nebula :: [malik]

[ xi :: drinking ]

Well, I'm sorry that I'm calling

I've been drinking all these words out my mouth

And I'll probably say some shit that you probably got me saying right now

Thinking out loud.

- "I've Been Drinking" || Prelow

_________

"Should I just assume that this is the only place you'll ever take me?"

Zayn looks to her and grins sheepishly. "I figured we could both use a drink."

Anais nods.

Zayn smirks, his face highlighted beneath the colorful lights of the club. The music is blaring and the small space is shaking, it seems. Anais' eye keep darting towards the dance floor, because they've just begun playing an uptempo Caribbean song and now she's itching to wine.

"Anais?"

She turns to him. "What?"

The music is so loud she can barely hear, so Zayn has to lean, his lips beside her ear.

"Follow me, okay?"

Anais licks her lips, nodding as he turns to guide her through the crowded night club.

He leads her to the bar.

It's a Friday night, so of course the place is packed.

"What're you drinking?"

Anais shrugs. "I'll have whatever you will."

"Y'sure?" Zayn asks, eyebrows raised.

"I mean, Jesus," she scoffs. "I'm no lightweight. What are you drinking, absinthe?"

He grins cockily. "Close."

Zayn orders the house special. It's called, 'Sting' and after two drinks, Anais has had more than enough.

It's hilarious, thinks Zayn, because she must have completely forgotten that she also drank before the party and now, with two more drinks, she's absolutely finished.

"So," she grins, leaning against both him and the bar, "You come here often?"

He laughs. "Shouldn't I be asking you that question? Or-"

"Or, what?"

"Or are you trying to hit on me?" He asks.

"Pssh," she slurs, "In your dreams, Malik."

He laughs, bringing the rim of his glass to his lips. Inebriated Anais is his favorite, he's decided, but he's also had two Sting's as well and so maybe that's just the alcohol that's decided for him.

"I feel like we're on some like, corny date in the movies, or some shitty teen show."

He raises a brow. "This is a date?"

"I mean-"

"Because like," he grins, "I don't recall you asking me out, Mali."

She leans towards him, tapping her chin. "You know, I don't quite recall that, either."

He grins. "And I don't quite remember saying 'yes.'"

"Would you've?"

He lifts a brow. "Would I've done what?"

"Said 'yes,'" she continues, eyes deep and dark. "Would you've said 'yes,' Zayn?"

He wants her to say it. "If you'd done what?"

She smirks. She's leaning closer to him. Her eyelids are low and her voice is thick. "If I'd been ballsy and asked you out."

Zayn licks his lip. "Feel like I should be the one doing the asking."

Anais hums. "Why don't you, then?"

And Zayn does not miss the smirk on her face.

Is she serious?

Does she mean it?

If she does, does she like him?

Or is that just the Sting.

But, the moment passes, and with it, his opportunity to ask.

"We should dance!"

Zayn shakes his head, "I don't dance."

"Zayn!"

He grins in obvious amusement. "Anais."

"You take a girl to a nightclub to dance. You take her to a bar to drink."

"We're at a bar!"

Anais laughs aloud. "In a nightclub!" And she rises to her feet. "You're silly. C'mon, let's go!"

"Anais, no. Realy, like, I can't dance."

"Of course you can. C'mon, Malik, just..." She takes his hands and guides him from his stool. "Just follow me and you'll be fine."

"Anais I-"

"C'mon, Zayn. Don't tell me the bad boy is afraid of the dance floor."

He groans and she giggles.

Eyes narrowed, zeroed on hers, Zayn takes his drink from the bar and downs it.

Anais grins. "See, I knew you could do it," she says, taking his hand and guiding him towards the floor.

The deejay's playing Chris Brown and Anais immediately finds the beat. "There are worse things than dancing with me," she jokes, offering Zayn a small smile.

"If I didn't know any better," he smirks, "I'd say you were flirting with me."

"Me?" She asks, taking both of his hands and placing them on her hips. She grinds against him. "Flirting is for dates, Zayn."

He moans against the pressure. "This must be a date, then."

Anais only grins, feeling him press himself tighter to her body-feeling him move with her, against her. She's dancing and she's enjoying herself. She's feeling the beat and the alcohol and she's moving fluidly with the sounds in the speakers. It's the first time in a while that she's gone out and danced and let herself relax and had a good time. It's the first time in a while she's had a reason -that wasn't forced upon her -to enjoy herself.

And she dances against Zayn and he stares down her body. She moves so easily, and his eyes are fixated on the exposed skin between her jaw and her shoulder. His grip on her waist tightens, face falling into that perfect crook of her neck.

And it's only an hour later that Anais stands and turns and pouts because the club is closing and she had a great time that shouldn't be ending.

"See?" She grins as he places her coat over her shoulders. "Not so bad, right?"

Zayn stares at her lips.

"Zayn?"

"Yeah," his eyes raise to her own. He nods. "That wasn't so bad."

"You're welcome, then," she kids.

He'd really like to kiss her.

He doesn't.

He smiles instead.

"Yeah, uh...thank you."

-~*~-

Guys this story makes me happy. Also, I'm hella hype for this next chapter because this lil relationship here is progressing BE EXCITED.

Thank you all for being patient as you waited for me to finish up my sheiiit and actually give you an update. xx Vomment because I love hearing your reactions to this story they make me real happy.