red hair and a blue hoodie // ed sheeran

Chapter 9 - Presents, Friends and Potential Dates

ZO'S POV:

The tears I had cried had dried. How could I cry with Ed in the same room? While his head was facing the opposite direction, I took the opportunity to look at him, like really look at him. I watched his chest rise and fall with each passing breath and I took in his features. I took in the way he draped his left arm over his stomach and how his index finger on that hand would twitch at random occasions. I took in the fact that he clearly wasn’t fussed with fashion, sporting black track pants and a simple navy blue t-shirt that hugged his shape.

I took in his tattoos from the puzzle pieces and dream time creatures on his forearm all the way up to Pingu and the small part I could see of the Heinz ketchup bottle closer to his shoulder. He really was a beautiful creation. The silence that surrounded us wasn’t awkward at all, well, at least not to me. It was calming to know that I could just sit on my bed with a friend, let alone Ed Sheeran, and just enjoy the simple beauty that was silence. We stayed like that for a few minutes. Me sitting at the head of the bed with my legs crossed in my signature position and Ed with his head hanging off the end of the bed. Then after a while, he took a deep breath, exhaled and pushed himself up so he was sitting facing me.

“Well this has been a perfect day but I should be getting home.” He gave a genuine smile and went to get  off the bed. “Wanna meet up tomorrow for breakfast?” He asked, looking down at me, once he had stood up.

“Someone is keen.” I said laughing. “Jeez Ed… a girl needs her personal space!” I said mockingly, exaggerating a bit by motioning to an imaginary circle around me. He laughed and started walking to the door of my bedroom. I decided to stand to and walk him to the apartment door.

“Fine then,” He said with his hands in the air, mocking defeat. “Can I have your number at least?”

Well this suddenly became awkward. “I don’t… I don’t own a phone.” I said with uncertainty in my voice. He chuckled deep in his throat.

“I’m sorry but I thought you said you didn’t have a phone. Wanna run that last one by me again?” He said. Was he kidding around?

“You heard right Sheeran. I don’t own a phone.”

“Well then guess what is happening tomorrow.”

“What?”

“You are going to find a present at your door.” He replied with a smug smile. By this point we had reached my door.

“No way. Nope. You are not buying me a phone. I won’t accept it.”

“Well that’s just too bad my dear.” He stepped out of my apartment and I leant on my door frame. “Now I bid thee adieu until our next meeting.” He bowed at the waist all formally and I couldn’t help but giggle. He stood up with a grin on his face and turned around to his apartment, throwing me a small wave before closing the door. I raised my hand, waving back. Smiling to myself, I closed the door. I started to walk away but not as soon as I got several steps away from the wooden plank, a hard fist started knocking against it.

“Coming!” I yelled out. I turned on my heel and headed for the door again, twisting the knob to reveal my overly excited best friend, Sierra. Her straight brown hair was resting over her shoulder, always looking so effortlessly perfect and her brown almond eyes, as usual, were filled with the happiness that could only be found inside her beautiful self. But this time there was more than the usual amount. She pushed past me and dove onto my couch, throwing her bag against the wall having done so many times before.

“Oh my gosh Zo sit down we need to talk!”

“Yep sure… Make yourself at home…” I muttered to myself.