Torn Apart

Two days later, Scarlett sat behind her desk in her cubicle while she looked for tickets from Bradford to Columbus for next week. She hadn’t mentioned anything else about leaving to Zayn and their relationship had been going great, as it had before Scarlett’s mom had a heart attack. They ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner together like they used to, and they watched TV together in the evenings before going to bed. Everything was perfect again, but Scarlett knew it wouldn’t last long.

Out of the corner of her eye Scarlett saw Zayn’s dad, her boss, walk past her. She leaned out of her cubicle. “Mr. Malik!”

Yasser turned on his heel to look at Scarlett, before a smile appeared on his face. “Yes, Scarlett?”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” she wondered. “It’s important.”

Yasser nodded his head as he walked towards Scarlett’s cubicle. He rested his arm against the wall and gazed down at his son’s girlfriend. “Is everything alright?”

“Well, I’m going to have to leave to go home,” Scarlett began as she knotted her fingers in her lap.

Yasser glanced down at his watch. “What time do you need to leave? We can work something out, I’m sure.”

“No, no,” she said, shaking her head. “Home as in Ohio. I have to go back next week. My mom, she…had a heart attack and needs someone to take care of her.”

Yasser’s face softened immediately. “I’m so sorry, Scarlett,” he responded. “Is she alright?”

“She’s okay,” Scarlett nodded. “It’s Zayn that I’m worried about.”

“He’s not taking it well?” questioned Yasser.

Scarlett shook her head, a small frown appearing on her face.

“He’ll be alright. He’ll keep busy with the band and all that, and I’m sure you’ll be back in no time,” he assured Scarlett. “He’s a strong man; I’m sure he’ll keep busy with everything that’ll be going on. One Direction is going to be huge soon.”

Scarlett nodded, and she knew Yasser was right. “Yeah, I hope so. I just don’t want him to be too upset with me. I don’t think he really understands that I need to go back because she has no one else.”

“He’ll pull through. You both will,” Yasser stated confidently.

Smiling slightly, Scarlett nodded again before she turned back towards her computer screen. She continued to scan through the flights and expensive prices, knowing that she had to talk to Zayn about it at some point before she had to leave. He needed to understand that her mother had to be taken care of or there was no way she would be able to do anything for herself. And to be honest, her mom couldn’t technically afford someone to live in her home and take care of her every day.

She felt like she and Zayn would be able to pull through everything—the distance, the stress they’ll both endure, the time-change that wouldn’t allow them to speak whenever, everything. Scarlett and Zayn had made it through them being apart from each other after they met three years ago, so she was sure that they would be able to make it through this. They were a stronger couple now and had been through so many things together, and letting it end because of this would be ridiculous.

She just hoped Zayn felt the same way.

+

“Hello, love,” Zayn greeted once he saw his girlfriend walk through the apartment door after work. He was sitting in the chair with his feet kicked up on the table while he watched a movie.

“Hi,” Scarlett smiled as she set her keys and purse down on the counter, just like every day. She took her flats off and walked over to the chair. She leaned down and gave Zayn a kiss, before she pushed his messy, dark hair off of his forehead. “How was your day?”

“Good,” he nodded. “We did a few things for the band and got lunch, then I came back here because it was almost time for you to get home from work.”

Scarlett smiled, loving that Zayn always wanted to be home to greet her when she got home from her boring, long days at work. “Thank you.”

Zayn nodded again as he wrapped his arm around Scarlett’s waist and pulled her down on his lap. “So, what’s for dinner?”

Rolling her eyes, Scarlett looked at Zayn. “I was thinking we should order pizza tonight.”

“It’s one of those nights?” Zayn smirked. “Where we eat unhealthy, take-out in front of the TV like a couple of beggars who don’t have a kitchen table?”

“I think it’s romantic,” she trailed off, before pecking Zayn’s lips. “What do you say?”

“Whatever you want, love,” he said as he let out a sigh. “Just call the pizza place; you know what I like.”

+

That night, Scarlett climbed into bed next to Zayn and sighed quietly, knowing that she would have to bring the plane ticket up soon. She honestly didn’t want to wait until tomorrow because maybe if she told him right now he would be over it by the morning.

“Zayn,” Scarlett whispered, touching his arm.

“Hm?” Zayn replied as she felt him shift to face her. He kissed her cheek.

“I bought my plane ticket to go back home,” she said quietly, mentally thanking God that it was dark so she didn’t have to look Zayn in the eye or see his reaction.

“Oh,” he said, his tone clipped. “When are you leaving?”

“In six days,” she answered, her tone slow and cautious. “I called my mom and asked if that was okay and that was just about the latest I could get, Zayn.”

“Okay.”

Rolling her eyes, Scarlett turned her head towards Zayn. “Zayn, why can’t you just understand? My mom needs me; what do you want me to do?”

“I understand, Scarlett,” Zayn snapped. “I want you to tell your mum to come here because this is bullshit making you leave everyone and everything you have here. I’ve told you this before and I’m not saying it again.”

“Why are you getting so mad?” she asked, her voice a soft whisper. “I can’t help that this happened. We’ll be fine, Zayn. We made it through the time that we were apart after we first met.”

“We barely even knew each other,” he commented. “It’s going to be a lot harder now, Scar. Three years you’ve been here. And you want me to be perfectly okay with you leaving me when we have a steady relationship?”

“This isn’t all about you,” she stated. “I wish it wasn’t going to be like this, but you can’t keep putting me out because of it.”

“You’re going to let her walk all over you because she had a heart attack,” Zayn said rudely. “She’s going to hold you back from having a life here with me. She’s going to hold you back from your great job here. She’s going to hold you back from doing things you want to do in Ohio, I bet,” he sighed loudly. “Scar, I know she’s your mum and that she has been there for you, but she’s also put you down a lot. Remember when she said you and I were never going to make it? And when she said moving here would be a mistake for you? Remember that?”

“Yes,” Scarlett said, sighing softly. “I know.”

“And we made it, Scarlett,” he continued. “We made it three years, and now she’s holding you back from continuing your life.”

“I can’t help that my mom had a fucking heart attack, Zayn!” Scarlett exclaimed, not being able to contain her anger any longer. “It’s not her fault either, so stop getting on me about it! I know she said shit about us in the past, and it’s not like she hates you now and is doing this on purpose.”

“Take her side,” Zayn spat as he turned over on his side, his back toward Scarlett. “Whatever, Scar. Let her make you miserable. This is dropped and we’re done. Goodnight.”

And with that, Scarlett turned away from Zayn and shut her eyes.