Near To You (One Direction Fan Fiction)

Chapter Ten

Near to You

10

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I see her, she sees me. We could be something. It’s exciting.

Love – Foster the People

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            My giggle broke the tranquility of the library’s silence and Zachary glanced my way, his eyebrows slightly tilted upward.

            “Again?”

            “Sorry.” I bit my lip, trying to hide my smile. I quickly replied to the message on my phone before pushing it aside. Pulling my laptop closer I peered over the lid at Zachary who held a pen in his mouth.

            He caught my stare and I quickly focused on the blank word document on my screen instead. For the final three weeks before our winter break we had been given our tutorial time to work on our magnum opus for the first semester. We were already one week into this program and I hadn’t even started my story yet.

            Zachary hadn’t either, if his frustrated expression was anything to go by. After a few minutes of this stressed quietness, Zachary put down his pencil and cracked his fingers. I shuddered at the sound.

            “What did he send this time?”

            “Nothing important.” The incredulity in Zachary’s face was enough to cause another peal of laughter to escape my lips. Those around us, however, were not as amused. “He’s just telling me about his day. His friends do some pretty strange things.”

            “What does he do again?” Zachary teased. He had recognized Zayn from the moment he saw him in the store and was teasing me about it all the time. He always said I was living every teenager, and many a middle-aged woman’s dream. He just wouldn’t believe me when I repeatedly told him there was nothing going on.

            “Do you want to get out of here?”

            I gestured toward the door leading out into the surprisingly sunny late afternoon. Zachary looked toward Jonathan who was mulling over books a few feet away.

            “He won’t care,” I assured Zachary. “We’re adults. We know what our responsibilities are.”

            Zachary was still not convinced so I rose from my seat and went to our professor.

            “What is it now, Lewis?”

            Jonathan had stayed true to his word and had not told anyone about my identity. I was somewhat surprised, but ultimately relieved, when he showed up to class the next week and acted as if nothing had changed. Maybe no one else would care either.

            “Zachary and I just aren’t getting anything done.”

            “Oh I know.” He quirked his lips. “I can see you two gossiping over there in the corner like two preteen girls.”

            I rolled my eyes and continued. “We were wondering if we could leave a little early. We were planning to head down to the park and look for some inspiration.”

            “Not just to gossip above the level of a whisper?”

            “Maybe a little of that too,” I admitted sheepishly. Jonathan shrugged.

            “Go for it.” He nodded. “Even though you really didn’t have to ask. Everyone else left at least an hour ago.”

            Gazing around the lower level of the library I noticed that Jonathan was right. There was not a familiar face in the room apart from him and Zachary.