nebula :: [malik]

[ i :: dark ]

"Each of the chapters will guide you into the world of astronomy. From the Moon and the Sun, to the stars and the planets, each chapter takes a comprehensive look at these, these objects and their movement in our night sky. Not only will you find practical information on how to find what your looking for, you'll also find that we'll explore the latest discoveries and scientific explanations to understand the subject at hand."

His head is in his hand, long, dark eyelashes casting shadows over his cheekbones.

"You'll be learning the behavior or the brightest objects in the night sky. The darker the night, the better the view."

It's late.

It's only 5:15, but it still feels late.

It's practically still daylight, but it still feels late to Zayn.

Zayn's just had one of the longest days of his life-Wednesday's always are-starting with Calc II, he's got Digital Arts and his foreign language and History of Art since 1945. He's got a short break he usually takes for lunch in Washington Square Park before there's 2D Fundamentals and Foundations of Contemporary Culture that he'll skip occasionally because he's already sure he's made an A. If he does go, though, that class ends at four-thirty which leaves him only thirty minutes to make his way across campus to get to fucking Astronomy-although Liam told him to take Psych instead since that's an easy 'A'-where Zayn usually sits and draws for the remaining fifteen minutes before class starts at five because the thirty minutes in between don't allot enough time for him to grab dinner at that Indian place he likes on 5th Ave.

So, now Zayn sits.

"-It's an unconventional textbook, I know," says Professor Cowell from the front of the room. He's holding National Geographic's, Backyard Guide to the Night Sky, "But, it's cheap and I know you lot don't have any money-you're in college and I'm sure about eighty percent of you had Ramen last night for supper."

There are snickers throughout the classroom.

Zayn rolls his eyes.

"This class is as much about physics and math as it is these," he holds two fingers at eye level. "You're going to have to look and see the stars because this class is about understanding as much as it is doing.

"You'll all have partners and you'll have labs each week. You'll be stargazing, noting the planets, constellations and their individual movement about the skies as we go through the semester."

There's a hand.

Simon nods towards the girl with her arm in the air.

Her name is Anais.

"But, how?" She asks.

Zayn hadn't noticed her before.

Now, as her raspy voice plays in his ears, he does.

Simon rolls his eyes. "How, what, Miss Mali?"

"You said we'd be doing labs," she says and Zayn hears the slight twinge of an accent. "Outside."

"I did."

"But, what are we going to be looking at, airplanes?" She asked, and now Zayn thinks she might be Caribbean or French. "Are we to stare at street lights? Or, high rises?"

There are more snickers throughout the class.

"What," asks the professor, "is your point?"

The girl leans forward in her seat, "See, Sir, stars don't come out in a city that never sleeps."And now, as murmurs fill the room, Even Zayn has to smirk, sitting back agains his chair with folded arms.

This girl, with her curly hair and perfect skin and dark eyes is right-to him, at least.

Nights are too bright, here.

They always are.

"Well," Professor Cowell rolls his eyes, "you're grade will be determined by both your labs and your tests," he said. "So it's impertinent that you see something."

And the girl sighs, shrugging before she sinks down in her seat.

She's a girl he'd like to draw someday. She's got big brown eyes and a perfect bone structure and those lips-

Zayn would really like to uh...he'd like to draw her lips.

He'd also like to talk to her.

Out of all the idiots in this class, she seems to be the least idiotic and possibly the prettiest.

He'd like to ask her to be his lab partner.

"Alright," Cowell says with a sigh, "get outta here-"

He waves above his head. Zayn is already grabbing for his backpack.

"Buy your books and be ready for next week-"

Zayn's eyes are scanning the room. He's looking for that girl.

"You know, you should be grateful-this class ends at eight."

He can barely hear his professor over the sound of chairs scraping in the lab.

"We'll finish on time next week-"

He catches sight of her hair.

Zayn hurries; she's nearly at the door, now.

"I'll assign lab partners then-"

Damn.

He sees her dark hair at the door.

She's gone, now.

Next week, then, he thinks.

At least he'll see her next week. 

-~*~-

Okay so I really shouldn't be starting a new story but here it is! Someone cue a drumroll. It might be a short story like Eros or who knows I might make it long like charming we'll see.

Comment and vote because I love all of you and your comments and votes. :)

xx