Something Great (Ziam AU)

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven – Zayn

Zayn, has been sitting on his and Harry’s worn out couch all day, waiting. Today is the day that the winner of the contest to spend an entire day with Liam Payne, will be announced. Zayn gets up to pace the small living room once, twice, three times, before Harry grabs him and throws him none too gently onto the couch again. Zayn glares up at Harry before he crosses his arms and pouts, “Zayn will you relax? Your laptop is open, to your email, you’ll hear soon. Trust me” Harry chuckles, Zayn groans rolling so he now has his face buried in the couch cushions. That’s when Zayn’s laptop makes the familiar ping indicating he has just gotten an email, he rolls so quickly that he falls off the couch, before diving towards his laptop, when he has a hold of it he bites his lip looking at his inbox. There sitting amidst Facebook notifications, and twitter spam is an email, once again from Liam’s management team. Zayn hovers the mouse over top of the email and glances up at Harry, “what if it says ‘thanks, but we chose someone else’?” Zayn asks timidly and Harry snorts, “Honestly Zayn, just click it will ya” he teases. Taking a deep breath Zayn clicks on the email and bites his lip, before reading the email out loud to Harry;
Dear Zayn
It is my sincerest pleasure to inform you that, you received the largest number of votes in our contest. Congratulations Zayn, you and three friends will be spending the day with Liam (as well as some of his team), and then attending his concert front row that night. Enclosed you will find all the required information. I look forward to meeting you.
Sincerely
Eleanor Calder
Zayn whips around to face Harry, looking stunned “I-I-I w-won?” he stutters, Harry chuckles and tackles him with a hug “I told you, you would win, you were the most deserving of it” Harry crows. Zayn is just sat opening and closing his mouth in shock, Harry squeezes him tighter, knowing he just needs time to process, and will be fine in a few moments.

Zayn comes back to reality five minutes after reading the email, he re-reads it one more time, before turning back to look at Harry, “I need to call Niall, and we need to go shopping” he exclaims, making Harry chuckle, “I already called Ni, he’s on his way over, and I think he’s dragging us shopping when he gets here” he laughs. Zayn just nods, before he is tackled into a hug by a bleach blond Irishman, “you did it! I knew you were gonna win!” Niall shouts into his ear. Zayn winces and rubs at his ear, pushing Niall off, “thanks Nialler” he mumbles looking down at his feet. Niall grins widely at both Zayn and Harry, “so Zee, go get your money, we’re going shopping” he cheers, Zayn rolls his eyes but climbs to his feet, running off to his bedroom. Zayn returns a minute later panting and stuffing the money into his pocket, “I’m ready when you are” he smirks, and Harry and Niall exchange a look before following Zayn out to Harry’s car. Once they are all in the car and buckled up, Zayn barely hesitates on pressing the stereo on, and cranking up the volume, so all that can be heard is Liam Payne’s beautiful voice.

Niall is dragging Zayn into stores that he’s pretty sure he’s never been in before, and throwing outfits at him, making him try them on before shaking his head, and dragging Zayn back into the mall. “Niiiaaallllll” Zayn whines after forty minutes of that treatment, “can’t I just go shop where I normally do?” he asks once the blond turns to look at him Harry just chuckles from where he’s leaning on the wall a little ways away. Niall scoffs and rolls his eyes, “I guess Zaynie, but I get final say” he pouts, Zayn smiles, “deal” he exclaims before running off towards H&M, Niall and Harry trailing behind him. Niall is quickly picking out outfits and throwing them at Zayn who is now buried in a pile off clothes, he hears Harry laughing as he makes his way into the change room to try them on. Niall is quick to shoot down the first six outfits, and Zayn is ready to just give up and go home, until he steps out in his seventh (and personal favourite) outfit. Harry and Niall’s jaws both drop, “I think we have a winner, what about you Haz?” Niall asks in awe, Harry just nods, raising his phone to take a picture. Zayn rolls his eyes “we have never sounded more gay” he mutters, earning dirty looks from both Harry and Niall. The outfit is simple but unlike anything else he owns (which is mostly band tees and ripped jeans) tight black skinny jeans, and a black button up shirt, which hugs him in all the right places to show off the muscles he’s been working on. Niall shoves him back into the dressing room, “get changed so we can buy this, and then go get you some new shoes” he chuckles, Zayn is quick to oblige, and five minutes later he has the new clothes clutched in his hands as they exit the store back out into the mall.

Shoe shopping is a different story, Zayn was far more picky about shoes than he had been about the clothes. Niall groans as Zayn shakes his head at yet another pair of shoes he held up. Harry chuckles, “they’re shoes Zee, just pick some” he sighs and Zayn nods, “I’m sorry guys, I just, I want to, I guess I want him to like me” he mumbles, Niall coos and ,launches himself at Zayn in a hug, followed closely by Harry, who’s holding a new pair of both his and Zayn’s standby shoes in his hands. When they pull away from the group hug, Harry holds up the black high tops to Zayn “why not just go with a classic, you like them, and you need new ones anyways” he says and Zayn bites his lip before nodding and reluctantly taking the shoes from Harry’s hand. After Zayn’s bought the shoes they head to the food court “I swear guys, if I don’t eat soon I’m gonna eat one of you” Niall moans for the fifth time and Harry and Zayn both roll their eyes, but don’t respond otherwise. Harry pays for Zayn’s pizza and Pepsi despite Zayn’s protests, and the two take a seat at a nearby table, laughing loudly when Niall stumbles up hidden behind enough food to feed at least three people.

They sit eating for a few minutes in silence, “so Zee, who’re you taking with you?” Niall asks, voice muffled by the bite of burger in his mouth, Zayn shrugs as he reaches across to steal one of Niall’s fries, “well you two obviously” he says gesturing between Harry and Niall. Harry grins and nods, “yea but you have three tickets besides your own, who else?” he asks and Zayn shrugs, “Gemma wouldn’t want to come would she?” he asks Harry, who shrugs, “no idea, lemme ask her” he mutters, pulling his phone from his pocket. Zayn nods and watches as Harry types quickly into his phone texting his sister, Zayn chews on his straw while they wait for a response, wondering who else he could take if Gemma says no. Harry’s phone begins to vibrate across the table, a moment later and he reaches out to grab it reading the message, “Gem says she would love to, as long as you’re sure. And she’ll be at our place Wednesday night” Harry informs them and Zayn nods again, slurping the last of his Pepsi through his straw. Niall finishes his food then and eyes Zayn seriously, “I can’t believe in a few days you’ll be meeting Liam Payne, Zee” he grins, Zayn blushes, “thanks Ni” he crows, before he turns serious, “do you think he’ll like me?” Zayn mumbles quietly, “oh Zee, what’s not to like?” Harry coos, and Zayn makes a face, “seriously though Zayn, you’re great Liam would be crazy not to like you” Harry amends, as Niall nods, and Zayn blushes once again.

When they get home just over an hour later, Zayn takes his new clothes and shoes into his room, before returning to the living room and flopping across Niall and Harry’s laps on the couch, both grunt in protest but do nothing to remove him. “What are we watching boys?” Zayn asks, adjusting himself so his head is in Harry’s lap with his feet on Niall’s, Niall gives him a look, which Zayn ignores, Harry just smiles fondly and begins carding his fingers through Zayn’s hair. Zayn practically purrs at the action, and Harry’s smile widens, his fingers never stopping, because Harry knows there are precious few people who get to touch Zayn Malik’s hair. Niall scoffs and reaches for the remote, “are we still limited to Netflix and DVDs?” he asks curiously, Zayn is practically comatose in Harry’s lap, and Harry turns slightly to see Niall, “yea, unfortunately” he mumbles, still playing with Zayn’s hair. Niall nods and turns on the PlayStation and the TV, to begin scrolling through Netflix, he stops and clicks on Captain America, putting the remotes beside him again, as Harry and Zayn both make a noise of protest at his choice. “Ni, we’ve watched this fifteen times” Zayn mumbles from Harry’s lap, who chuckles and nods his agreement, fingers still in his best friend’s hair. Niall makes a face at them, “well I want to watch it again, and you lot can suck it up” he finishes sticking his tongue out at the pair, who return the gesture, all laughing. Before turning their attention to the movie, Zayn drifts off to sleep within the first ten minutes, due to Harry’s hands in his hair.