Tunnel Vision » Ziam AU «

Chapter Ten

"I don't want to go," Zayn whines for the fifteenth time.

Maxx, his stylist, tugs a brush through his hair and sighs at him. She's been with him almost as long as Harry and the others, and Zayn considers her a good friend. She's not much older than him, but she reminds him a lot of his mother, weirdly enough. "It's for charity, darling," she reminds him. "You have to go."

Zayn groans. He's aware. "Can't I just make a donation?"

"You have to make an appearance."

He doesn't mind doing charity events, he doesn't. In fact, he loves them, and he does them a lot. But ones like this? He hates them. It's just an excuse for a bunch of rich people to dress up and show off, with the pretence of giving to some sort of foundation. When in reality the dresses they're wearing, or the venue they rented out for the event, cost way more than the amount that they're actually putting into said charity. He doesn't get why it has to be showy. Why they're wasting money on throwing a big party when that's, like, hundreds of thousands that they could have just given to the charity. But no one ever listens to his opinion on this.

"You could always bring a date," Maxx suggests. "Or one of the lads. I'm sure Louis would love to go."

So is Zayn, but he has experience with this, and Louis gets all dolled up, and then once he actually gets there, he gets all irritated by how fake everyone is and he wants to leave as soon as possible. Kind of like Zayn, truth be told, but Zayn has to go. Louis doesn't. And Harry won't come because he's taken to sulking in his apartment to make Louis feels guilty, and Niall won't come because... Zayn doesn't really want to think about that, actually. It's hard to get him or Josh out of the apartment after the apart declarations of love that happened last week.

So Zayn has no choice but to go alone. Well, not fully alone. Liam will be there, as security is often encourage to accompany him to these types of things. When you get that many rich, famous people in one room, you never know what can happen. There've been party crashers, and unfortunate things have happened, and Zayn hadn't even questioned it when El called to let him know that Liam will be coming.

Zayn's glad that he doesn't have to go all alone, but at the same time, Liam won't be a solace. At these kind of events, the people who work for you are expected to be shuffled to the side. There won't be a spot at Zayn's table for him to sit during the dinner part of the evening. He'll be expected to stand along the wall in an area with the rest of the security staff. Because that's just how these things work.

"You know what?" Zayn says slowly, head cocked to the side. Maxx slaps the back of it until he straightens it so she can finish doing his hair. "Fuck this. Can you hand me your phone?"

His phone is dropped into his lap, and Maxx turns his chair so she's facing him. "Can you call while I do your make-up?"

Zayn sighs. "Why do you even have to do my make-up?"

"Because you have pores, sweetie," Maxx says while reaching for a sponge thing. "As do all of us, because you're a normal human being. But the world has this idea in their heads that you're flawless, above these types of mundane things, and unless you want a bunch of unflattering pictures all over the tabloids..."

Zayn waves her ahead while looking down at his phone. He finds the contact, presses talk, and lifts it to his ear. "Hello?" El says happily when she answers.

"It's Zayn," he says. "I need you to call and let them know that I'll be bringing a date with me tonight, after all."

"Okay," El says slowly. He can hear her typing things. "A bit last minute, but you're you so I'm sure it'll be fine. Just give me a name so the staff is aware."

"Liam Payne."

El make a spluttering sound. "Your security guard? You can't go on a date with your security."

Zayn rolls his eyes. "It's not a date. But if you insist on me bringing him, I'm not gonna have him standing around the whole night, looking uncomfortable and upset. So make sure there's room at my table for him."

El hesitates. "I don't think that's the best idea, Zayn," she says softly.

"Then I'm not going."

"You have to go. You've RSVP'd. Everyone's expecting you."

"So let them know to expect Liam, too," Zayn says flatly, no room for argument. "Unless you'd rather I just left him at home and went alone."

She's considering it, he can tell. At the last second she sighs, though, and says, "Alright, fine, if you insist. But we're going to have to ask you to be careful not to have any photographs taken with him. The rumours have already started, and you did a great job shooting them down at that interview, but we feel that you can't afford this kind of publicity, especially not with you going on tour shortly."

Zayn wasn't planning on it anyways, so he doesn't mind agreeing. "Cool. Thank you."

"Mhm. Best behaviour tonight, Zayn. Remember, it's for charity."

They hang up, and Maxx finishes his face before patting his cheek gently. "There, you're perfect. Barely any help from me. Now let's get you dressed. I've got this gorgeous suit picked out for you, and..." Zayn tunes her out, mostly because he doesn't listen to half he designer shit she talks about. He doesn't see the difference between a thousand dollar suit and a ten thousand dollar one, but she does. "And you're going to have to call him, too. Liam, his name is?"

Zayn comes back to the conversation, halfway between buttoning up his dress shirt. "What?"

Maxx puts a hand on her hip. "You can't just send him into lion's pit without giving him a fair chance, Zayn. Tell me, what do you think he'll show up in tonight?"

Zayn thinks. "Jeans, t-shirt, probably."

"Oh, God," Maxx moans. "Okay, call him and tell him he needs to a wear a suit. And dress shoes. Simple tie. He's large, isn't he? Best to do a skinny one. I think I have one somewhere, if he doesn't have one...." She bustles around Zayn's wardrobe. "And he needs to shave! He has to shave. I can't do anything for that hair of his, and it's too edgy for him to have scruff."

Zayn laughs at her. "You're getting really worked up about this."

Maxx glares at him, a tie fisted tightly in her hands. "You realize what you're doing, yes? The consequences of it? You might not bat an eyelash at someone bring one of their staff members, but some of those people there tonight are going to look at you like you brought the family dog to a formal event. And I think that Liam deserves better than to be shunned and gawked at. So yes, I'm getting worked up about this. If I were him, I'd kill you."

Zayn - hadn't thought of that. She's right, though. He didn't even consider that at all. Because it's not a big deal to him. But, admittedly, a lot of people who will be there tonight like to think they're at the highest ends of society, and they're the type who are going to likely think that Liam is near the lower end, just because he works for Zayn.

And once again, Zayn's doing things that will directly effect Liam without even asking him first. "I should call El and tell her I changed my mind," Zayn says abruptly. "Fuck, I wasn't even thinking."

"You can't!" Maxx says shrilly. "Not now. She's already told everyone you're bringing him. They'll have to rearrange the seating again, not to mention the fact that everyone will be wondering what made you change your mind. The damage is done, Zayn. The best we can do is make sure this goes off without a hitch, that's all."

Zayn rubs at his temples and reaches for the pack of gum on his bedside table. He pops out two pieces and chews.