stars and terrain (zayn malik)

Chapter 10

Zayn

When she says dark dive bar, she means it. We’ve tucked ourselves into a back corner booth of a seedy little place off of Hollywood and I wonder if I like the idea of her here by herself. 

She makes sure to guide me to the side of the booth I won’t be spotted in, sliding in the space across from me. A bartender comes over almost instantly. 

“Hey Charlie! You haven’t been around in a while!” he seems a little too happy to see her and my mind drives me crazy making me wonder if they’ve dated or something. He’s not very attractive, but how do I know her type? I don’t even know if I’m her usual cup of tea.

She orders for us, and I know she’s trying to keep attention on herself and protect me from the inevitable hums and chatter if someone spots me, but I also want this guy to know she’s here with me.

So I act like a Neanderthal and reach across to put my hand over the top of hers on the table. This gets the guy’s attention, he glances over and his eyes widen once his brain connects the familiarity of my face. 

I see it happen a lot, usually I hate it, but this time I smirk. I want him to know she’s spoken for.

She narrows her eyes at me but doesn’t move her hand.

“Josh, this is...” She doesn’t say my name. Is she wondering if she should say boyfriend?

I want her to say boyfriend.

But maybe she isn’t sure if she should say my real name. 

I rectify the situation.

“Zayn,” I reach my free hand out.

“Nice to meet you, man,” he recovers from the initial surprise. “So two rum and cokes, coming up.”

He finally leaves and she eyes me skeptically, sliding her hand back out from underneath mine.

“What was that about?”

“Is he your ex-boyfriend or something?” I ask, glancing back and forth.

“What?” she looks annoyed.

“Did you guys date? He just seems really happy to see you and he gets to call you Charlie…”

“No. I’ve never even had a boyfriend before,” she cuts me off, spitting out the information quickly before looking down.

Her cheeks are reddening and I almost think the information makes her think she should be ashamed.

It shouldn’t. It continues the labyrinth of Charlotte and makes more sense of the strange innocent streaks. But it has also rendered me speechless.

“Say something,” she prods, after Josh has dropped off our drinks and scampered away under my warning gaze.

I can’t.

I didn’t think I could get any more infatuated with the brunette across the table but that declaration did me in. She's so beautiful and so cool and collected all the time that I just assumed she'd had tons of boyfriends. 

I watch her raise her drink to her mouth and try to think of the right thing to say.

“Say something, please,” she looks worried. Probably because it seems like the idiot across from her has gone mute.

The problem is I don’t really want to say anything. I want to kiss her. I gesture for her to join me on my side of the booth and she slowly acquiesces.

“Okay say something n-” I cut her off by grabbing her chin and lifting her lips to mine. I go slowly, soft, and I can tell it takes her a few seconds of wondering if she should before she gives in. But once she does, she relaxes into me and runs her hands up and down my sides, because I know she’s trying to be discreet as possible and I love her for it.

Like her for it. 

No. I was right the first time.

 I love her.

She eventually pulls away and smiles. “That happy you don’t have to compete with Josh, huh?”

“Happy I don’t have to compete with anyone,” I say, honestly. I know how serious my expression must read, but it’s true. 

If I get what I want, which is Charlotte, all of the time, I don’t want to have to worry about exes sneaking in and offering her a simple, quiet, normal life.

It’s her turn to answer with a kiss, so she closes the gap and I marvel at how no one has scooped this beautiful girl up before me. I have a feeling it’s now past midnight and there is no way I would rather ring in my birthday.