Stupid Boy

The road to her parents’ house was familiar to Becky, and she enjoyed the time in her car alone. The past week had been stressful, with exams and Zayn being the only thing on her mind. She’d killed herself to do well on her exams, and went out to celebrate with Meghan when she had, but it didn't feel right. Something was missing. Someone was missing.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she pulled into her parents’ driveway, the familiar setting making her smile. She grabbed her things, waving when she saw her mom waiting on the porch. The woman pulled her into a hug, Becky melting into it. Her mom knew everything going on with Zayn, and was one of the ones Becky always went to. Mother always knows best.

“How did you do on exams?” her mom asked, ushering her into the house. Becky took her shoes off at the door, dropping her bag.

“I passed,” Becky shrugged. “What time is dinner?”

“Six.”

Becky nodded, already on her way up the stairs. She pulled her hair back into a pony tail as she walked, making her way down the long hallway. She peeked inside her brother’s room but didn't see him so she continued down to her room. She kicked the door closed behind her, falling onto the bed. Her eyes traveled around her room, seeing that nothing had changed since she moved out. Pictures of her days in school covered her walls, mostly pictures with Zayn and Meghan. She knew her mom, no matter what Becky said, would never get rid of her pictures with Zayn. She smiled at the memory of finding them still there her first time home from college.

“Mom, please, for the love of God, get rid of these,” Becky wasn't above begging as she saw her room still littered with pictures of Zayn, and some of Zayn’s things still around the room.

“No, I like them,” her mom insisted, shaking her head. “You’re going to thank me one day. One day you and Zayn are going to be married, and raising your own kids, and you’re going to want these pictures.”

“He’d have to talk to me for us to get married, Ma,” Becky muttered under her breath. Her mom knew some of what happened between Becky and Zayn, but not every single detail. “Just don’t hold your breath.”

Becky sighed, rolling over onto her stomach, clutching her pillow. She could practically still smell Zayn on her pillow, on everything in her room. The amount of times she’d sunk him up into her room, and the times her parents knew he was there, she was sure his scent was permanently attached to everything in her room.

Becky ate dinner with her family before going back up to her room, laying across her bed with a book. It was dark, and her house quiet, when she heard something hard hit her window. She felt her heart stop in fear, slowly getting up. She peered out her window, her eyes widening when she saw Zayn standing below the window. He smiled up at her, his hands in his pockets. “Front door,” she mouthed.

She quietly made her way down the stairs and to the front door, where Zayn was waiting for her. “What are you doing here?” she asked, stepping out into the warm night, closing the door behind her.

“Did you really want to say goodbye? For good?” he asked, staring down at her.

She was taken aback at his question. She gazed up at him, brushing her bangs off her face. “At the time, yeah,” she admitted. “But I got in my car and realized how stupid I was being.”

“We’re both good at that, huh?” he smiled slightly, making her nod and laugh.

She went over to the porch swing, bringing her knees up to her chest. He sat down next to her, staring at the stars in the sky. “I’m sorry,” he finally whispered, breaking the silence that had developed, “for asking you to stay. I had no reason to ask you to do that, because you’d never ask the same of me.”

“Maybe it was for the best that I stayed here,” she shrugged, not bothering to look at him as she picked at the lint on her yoga pants. “I was mad at you until about a week and a half ago,” she laughed softly, shaking her head. “I was just mad that you asked me to do that and then couldn't even stick around.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered again.

She turned her head to look at him, seeing him looking right at her. “Did you ever think about me?” she asked, titling her head as she looked at him. “Think about what I was doing when you were on stage, or being asked if you have a girlfriend?”

“Of course, I did, Becky. I thought about you all the time, wishing you were there with me.”

“I would have been,” she told him. “I would have gone wherever you wanted me to. I just wanted you, Zayn. I wanted you to still be around, but I know that’s too much to ask for when you’re never around physically. You’re always gone.”

“But I want to come home to you. I want it to be you.”

She found herself standing up, making her way to the door. She turned to see Zayn still in the same spot. “Are you going to sit out here all night or are you going to come in?”

He couldn't help the grin that formed on his lips, quickly making his way to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her like he hadn't seen her in years. She had to hold onto his shoulders to keep from falling over, smiling into the kiss. “I love you,” he managed to breathe out once they’d broken apart, resting his forehead against hers.

“I love you, too.”

She couldn’t help the goofy smile that was present on her face as she led Zayn up to her room, closing and locking the door behind her. She knew there wasn't a chance anyone would try and come into her room, but just in case she locked it anyway.

“This room hasn’t changed even a little bit,” he laughed, looking around.

“Just the people in it,” she mused.

He gave her a goofy grin as he loomed over her. “We’re still Becky and Zayn.”