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After rumors circulated that Zayn was cheating on his fiancée Perrie Edwards while on tour, he ditched and went home to address his relationship probs and make things right. At the time, we thought Zayn's absence was just temporary while he recovered from stress, but now it seems like a permanent change.

"My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined," Zayn shared on the band's Facebook page. "But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band. I'd like to apologise to the fans if I've let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart. I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world." 

Though the rest of 1D were sad to see him go, they wrote, "We totally respect his decision and send him all our love for the future. The past five years have been beyond amazing, we've gone through so much together, so we will always be friends. The four of us will now continue. We're looking forward to recording the new album and seeing all the fans on the next stage of the world tour." 

We just can't believe it – will 1D even be the same without Zayn? We know the four of them will still rock it like no other, but there will always be something missing to us. 

How did you react when you found out about Zayn's news? Are you as totally heartbroken as we are? Share your thoughts (and tissues) in the comments below.  

by Chelsea Duff | 2/1/2016