One Direction: A Love Story

"See something you like, Bradford Bad Boii?" ~ Niall Horan

Zayn.

*4 years before, in 2008*

I walked confidently past the dark alley, knowing there was someone in it, there always was. 
“Hey!” I heard, in a hushed voice, clearly wanting my attention, but nobody else’s. I smirked, this was it. 
I turned around to see a man in his 20’s, well built, short hair, but still long enough to be scruffy. 
“It’s you!” His eyes widened, as he backed away. Good. I was well known by other dealers in this area. 
“What is?” I asked innocently. 
“You’re that new dealer everyone’s talking about! That Malik kid, you’re only 14, how are you dealing at that age?!” He asked, outraged. He was right though, it was very unusual for a 14 year old to be dealing drugs. I frowned; maybe I should stop dealing, even if I was the best in the area. No, I couldn’t, Lucy would murder me, literally terrified of me. I turned on my heel and left him there, I had to go talk to Lucy.

I eventually got to her office, and I walked straight in. 
“Lucy!” I yelled. 
“Yes my Zayn?” Her Arabian voice purred. 
“I want out.” She looked at me confused. 
“Zayn, dear, the door is right there, you just came through it.” I put the drugs she’d given me to sell on her desk. 
“No, I want out.” I said more forcefully. She pretended to look sad, before waving me off. 
“Fine, fine. If you want out, then I suppose… No.” My eyes widened. What? She wasn’t going to let me go? 
“But I’m only 14! I want a normal teen life, Lucy!” I yelled, rather loudly. She hushed me and gave me a warm look. 
“Zayn my dear boy, you are a teenager, which means-“
“Which means, I need a normal teenager’s life. Everyone looks at me like I’m carrying a bomb because I have darker skin. I’m not black, but I’m not exactly white.” I cut her off. 
“STOP INTERRUPTING ME. Just listen Zayn.” I shut my mouth and gave her a chance to speak. “We have to sell everything, before we give anyone a chance to get out. Sell it all and we’ll let you go.” I nodded, not really understanding why, but I knew I had to sell everything she’d given me.

A couple of days later, I was on the street at night. I stopped a drug addict, or what looked like one. 
“Hey, I got what you need.” She grinned, with all-well… most- her yellowing teeth. I grimaced, not exactly a pretty sight. 
“Really? How much a pound?” I looked around, careful not to be caught. I only had 5 pounds left until I was free. 
“$150 a pound, but we have a deal going at the moment. It’s 5 pounds for $450.” I watched as her face lit up, and I knew she was sold. I was free. She pulled a wad of cash out of her pocket, and gave me $600. 
“I don’t have chang-“
“Keep the change, darling. You look much too young to be dealing. This is for the trouble.” She said with her nasally voice I despised. I grinned at her, despite her annoying voice. I walked away from the woman, after I gave her the last 5 pounds of drugs.

I started heading home, and as I was at my door, I had this eerie feeling of being watched. I turned around slowly, and looked around… and jumped out of my freshly soiled pants when I saw Lucy standing directly behind me. I let out a scream, but cut it off instantly. 
“Lucy! What are you doing?” 
“Nothing Zayn, I only wanted to congratulate you on being the first to finish dealing. And I’m so happy you only sold it, and never actually did it.” She gave me a proud look. I nodded stiffly. 
“Lucy, you can’t be here, if my parents see you, they’ll start questioning both of us.” She nodded, clearly understanding me. I shooed her away, and she turned around. 
“Oh, Zayn? Just to let you know, there’s a few guys who want you dead, just a heads up. Stay on your toes, and take a couple of karate lessons.” She winked, and walked away. My blood ran cold.

*Back to the present* 

I sat on my lounge and watched X Factor as they announced a winner. I cheered when Samantha Jade won, I liked her. She had a pretty voice and she was really confident, not to mention drop dead gorgeous! I grinned like a fool at my TV as Niall walked in, plopped himself down next to me and put his arm over the back of the lounge, behind me. I grinned, and faced my head away from him so he couldn’t see. My tummy felt funny as he spoke. 
“Zayn, you ok? You seem a bit distant tonight?” And that’s when I realised my tummy wasn’t just feeling funny, it was butterflies, which meant Niall meant something to me. 
“Yeah, I’m fine Niall, just excited about Sammie winning.” I lied, even though I was excited, I couldn’t tell Niall I had butterflies because he sat down next to me. That would have been weird, and I wasn’t sure how he’d react…