Pretend It's Ok

She had awoken fully this time. Melinda was unaware of what had happened. Only bits and pieces of the incident. Zayn sat beside her refusing to leave her no matter what. That is, unless she went into to the bathroom. Zayn insisted that he went in with her just in case she fainted or something, but she yelled at him telling him she needed personal space.

Melinda was happy that things between her and Zayn were finally coming around. Her and him were returning back to normal if not, stronger. It felt as though she was getting to know someone all over again. In a way, that's what it had been.

Zayn needed to rekindle his relationship with not only his wife, but god and himself. He lost himself for a bit during all the hectic stress. Everything had been becoming bigger and bigger, but thankfully he snapped back into reality - even if it was kind of late.

Better late than never.

"I'm about three minutes away...", Niall's Irish accent echoed from Zayn's phone. "Meet me at the main entrance."

When it came down to the boys, Zayn always counted on Niall. Niall had always been there for him throughout everything - the marital problems to be specific.



*The Night of The Argument*

"Niall!", Zayn knocked harder and harder each time. "Niall you Irish..."

"Finish that sentence...", his groggy voice rang into the empty air.

Zayn's eyes widened a bit and gulped loudly. "Irish sex kitten.", he pinched the pale-skinned boy's cheek. "Is it okay if I crash here?", Zayn walked in with no invitation.

"Um...sure, but...", Niall stood with the door still open in confusion as he stared out into the hall. "Don't you have a flat of your own?", he turned around closing the door behind him.

"Yeah I can't be there at the moment.", Zayn plopped down onto the couch in Niall's living room. "Got into it with the Mrs.", he grabbed for a beer only for Niall to snatch it from him.

Zayn's eyes widened up at him in anger. "You're Muslim...remember?", he wiggled the can in his hands.

"And you're Christian!", he protested trying to get it back only for it to be a fail.

"No. I'm Irish!", Niall chugged the last bit of the alcohol. Zayn rolled his eyes at him turning his face towards the TV. He grabbed for the remote only for Niall to turn it off. "Lad, now you know that I love your company, but what happened?"

Zayn sighed roughly dropping the remote next to him, "She went on about me not paying attention to her and all that shit women complain about."

"Hmmm.", Niall paced back in forth in thought. "That doesn't sound like your wife, Zayn. There's gotta be more to the story!"

Zayn furrowed his eyebrows with an angered irritated expression. He turned his face away from Niall shaking his head to himself another sigh escaping his lips. "God..."

"Talk to me, Zayn...", he walked over to Zayn sitting on his coffee table. "Tell me what happened?"

Zayn's head lifted but gaze remained on the ground, "I got home late like usual. I noticed that she had been sleeping on the couch or she was trying to." He looked up at Niall seeking some kind of help knowing that he was wrong, "She offered me dinner nicely and I could see that she had finished cleaning and tried making the night romantic."

"Mhmmm.", Niall urged him to continue. He knew this was going to end the way he expected.

"I was getting annoyed because she was persistent on feeding me and told me something about her waiting on me. She kept blowing up my phone that day and it was really annoying.", Zayn nodded his head remembering everything word for word...in his perspective. "I just wanted to sleep, but she kept pushing me and pushing me. So I yelled at her. We argued and finally at the end...", he took a deep breath. "...she kicked me out. I forgot that it had been our first year anniversary."

"Yeesh, man...", Niall rubbed his hands against his thighs. "That's not good at all."

"Tell me something I don't know.", Zayn leaned back running his fingers into his jet black hair.

"Bro, maybe you should let her cool down and then go back to her.", Niall was now sitting beside him. "Marriage is always going to be difficult but you have to understand that this girl isn't just any girl. She's not a girlfriend or one night stand that you can just get rid of. This girl...", he coughed correcting himself. "This woman is going to be the mother of your children hopefully and your wife. She's your soul mate and best friend as far as I'm concerned. You have to keep her close to you. Closer than anyone else in your life.", Niall broke into Zayn feeding him the truth about life. Zayn admired Niall's realistic advice. He never did sugarcoat a word

"Its just hard you know...", Zayn huffed.

"If life was easy, it would be boring.", Niall quirked an eyebrow speaking from experience. "You have to go through trials and tribulations before you can reach happiness."





Zayn held her close to him as they walked down the halls with her discharge papers in hand. She had her head resting in his chest with Zayn's arm around her holding her close. This feeling and grip he had was different from before. This time it felt like security. He refused to let another thing come near her and harm her. Zayn gulped as he looked down at her remembering everything that had occurred this past month. What a mess.

It had been two days since the anxiety attack and Zayn wasn't going to forgive himself so easily. He actually believed he wouldn't be able to even if Melinda already had. His grip on her tightened as they clashed with the autumn chilly air. Zayn stopped where outside the hospital doors putting his beanie and scarf that he carried in his bag and placed on her head and around her neck. Melinda sent him a innocent smirk thanking him silently.

Zayn hadn't noticed that he was staring at her. He gazed into her eyes happiness and content seeped through them. He felt surges run up and down his spine at the radiance from her gaze. Zayn lifted his hand to her face cupping it softly. He ran his thumb along the bottom of her lip tracing her smile returning it to her. No one could understand how their relationship. Zayn and Melinda spoke without speaking which was the loudest noise in Zayn's world.

Melinda hid her face from him as a tinge of red crept on her face. She turned her face from him continuing to grin. Zayn turned her around gently causing Melinda to roll her eyes giggling. He pulled her in holding her tighter than he had ever before. Melinda snaked her hands around his waist sinking into him. Zayn's jacket acted as her own curtain. The smell of Zayn filled her nose. She inhaled his scent as it filled her senses with memories. She refused to leave him. Her heart beat could be felt against his and Zayn pulled her away slightly out of fear that maybe she was having another attack. Melinda's expression was alarmed when she seen that Zayn stared down at her worried.

She smiled up at him, "It's ok..." Her voice was still raspy.

Zayn looked into her eyes counting the specs of gold that glittered in the autumn sun, "I'm sorry..." He planted a kiss on her forehead sealing the gift of guilt and repent.

A black SUV pulled up in front of them. Melinda guessed that it was for them as they walked over to it. The paps hadn't been outside seeing as they were all escorted by security. Melinda walked in first followed by Zayn.

"BOYOOOO", Niall cheered from the passenger seat. "Welcome back, Melinda.", he nodded towards her with a grin.

"Thanks Niall.", she returned the smile curling up to Zayn. Zayn reacted with an arm around her.

"So...how ya feelin'?", his Irish accent filled the car.

"I'm good...", she yawned croaking a bit. "Better than before. How are you?"

"I'm rather good! Finally happy to see the two of you together again.", Niall winked at Zayn with a friendly smirk. "The best couple I've seen thus far besides me and Demi of course."

Zayn laughed hitting Niall on the arm playfully, "Get over yourself."

"Okay okay!", Niall rolled his eyes chuckling. He took out his phone staring at the laughing couple, "How about one for Twitter and Instagram? The fans have been dying to know if you're okay, Mindy."

Melinda gasped with her hand on her chest, "Oh my gosh. Awww." She looked up at Zayn from under her long curly lashes, "Let's take one...for the fans."

Zayn smiled feebly at her nodding in agreement, "Anything for the fans..."

"Alrighty!!", Niall pressed a few things on his phone screen taking out the camera app. "Get closer to each other.", Niall positioned the lens and filter.

Zayn didn't need any type of instructions. He held Melinda closely to him with the biggest grin on his face. Melinda held onto his arms as her back faced his chest. The smiles on their faces had even Niall tearing. The happiness and gratefulness that radiated off the couple sent shivers down his spine. Niall tapped his screen capturing the beautiful moment.

@NiallOffical: Finally good ta see ya man @zaynmalik and @MindyKapoor looking as beautiful as always!!

"I love you.", Zayn whispered into her hair. The feeling of her scent drove him wild. He had missed the feeling of her so close to him. Zayn closed his eyes taking in the smell of the fruit and floral mixture in her hair. He could tell that she was just comfortable as he was.She turned to him moving her legs on his lap to get into a more comfortable position so that she could rest for their trip back to the flat. Melinda's head was in the crook of his neck. She tickled his neck with her breath. She could feel him shiver underneath her as she smirked. "I love you.", Melinda whispered back to him holding his arms tighter to her.
"And I'm still here...", Niall pouted. "I'm calling Demi. This isn't fair." He took out his phone ignoring the teasing Zayn had been doing and the laughing from Melinda. "Hello? Baby! HI", he screamed into the receiver. "I LOVE YOU!", he said louder.
"Niall, shut up! You're so loud!", Zayn heard Demi say from the other end causing him and wife to erupt into a fit of laughter. "Tell Zayn I said hi and that he can kiss my ass. Tell Melinda I hope she feels better!! Oh and Niall...", she eased her chuckling to a more quieter voice.
"Yes, love." Niall would never admit to it but he was very whipped on her.
"I love you too."




Zayn got back to the flat with Melinda and Niall had gone back to his. He walked her up the steps making sure she got to her - their - room safely. Zayn went to the kitchen to quickly grab some water for her to drink. Zayn seen that Melinda had gotten tired from the stairs and decided it was best to carry her the rest of the way to their room.
Getting into the room, Zayn noticed that Melinda had been staring at him. He gazed down at her as he gently placed her down. Melinda still had her arms around his neck. Her eyes were locked onto him and she refused to glance in any other direction. Zayn could hint what she wanted, but felt it was too soon for any of that. Zayn kissed her forehead, but guessed it wasn't enough. Melinda pulled him in by his neck placing a kiss onto his lips.
Zayn at first was surprised by her random gesture. He closed his eyes taking her in. He missed this feelig in particular. He slipped his tongue into her mouth feeling every inch of it. Zayn took in everything she gave to him and he wanted each second to last longer than the first. Melinda's pulse quickened as the intensity of their hunger for one another increased. He refused to move from his spot now. Zayn continued kissing her lightly and passionately while shifting his body next to Melinda's. She was underneath him with her hands cupping his face feelign on the thick beard that covered his skin.
She could feel him pur and grunt under her touch. His hands caressed and felt every inch of her. Melinda could feel his emotions through his hands as goosebumps formed onto her arms. Her hands seeped into his black hair massaging his scalp as their lips gently moved against each other.
Melinda felt the cold air cover her supple swollen lips. She bit her bottom lip catching her breath, "I've been wanting to do that since I noticed this..." Melinda felt the messy rugged beard on her husband's chisled jaw.
"I was trying to be polite and wait for you to fully recover...", Zayn whispered with his lips only inches away from her's. He wasn't going to sleep with her so soon. He wasn't planning on it even if his pants were tighter at this moment. "You're making it very hard...", he looked at her swollen lips that were begging him to be bitten. "...literally."
Melinda smirked into him kissing him lightly, "I know..."

Notes