Dark Star

Chapter 13: Butterflies and a Phone Call

Lola Solemen

I blushed self-consciously. “What?” I asked them. Why were they staring at me like that?

Zayn grinned at me and shook his head. Liam looked at the TV, chuckling silently, and Harry smiled. But Louis kept staring. Not in a creepy kind of way that would make you feel uncomfortable; but in a strange… almost seductive way.

I looked away and turned the bathroom light off behind me. I casually walked over and sat at the far end of the couch, staring at the television screen.

I felt movement on the couch as someone sat next to me. I turned and met Zayn face-to-face, his beautiful eyes looking down into mine. He smiled, causing my heart to falter. I tried to hide my blush by looking back at the TV.

“So… Lola,” Harry said, forcing me to reposition myself so that I could see him. The entire left side of my body was now in contact with Zayn’s. I couldn’t help but be aware of it. It gave my skin a warm, tingling feeling. I felt butterflies in my stomach.

“We were wondering what you’d like to have to eat.” Harry said, unaware of my thoughts at that moment and how distracted I was. “We haven’t eaten yet.”

I felt a little shy because he was shirtless. Louis was shirtless too (as was Zayn), but I was avoiding his gaze so it didn’t bother me. With Harry it was weird because I was looking at him and he was being so careless about it. Almost like he liked having me see him that way. And the fact that Zayn was so close… that just added on to it. I felt like I was going to blush so red, they’d mistake me for a tomato.

“Um…” I glanced up into Zayn’s eyes and then looked back at Harry. “What do you guys like to eat?”

“What do you like to eat, Lola?” Zayn asked me sweetly, casually taking a lock of my hair and twirling it around his finger.

I looked up at him and smiled. “I’ll eat anything.”

“Really?” Liam asked, looking incredulous.

“Anything?” Louis said with the same kind of tone.

I nodded and laughed. “As long as it’s edible.”

The two laughed with me until we all quieted down and sat in silence. Liam let out a low breath and left the couch. He went off to what I guessed was his room. Louis grabbed the television controller and began flipping through the channels vaguely.

I moved my eyes to Harry’s face and was surprised to find him watching Zayn’s actions. Or, rather, glaring at them. I looked back at Zayn in confusion, but he didn’t notice anything. He was looking down at that piece of my hair, just rolling it gently around his finger.

He let it go after a few seconds and looked at Harry. “We wanted to have burgers the other day, didn’t we, Harry?”

Harry blinked, confused for a second, but answered with a “yeah.”

Zayn looked back at me. “What do you say to that?”

“Burgers?” I said with a smile on my lips. “Homemade?”

Zayn’s eyebrows raised a little and he looked at Harry. “How about that, mate?” he asked him, laughing very lightly. “Homemade burgers for the lady?”

Harry smiled. “Sure, why not?”

“You can cook?” I asked Harry, clearly impressed. I’d never actually expected that. And to be honest, when I had been obsessed with One Direction, Zayn was really the only one that I fangirled about. Therefore, he was the only one that I knew about when it came to hobbies, interests, and skills.