This was his home now- rich, cultured London, chattering pockets and tea enthusiasts; Zayn was home now.
The man with the bucket hat- XYZ, he steps aside, allowing Zayn to enter his crisply painted office; a grin playing at his lips.
"Why are you here?" The man asks, curious eyes pinning Zayn likes a tack.
The brown boy from Bradford- he's attracted to the crinkly cornered eyes and thick brows in front of him; he's attracted to the bucket hat man like he's never been attracted to anyone else before- not even Harry.
He licks the dryness from his lips, clearing the tea from his throat with a small cough.
"You told me to," he says, watching as XYZ lets a bit of air escape his nose on the form of laughter.
"Not my office, I mean," he begins, walking closer to Zayn, stuffing his hands in his million dollar pockets, "why're you in the heart of London? We're did you come from?"
"Bradford," Zayn speaks weakly- the cousin Harlem; the home of sweltering Suns and powdered lemonade junkies.
"Ah," the man says, nodding a bit,"-and you,,, write music? Is that it?"
"One song," Zayn corrects, "I wrote a song."
XYZ turns to walk around Zayn, inspecting the young boy with an interested glance.
"And I assume to you have money to pay for the recording sessions?"
"Yes," he says, reaching for the cash that's tucked away in his pocket, "here," he says, handing the bills to XYZ who takes them in his hands.
"900? A single session is 15," the man says with a frown.
"I brought extra then," Zayn concludes.
"1500 darling," XYZ corrects, handing the money back to Zayn.
The Bradford boy feels defeated- embarrassed, shameful.
He's a brown kid from the ghettos- the cousin Harlem, he didn't belong In a place like this.
"I'll tell you what, I need help now around the office. How about I give you time in the studio in exchange for manual labor?" He asks, watching as Zayn's eyes become wary.
"Why would you do that?"
The man in the bucket hat laughs again- reaching out to brush his knuckles along Zayn's cheekbone.
"I'll see you first thing tomorrow yeah?"
