No Matter What // Zayn Malik

Chapter 27

I have no idea how long this story will be. I'm just writing for as much as I can, because I can. c:

and i'm writing at 11 p.m. because i can so yeah, enjoy :)

Chapter Twenty Seven

"Y-You did not." I stared at Zayn's arm as we stood at my locker. Ahh, the perks of being Josh Devine's sister. The lads had a concert tonight and no one could pick me up so I got to leave school early. Finally away from this hell hole full of people I couldn't stand. This morning I couldn't get past some perverts in my History class.

High school was a war zone. Take a wrong step, and you're dead. Talk to the wrong person, and you're dead. Make eye contact with a teacher you hate and you both know the feelings are mutual, you're dead and probably go home with double the homework.

I'd been in detention for three days straight for "talking back" even though I was just answering a question and it wasn't that bad actually. It was funny watching the guys continuously slip Mr. Ross twenties. The class clowns and the students that teachers said "would be frowned upon by soceity" were in there which obviously meant trouble. Trouble meant fun and detention felt like a secret club or something. If you risk getting in trouble and an earful from your parents, you get a whole hour with some of the funniest people in the school.

I'd also gotten a job to start paying for a car because I refused to use any of my brother's money or Zayn's so a night out with the boys sounded like complete paradise.

"I did." Zayn smiled cheekily up at me. His hair was all messy, his voice was a little rough and it reminded me of the morning I spent at his house over the weekend.

I remember we were tangled up under the sheets and I'd just woken up. His hair was all scruffy and his arm was around my waist. I begged him to make me a coffee and I knew he was tired but he got up, mumbling "Sure, babe" and grumbled off to make me some. It was getting too quiet down there so eventually I got up and met him downstairs. He got us some breakfast too and we sat in front of the TV together, watching some stupid show as I begged him to help me with homework before I had to go home. He'd bitten his lip in frustration as he tried to recall the math I was doing which felt like ages ago to him. He was so cute when he slipped on his glasses and pulled the classic, "Mind if we share a book?" just to get a little closer to me.

Yeah. I didn't finish any of my homework that day.

"You're an idiot, you know that right?" I slammed my locker after shoving my books into my bag making it weigh eighty more pounds. Stupid Calculus. Nobody cares about the Quadratic Formula.

On the last day of school, I promised myself I'd burn my books page by page and make s'mores over them. Josh did that when he graduated. He lit firecrackers with all his buddies, and I'd never laughed so hard with Ben. Mum got mad but Dad got her to loosen up.

"I'm not an idiot." He pouted and I rolled my eyes at my boyfriend.

"Hold this." I shoved my bag into his hands and with a groan he slung my bag over his shoulder. "I know you've been hitting the gym with Harry. Don't complain." I smiled a little as he chuckled.

"Nothing gets past you, huh?"

"Funny how the deaf girl always knows what's up." I smirked to myself as we walked into the office so he could sign me out. "Hey, at least it's not a Victoria Secret bag!"

"Those are the worst." He groaned making me laugh.

"They totally show off how manly you are to thousands of strangers at those big malls." We both laughed and Zayn kissed my head, little hairs from his beard tickling me a little.

"Your brother already called and signed you out, sweetie. You two have a nice day." The secretary said in a way too peppy tone as Zayn dropped the pen to fill out the slip on a clipboard nearby. We both glanced at each other for a second, shrugged, then started to go. The secretary popped her gum, giving us both mean looks, then quickly typed away with her fake nails.

"Okay then. Thanks." I tried to smile politely and walked out with Zayn into the parking lot. I took a glance at his wrist, still not believing what he'd done.

I was angry. I was upset. He didn't have to do that. He probably shouldn't have done that at all.

"You're stupid! Zayn, really? Why would you do that?" I stopped right before he could unlock his car door and he gave me a funny look.

"I thought you'd like it." He looked taken back now as I stood on the sidewalk, arms crossed.

Zayn's eyebrows were furrowed together and he hesitantly walked towards me, still holding my heavy girly backpack with no shame. His brown eyes turned soft and he leaned against his edgy black car that matched his personality. He shoved a hand into his pocket - the one hand he'd ruined. His shirt was just shy of showing off his toned chest as a dog tag dangled from his neck.

I bit my lip, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. Silently, I grabbed his right wrist.

The one that said Olivia on it in beautiful cursive.

"Z-Zayn, if something was to happen between us this would - "

"Don't worry. I plan on keeping you. For as long as I possibly can."

I slowly met his tender eyes, loosening my grip a bit on his freshly tattooed wrist I secretly loved so much.

"They never stay long, Zayn. Never."

"It's different this time. Promise."