.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I thought about my parents and the day of the funeral. There was no worse pain than watching your parents be put into the ground. My heart had broken into millions of pieces that day and since then I never let anyone close to me. I became guarded and prayed no one would ever break through the walls, but it seemed Zayn was slowly tearing them down brick by brick.

Zayn stirred a bit and slowly opened up his eyes. Groaning a bit, Zayn sat up straighter and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. I smiled a bit as he stretched and yawned, trying to wake himself up from the uncomfortable looking chair. He shrugged off his leather jacket and and started folding it in his arms before finally looking over at me. When he saw me looking at him it took him a moment to register that I was now awake.

"Rahne!" Zayn exclaimed in surprise.

"Me," I replied with a nod and light chuckle.

"You're awake," he stated, scooting closer to my bed. I nodded to him and smiled as he gazed into my eyes for what seemed like hours. He finally stood up and dropped his jacket onto the chair he had been sitting on. "I'm so sorry this happened to you, I should have come to pick you up."

"Hey, I told you I would meet you there," I explained quickly before he could blame himself even more than he already had been. "This is not your fault, it was all bad timing and bad luck. That dick Rex was just---"

"I'll kill him Rahne, for what he did to you," Zayn seethed, clenching his jaw and fist tightly. The anger and intensity radiated off of him like the sun's beaming rays. I frowned a bit and patted the empty spot on the edge of my bed. Zayn hesitated for a moment before sitting right beside me. I placed my hand on his and gave it a gentle squeeze, stroking his knuckles with my thumb. "I'm so sorry, Rahne."

"It's okay, I mean I'm alright now," I replied softly, swallowing hard. "I'll be okay. I don't thin Rex will come around me anymore, you aren't the only one who wants to kill him around here after all." I tried to laugh a bit in hopes it would bring Zayn out of his sour mood, but obviously it wasn't working.

"Something has to be done about this," Zayn stated firmly, looking me right in the eyes. I nodded in agreement and looked out to the window. The day was too beautiful to be talking about such dark things. "What he put---"

"Stop!" I snapped at him, feeling the tears welling in my eyes. Looking away from the window I turned to face him. He looked a bit surprised by my tone and I even was a little bit, but I didn't want to talk about what happened. Rex would get what he deserved and I would go on with my life. What he did to me was unforgivable and horrid, but if happened and there was nothing I or anyone else could do to change that. "Just stop."

Zayn remained silent, but nodded in understanding.

"This might have been the push I was waiting for," I explained, which caused Zayn's brows to furrow in confusion. "I think I've sat around long enough, I want to leave this town."

"Leave?" Zayn repeated, slightly hurt sounding. "Because of Rex?"

"No, not because of him," I said, shaking my head, "I want to leave for me, all I will ever be here is a waitress."

"Where will you go?" he questioned softly.

"California," I paused for a second, looking down at my hands and the IV's sticking to my skin, "I always wanted to be an actress."

"You're definitely beautiful enough to be one," Zayn said kindly with a warm smile on his face that made me blush. I brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear and licked my lips, which were incredibly chapped.

"I sense a but coming," I mentioned with a small laugh.

"But I don't want you to leave," Zayn finished with a weak smile, looking down at the ground for a few seconds. I nodded knowingly and placed my hand on his, causing him to look back at me. "Whatever you decide to do, I'll support you."

I smiled, now I almost didn't want to leave.