A lot had happened all these days and Maya knew exactly what she had to do. She sent mails to various universities in London, planning to do the next semester there. Ignoring Harry and. Zayn was becoming easier as she just pretended they didn't exist. Harry always tried to talk when they met in the hallway but she never stopped. Zayn, had moved in with Louis. Their band had fallen apart because keeping Harry and Zayn together was impossible.

A lot of days had passed. All three of them were miserable. Louis and Lana were going out with each other and so were Liam and Merissa and somehow, it was all normal. Niall and Georgia were still fine and going pretty strong. Maya hadn't told anyone that she was planning to run away. That's what she always does when a situation is not like she wants it to be. Her friendship with Lana and Georgia was back on track. She was still okay with Niall, Liam and Louis but didn't hang out as much as they did before. Those three were already too preoccupied to bring their best friends back on good terms.

Maya was walking on the streets, minding her own business on a snowy evening in December. She had received acceptance from some colleges in London wasn't sure which one to pick. She gave her parents the excuse of how London brings more opportunities in future than Bradford. She told her sister the same thing but she wasn't convinced. Maya would've told her everything but she didn't want her little sister to know that she was such a huge screw-up.

She walked into a coffee shop as she was getting a little cold. She entered the warmth of the coffee shop. She remembered how she'd gone there before with all her friends and how Liam and Louis spilled coffee on each other during a light-hearted fight. She reminisced and smiled. She looked over to the counter and ordered her traditional French vanilla latte. She sat on a table for two alone with her coffee. She wondered how different things could've been if she hadn't ruined everything from the start. If she could just travel back in time and undo everything. Then maybe, maybe she'd be sitting on a table-for-two with Harry... She stopped at that thought. Harry was the thought that took her back into spiraling.

She shook her head to stop thinking about him. She sipped her latte and looked up. She saw Harry standing on the opposite side. He smiled weakly at her and she rubbed her eyes as she couldn't believe he was there.

"Hi," he said. "Hey," she pointed at the seat opposite hers. Harry sat down with his coffee in his hands. Maya knew he was drinking a hot chocolate, he always does.

"Maya, I think it's high time we talk this out," he said.

"About what Harry?" she looked weak and tired of all the drama.

"Everything Maya! Ignoring everything will not help anybody!"

"There's no point. Everything is ruined. Me and you, you and Zayn, your band, our short-lived friendship. Everything!" Maya burst out.

"Maya we can still fix the mess," he said, sensitively.

"Then you better start with your best friend and not the girl who ruined your friendship!"

"I've to talk to you first. It's important!"

"Why am I so important? I don't deserve this!" she retaliated.

"You deserve everything!" Harry passionatly declared, looking into her black eyes.

"And why is that? Just because we could trust each other for a while but then we realized that there's always gonna be a thing or two holding us back! You know what I think? I think that all this..."

"I love you, Maya!" Harry announced before she could finish. Maya was taken by surprise. She normally would've died to hear Harru say that but not now, not like this, not when everything was over.

"I'm done! I'm not ready for this. Hear yourself out Harry!"

"I know what I said and I meant every word of it!"

"It's too much... I can't... no way..." mumbling all that Maya ran out. Harry followed her but she took a cab and went off and Harry punched his fist in his hand, scared that he had ruined everything, again.

Maya hurried back home. She was too shocked after what happened. She sat on her bed and broke down. The tears rolled down her cheeks and she didn't even try to wipe them away. She tried to be strong but it was of no use. She couldn't think straight so she did what she wanted. She took out her phone and called her sister.

"Hey sis, what's up?" Manisha said as soon as she received the call. "Aren't you going to say something? Maya? Are you okay?" she was concerned but Maya couldn't compose herself. Even though she needed it at the moment, she'd never want her sister to know that she had become weak.

"M-Mani.. I..." she stammered as her voice was breaking. "You're making me worried. Just talk to me!" Manisha said from the other side.

"I screwed up..." Maya whispered and there was silence for a few moments.

"I knew something was wrong. Tell me everything," Manisha finally spoke and Maya told her the entire story, starting from her and Zayn's fling to eventually liking Harry to dating Zayn to cheating on him with Harry to breaking up Zayn to sleeping with Harry to ruining everything and running away.

"So much has happened and now you're telling me?! After everything is fucked!" Manisha exclaimed.

"He told me he loves me today," Maya squeaked.

"He told you what?!"

"Don't make me say it again," more tears left Maya's eyes.

"He loves you! For real! But do you?" she asked. Maya paused for a while.

"I..I.. I don't know. I'm confused..."

"Why are you running away from love, Maya?" Manisha's words hit Maya like a truck. Maya was indeed running away from the mere thought that she had fallen for Harry Styles. She didn't want to step up and own it. Rather she chose to be away and let the storm cool down in her absence.

"I don't know what else to do. He lost his best friend... for me.."

"It's not your fault. It could've been any other girl. If they had enough faith in their friendship then they wouldn't let a girl ruin it! It was all Zayn's ego and Harry's feelings' fault!" She did have a point and Maya agreed to it. Maya was wrong but she wasn't to be blamed only.

"Listen Maya, going away might reduce your guilt but that doesn't necessarily mean everything will be okay back there," Manisha's voice had softened.

"You're right. I need to make things right here before I go."

"Is going away really that necessary?"

"That'll make me feel better about myself. I can't believe my sixteen year old sister helped me solve the biggest shit of my life. But thanks sis."

"You're my best friend, Maya. Anytime. Bye," saying that Manisha hung up and Maya got up. She wiped all her tears away. She knew what to do.

"We gotta do something about those two!" Louis said. "But what?" Liam asked. This was at least the third time they said these exact same things while Niall kept thinking and thinking.

"Ni, whatcha thinking for so long? Say something!" Louis threw a cushion at him.

"I think I've a plan to get those two to become friends again!" Niall announced.

"Really? How?" Liam asked, interested.

"I've got a plan."

Niall called Harry and called him to meet him near a lakeside at sunset where the boys used to meet up sometimes. Liam called Zayn there too. Harry was sitting by the lake as Zayn walked there. Harry saw him and stood up.

"What are you doing here?" Zayn asked, harshly.

"Niall called me. What are you doing here?" asked Harry, returning the hostility.

"Liam called me. Those two idiots surely planned all this."

"They need to stop," Harry muttered and walked past Zayn. As soon as he was leaving, three guys wearing baggy jackets and gorilla masks popped out of the bushes. One of them held Zayn from the back with a knife held on his throat. Another pulled Harry by the hand and held a gun on his forehead.

"What do you want?" Harry asked as he raised his hands in the air.

"Give us all you have!" the one who wasn't holding anybody ordered. Zayn and Harry immediately gave them their phones and wallets.

"Hey..Jeff, check his pockets!" he told the one who was holding Harry hostage. "And Kip, check him!" said to the one with the knife.

The men searched their pockets. The one he had called Jeff brought out a locket from Harry's pocket. The locket had a wooden pendant dangling from it. Zayn recognised it. It was his gift to Harry on Harry 12th birthday as a symbol of their friendship. The words 'ZH BFFS' were inscribed on it. Harry had promised to wear it all the time but as he grew up it seemed a little kiddish so he promised to keep it with him whenever he missed Zayn.

Harry grabbed it from the man's hand quickly, "I can't give you this!"

"Why not? We're gonna take everything with us!" said the man holding him on gunpoint.

"I've given you everything. It's just a locket! Take whatever you want but not this !"

"For heaven's sake dude! That guy's got a gun!" Zayn shouted.

"I don't care. I've broken a lot of promises, I can't break another!" Harry looked at Zayn and he knew what he meant.

"I'm telling you. You don't have to. Just give it!"

"I can't. Not anymore. I'd rather die knowing that I didn't let you down... after all that I've done!"

"And I'd rather have my best friend alive than him dying for me!" Zayn shouted.

"Z, I... I can't... this means..everything..." Harry said as he clutched the locket close to his heart.

"Enough of your drama! This guy talks a lot. Shoot him Jeff!" the guy in the middle ordered and Jeff let go of Harry from the back and pushed him to the ground in front of him. He pointed the gun at Harry. Right when he was about to pull the trigger, Zayn pushed his captor with his elbow, swinging his hand that held the knife. He ran a few steps and jumped in front of Harry as the bullet was shot.

"ZAYN!!!" harry screamed as he leaped forward to pick Zayn up. He held Zayn up and was more shocked than he should've been. They both were.

"Dude, you just got shot!" Harry shouted.

"There's no fucking bullet!" Zayn shouted back, still on the floor, held by Harry. They looked at each other for a few seconds before their captors broke into laughter.

"Can't believe this worked!" said the one with the gun and they recognized the voice. Louis! They recognized the other two laughter. Liam and Niall!!

They removed their masks, still laughing. Harry got up and helped Zayn up. "What the fuck guys!" Zayn was the first to react.

"This was our best bet," Niall said.

"I almost thought I lost my best friend for good! This wasn't funny!" Harry was very serious and the laughing had stopped.

"And you were stupid enough to risk your life for a locket!" Zayn replied.

"It means something to me. You were stupid enough to take a bullet..."

"For you... and I'd do that whenever I've to," Zayn cut in and he looked at Harry intensely.

"I'm sorry Z," Harry whispered weakly.

"I'm sorry, H, you're my best friend," Zayn reciprocated the tone and the other three smiled warmly as Harry pulled Zayn into a hug. Those three also joined from behind them. They all separated after it was getting suffocating.

"So, this did work. Thank god!" Louis exclaimed.

"This was a scary ass plan guys!" Zayn remarked.

"At least you two apologized to each other and we're all best friends again," Niall said as they walked down the street.

"Yeah, but there's more I need to do," Zayn said, softly and all of them nodded as they knew what he was talking about.

End of chapter. So bad news, next chapter will be the last chapter so keep your eyes open to all possibilities. XoXo.