how to love // z. m.

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Two

"Hey, Toni."

Those two words that just came out of Zayn Malik's mouth, not to mention in my apartment, in front of my little sister Macy, caused my heart to halt to a complete stop and freeze that way.

I allowed my lips to curl into a tight smile as I threw my ring of keys onto the table and walked over to the fridge, opening it up. I grabbed a Fuze drink, Peach Mango flavoured, and took the cap off. I took a big swig of it, chugging about a third of the bottle down.

I sighed and spun the bottle between my hands as I walked past him and my starry-eyed sister over to the couch. I picked up a random book on the coffee stand --- probably Mikaela's. She's the only one in this family that actually reads books in her spare time. --- and a pair of thick-rimmed reading glasses that I didn't need but had bought a few months back before I'd even met Zayn and the boys for a little plan I'd conducted that had to do with a llama, a hat with a feather, and a local library in New Jersey.

I nearly got arrested for that stunt, but the officer was one of Andy's many exes, so I got off the hook.

I don't even know how she did it, but since Andy was sixteen, she'd always said she wanted to have an ex boyfriend from every state in America, and that quirky plan of hers --- that she'd succeeded more than well enough, I might add --- has come in handy countless times. Especially with the jobs that these guys choose.

Seriously.

I know two pilots, an astronaut, a sailor, three farmers, two cowboys, a surfer, a gay guy --- who didn't know his interests back with Andy, but now he is in a happy relationship with a Hollister model. He's also the coolest guy you'll ever meet. --- a zoo manager, and a male stripper.

Yeah, just like in Magic Mike.

I also know many other types of guys, but that would be too boring of a list, I'd assume.

I brought the reading glasses down to the rim of my nose and started to scan over the words on the yellowed page, but the moment I saw 'sexual frustration' and 'growing lump' in the same line, I jumped back, dropping the book on the floor.

I whipped the glasses off my face and onto the coffee table, then curled up into a ball on the couch.

Of course Mikaela is the type to read steamy romance novels.

"Okay, Macy, I know you're trying to be polite and hold it in, but all you're going to do is burst." I raised an eyebrow and looked up at my sister, whose face was beet red. "Scream."

Not a second after I gave her permission did she release a blood-curdling fan-girl scream worthy of applause.

I closed my eyes and covered my ears, piercing my lips tightly together. The scream slowly slowed down, and that's when I opened an eye and looked at Zayn, who was doing about the same things as I was.

"Why didn't you tell me that these past few months you've been best friends with Zayn Malik?" she rambled. "Zayn Malik. Zayn Malik. ZAYN MALIK. MY SISTER IS BEST FRIENDS WITH ZAYN MALIK. Oh my God, I can't wait to tell Katia... She's going to freak. Oh my God, Zayn... Toni, no, Zayn... Zayn, can you introduce me to Harry? He's single, right? No secret relationships? 'Cause, you know there's rumours... Wait! If he meets me, he'll fall for me, right? Zayn, you know him. Am I his type? Wait, my sister is best friends with Zayn. So she probably knows Harry, too! Toni, do you know Harry? Am I his type? Oh, well, I'll make myself be his type. Oh my God, my sister is best friends with ZAYN MALIK of ONE DIRECTION!"

"...Done now?" I raised an eyebrow at her and she blushed.

She shook her head. "Oh, Toni. You can't even believe the shock I had when I was just casually on tumblr, reading One Direction Imagines, you know. And then someone knocked on the door, and I figured it might've been you coming back from your date and you forgot your keys, or it was Addison, and so I just casually walked over there, and opened the door. But to my complete and utter surprise, Zayn Malik of One Direction was standing there! And then he came inside and asked if you were here because he needed to talk to you and that you two were best friends and... Oh my God. Toni. You are best friends with Zayn Malik. Of One Direction. How could you hide this from me?"

"Now?" I sighed, standing up, careful not to touch the book that was still laying at my feet.

"No..." she smiled, but then I gave her a stern look and she sighed. "I guess. For now."

"Good." I looked over at Zayn. "You know you're not supposed to be here, right...?"

Zayn bit his lip and looked away, but Macy gasped and grabbed my arm tightly.

"You did not just say that to Zayn Malik," she hissed at me. I rolled my eyes and chuckled, then put my hands on my hips and turned to her.

"You do know that Zayn is just a normal guy, right?" But judging by the continuous look glued on Macy's face, she didn't know that. Or at least she didn't care. She just knew that he was a famous singer that she idolized over, who also happened to be highly attractive physically.

I sighed, nodding. "Well, then. I think it's time that you go to bed, Macy. School tomorrow."

"But Zayn Malik is in the same apartment as me right now!" she gasped. "How am I supposed to go to sleep knowing he's here?"

"Then..." I bit my lip. "We'll go for a walk and talk about whatever he wants to talk about. Because this certainly isn't a just-'cause visit. And besides, the sooner you go to sleep, the sooner you'll wake up for school and get to brag all about Zayn, okay?"

This suited Macy because she nodded, gave Zayn a huge hug, and then scurried off to her bedroom.

I didn't say anything once Zayn and I were alone, and I didn't expect him to say anything, either. I just made sure I had my phone and keys with me, and then I walked out the door, hearing Zayn follow closely behind.

We walked in silence once we got out to the street, honking cars blaring every five seconds, so even if we did want to talk, we'd have to either ignore that, or we'd have to deal with getting interrupted constantly.

"So," I made the first move. "What did you want to talk about?"

I wanted to make this as less-awkward as possible, but really? Who can do that nowadays? Everything is awkward beyond our control.

Especially little talks like this.

"Us," Zayn blurted, but then took a deep breath. "You and David. The fact that he won't let you see me anymore."

I nodded. I knew this would be what he wanted to talk about. No way would he be coming to ask if I wanted to buy Girl Scout cookies.

Wait, of course. He's a boy. So, Boy Scout popcorn. But I don't really think Boy Scouts go door-to-door... Especially not in snobby Manhattan.

"I think he's loosening up to the idea now..." I hinted, crossing my arms Autumn was going to be coming up pretty soon, so the nights are officially chilly, no matter how little. The days, however, are as scolding as ever.

"So, do you think he'd let us talk to each other again?" he asked hopefully. "And be seen together?"

"I'd like to believe so..." I shrugged. "What'd you have in mind?"

"Well," he bit his lip nervously. "You know the VMA's, right? And how they're coming up?" I nodded and he continued. "I don't have a date to that." I was about to open my mouth to say something when he quickly interrupted me. "Not like it would be a date, of course. Harry's taking his sister, and they definitely aren't dating. It's just like... a friend thing..."

I raised an eyebrow at him, and he slowly started to smile when he saw that the reaction I had to his proposal hadn't been an obvious no.

"Where are the VMA's?" I asked.

"California," he informed, then specified, "Los Angeles."

I nodded slowly. "If you supply the plane tickets and such... I think I could go. Addison's going too, right?"

"Right," he said. "With Niall."

"So it's not like I'll have to hang out with you the whole time," I continued. "That'll keep David at least a little happy."

"So, you're going to tell David that you're going with me beforehand, right?"' Zayn asked, turning to me. I almost had to laugh.

"Nope. A little revenge never hurt anyone."

Zayn grinned and started to turn around.

"Now that's what I like to hear."