Delete » malik

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My eyes drew to my phone as I tapped some words to my other friends, them being the only ones I talk to through technology. I walked down the familiar street once the school bell rang. I lived close by and I knew my path so I didn't bother glancing up; the sun blinded my eyes anyway.

My walk to my home took about ten minutes without stopping. All these years barely anyone knew where I lived- I would lie like a good kid and tell how I would switch from my mom's house to another, and they would shut up. Liam knew where I lived but that was it.

I opened the commercial door, hearing the bell on top that attached it ring.

"Malik, how's it going?"

I turned to look at Ashton, who gave me a wave. I laughed a little and waved back at him before he paid attention to his customer in the line. I kept walking my way, past the dusty vinyl records and antique books and into the coffee shop. The coffee shop was inside the place, open in the early mornings til 9. The best thing of living here was that I could make some of my own when no one was around. Luckily I had some money hidden in my pocket to spend on. I brought up the five-dollar bill to Jordan, who worked there. "Iced coffee as always, Zayn?"

"Got that right." I chuckled lightly. I waited for him as he handed me the iced beverage. I thanked him and walked back. Iced coffee seemed always great to me, and I couldn't exactly explain why. I remember drinking it for the first time. The first sip was strange, already having a different taste compared to other coffees; it had an aftertaste. With another sip, yet again, was the same differentiating taste. Even with trying other coffees and going back to the drink, there it was- the taste of a 'real' coffee, nothing 'fake' about that.

This was my home. My bedroom and all the other shit were upstairs, but this first floor became my everyday home environment. The workers were my family as well, and I couldn't help but thank them for keeping me here. Without them I wouldn't have a home to begin with.

I sipped some more on my coffee while sorting through different records, trying to find good music to listen to upstairs. The bell rang once again from the front door, and this time I looked up.

It was Aria, surprisingly, walking down the aisles.

I smirked at the thought of her being in here, since I've never seen her here before. I leaned on the shelves and whistled to get her attention. She snapped her head over to my direction. Her eyebrows raised high on her forehead and her face turned into disgust. "So what, are you following me now?"

Funny she would ask that. "I should ask you the same thing."

"You first."

"I just got some coffee over there," I pointed at the coffee shop across the both of us. "It's pretty damn good."

"Seriously though, it seems like you're following me everywhere."

"Nah, I'm not at the moment. You came to me." A smile tugged on my lips. "Do you live close by?"

"Y-yes, no."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes." She nodded firmly, tightly gripping her notebook in her hand. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go get coffee before you ask me any more questions."

And so she walked, just like that. I glanced at her ass as she walked to the coffee shop and waited in line. She didn't pay attention to me as far as she knew.

I was already sitting on a chair, waiting for her to sit down with me. She halted herself when I gestured her to come towards me, but forced herself anyway.

I watched her pressed her lips around the straw to drink her coffee and back to her eyes. "So what are you doing here?" She asked curiously.

"I live here."

"Do you really?" She seemed surprised.

I nodded. "Want to see my bedroom?"

It was her time to nod. I stood up and led her up the spiral stairs. My room was empty but I planned to draw graffiti on my walls.

"It's so... empty."

"I'm planning to draw on my walls, but the view's nice."

"Lemme see." She called out and ran to my bed to stand on, using her tiptoes. She peered at the view of New York City shown behind the building. "I like it."

"Yeah, it's great." I muttered closely to her. She stopped her actions and turned around to look at me. There wasn't much to say, since she had no reason to. "So, do you want to make out?"

A burst of laughter erupted from her lips as she shoved me aside. "Keep your distance, you ass. Nothing else is happenin' here."