At First {ZM}

Chapter 20

Zayn showed me more of his fathers art work. He sketched so many stories. I can tell Zayn admires his father. From what I hear Zayn's father taught him a lot. He made sure he was given the best he had to offer.

I sit up, "He sounds amazing."

"He was amazing." Zayn admits. He stands from the spot on the floor where we sit. I look around. We still can hardly see. Zayn never turned on a real light.

"So what happened here?"

"He wanted people to see the story his art told. All of his stories. He would switch his story like every week. Until his accident. He left this place to me. At the time I was like sixteen. Now I'm trying to pay it off because he never finished paying for it."

"That's why you work so much." All of this adds up. The tired eyes and the need to work all week. He scratches the back of his head.

"That's a good thing your doing."

"Yeah?"

"Mhmm." Outside there is a sound of patter on the roof. I look up and Zayn pinches the brim of his nose. "I was right." I chuckle.

"Yeah you were right."

"How am I going to get home? My place is too far from here." He looks at me. "What?"

"Maybe you would want to stay at my place until it stops raining." We come up off the ground and head back down the stairs. I hold onto his hand and we stop at the door. The rain is pouring harder then we were lead on to believe.

He pulls his jacket over his hair. I hull my jacket over mine. We exchange a look and run for it. We reach a bus stop booth and stop under it. We run again across the street as cars honk. We duck under the sign of the building. We stand here for a moment waiting for the cars to stop.

Zayn shouts over the rain, "Just run across the street and we'll be there."

"Okay." I nod shouting over the rain. The cars stop and the walk sign lights up. We run across and I step into a puddle soaking my shoes. I stop abruptly and wag my foot. I side step away from the puddle. Then the light must've switched because water splashes me from behind. My jaw drops and I can feel the water soaking through my jeans.

"Oh that's cold!" I shout. Zayn stands in the door of an apartment building. He runs back out and takes my hand bringing me inside. We get inside the building I look up at his unsteady hands. I notice the shaking of his body. His lips are pressed firmly. He opens his mouth to say something but laughter erupts.

He touches my face, "How did that happen?" He tries to stifle his laugh but it slips every time he opens his mouth.

"I stepped in a puddle."

"That's a very big puddle."

I laugh along. "Can we go to your place please?" He taps the elevator button. He continues his laughing and I hold my arms to my chest. Trying to keep a steady body heat.

We reach the door. The paint looks chipped. The color blue is faded looking. He jingles the keys and shimmies with the knob. I'm afraid to see what the inside looks like.

He opens the door to a beautiful dark rich chocolate wood. A black love seat in the living room in front of a plasma screen tv. Another lounge chair on the other side. The kitchen is small and he's seated the counter with stools. He has a nice place.

He runs from my side. "Stay here." I look around. To think I was afraid to come in here. He comes back and drops a towel on the floor. He takes my hand bringing me in to stand on the towel.

"Take your shoes off and I'll show you to the bathroom." I slip out of my squishy shoes. I peel out of my jacket. He takes it and slings it over his arm. "I'm going to put this on the radiator."