For Your Eyes Only, I Show You My Heart

Part Three

The bell rings and student stampede down the hallways, all headed to classes and lunch and places they shouldn't be, doing things they shouldn't be.

                         Zayn- 2:12 P.M.

For me it's lunch. I walk around and finally found the cafeteria.  I stand at the entrance staring into the vast sea of chattering students, looking around for a place to sit. But I don't see the boy who hit me with his motorcycle, or any of his friends.

Before I could take a step and hand on my shoulder turns me around.

I turn my head to meet eyes with a lanky, pink toned, ginger who had soft blue eyes. He sticks his hand out and shake it.

"Hello, I've noticed you're new. My name is Finneas O'Connell."

Finneas.
Finneas.
Finneas.

Finneas O'Connell.
What a fitting name.

My thoughts are racing rapidly through my head and my social anxiety has my heart pounding nearly out of my chest.

"Oh em....hi. I'm Zayn Malik. I'm new, yeah." I stutter bluntly, but he flashes a kind smile.

"Well Zayn, it's a pleasure to meet you. How's your first day gone? Made any new mates?"

My mind goes straight to the handsome blonde boy, and his friends too. But I don't really know them so I advise myself not to bring them up.

"No, not really..." I trail off, deep in thought.

"Great! Well uhhh...not great. I'm just happy to be your first friend. Wait no. I mean it's great that we're friends now....not that I'm implying we're friends...unless you want to be? Sorry." His ears quickly match his hair, turning a fierce red.

I laugh to make him feel a little less embarrassed. He joins in too, probably very relieved that I didn't make it any more uncomfortable.

"It's alright, we are friends now." I reassure him with a gentle pat on his shoulder.

"Alright well the food here is crappy, we should head to Orville's while we have time."

"Orville's?" I raise an eyebrow. I've never heard of that place.
He doesn't say anything, he just leads the way.

We arrive at a small, inviting diner. Teens sat at green wooden table spread around the checkered floors, chattering amongst themselves. It's slightly busy, but not packed. Must be a somewhat popular lunch spot. A really nice place if I do say so myself. An old man stands at the counter.  Tall, lanky, maybe in his late 60s, short brown curls turning silver, dark brown deep set eyes, I assume this is Orville.  He waves.

"Good evening Finneas! And who's this? I've yet to see him around town or in me shop?" he gestures his hand towards me.
"This is Zayn Malik, he's new." I say hello and wave. 

"Welcome ta Orville's, Zayn!!" he cheers, in his deep Scottish accent.

"Thanks" i smile shyly.

I look at the menu in delight.

"You should try the burger, first time favorite." a familiar thick Irish accent remarked.               I examine the menu for a moment longer before look up.

The blonde one, Niall, stands next to me.  My gaze goes to a small couch, where his friends are sat, and then back into his ocean blue eyes.  No wonder the lot of them weren't in the mess hall. 
I nod slightly and hum.

"Yeah...i'll have that then." I mumble.

Orville nods and heads to the back so Finneas and I go sit down at an empty table that just so happened to be next to the couch the four boys were sitting at.

Our food arrives and we start eating.

"Zayn, mate!" the curly haired one exclaims next to us. Good to see you have all your limbs attached after what damage Nialler over here caused."

"Thankfully" I titter a bit. I look up at Finneas who looked a mix of concerned and confused. I give him a 'don't worry about it' look and he nods slowly.

"You know Harry's throwing a party tomorrow night, you should come. You as well Finneas." the chocolatey-brown eyed one speaks up behind him.

The other three exchange glances and snicker and whisper amongst themselves.
Finneas' ears turn red again. I didn't know what exactly to think of this but I shrug it off.

"I'll check my plans then." I utter. They all nod and we exchange numbers.

Finneas and I finish eating our food.
We leave the diner and I turn to him. I open my mouth to speak but rather decide to keep mum about what happened in the diner. I don't know what it was about but I could tell he didn't want me to know the part of him that reddens his ears when mentioned either.

Now all I could give thought to was the party and Niall. And that Niall would be at the party.

A/N: Filler chapter as an excuse to meet Finneas and set the tone of the next chapter and bring attention to something we'll understand later.

I hate you all equally,

Nikki 💜