Serendipitous: Zayn's Story

Heartache

Slightly biting on the tip of her pen, she stared down at her essay, a bit blank.  A moral issue that was relevant to her and use narrative frames with Aristotle's three point, ethos, pathos, and logos. 

With a groan Kate scrunched her nose before laying her head on her notebook where all she'd managed to do was re-write the prompt. 

Resting her chin on the notebook, she looked up and blew a puff of air out.  Her essay was due on Monday and she still had no idea.

Looking out the window for something, something to inspire her, she realized that it was already starting to get darker out.  And she still hadn't gotten the mail. 

Letting her hair down from her messy updo, Kate massaged her head as she began to make her way to get the mail. 

"Kylie I'm going to get the mail!" She yelled behind her. 

"Kay!" Kylie responded, however not taking her eyes off the T.V. where she was currently watching Say Yes to the Dress.

Getting the mail, Kate began to thumb through them as she headed back to her apartment.  She stopped at the stairs, feeling her breath hitch as she glanced down at an address she hadn't seen in months.  Christmas and New Year's having passed without even a word. Her fingers fumbled with the seal as she hastily opened it, taking a seat on the steps. 

~~~

Kylie only glanced up, the caramel popcorn nearly at her lips, one of her Christmas presents from her parents upon her complaining that she had no snack foods in her and Kate's apartment.  She watched as her roommate silently took a seat beside her before curling up to join her on the couch, taking the other end of the blanket. 

She opened her mouth about to say Kate's name but seeing her roommate staring ahead blankly, she said nothing instead just handing over some of her popcorn. 

Taking a handful, Kate choked back a silent sob as she ate the sweet concoction. 

~~~

Hi Kate,

How are you?

 

I'm sorry.  I messed up.  But can we please stay friends?

Sincerely,

Zayn

~~~

Even though it wasn't even five, Kate climbed under her covers.  

Friends. Even just reading the five lines Kate could sense the awkwardness and then he had ended with sincerely.  None of the others letters ended in the formal  goodbye,  like one wrote that people wrote to strangers.    Sincerely.

At least he had the grace to admit he messed up! But why did the letter seem so terse and uncomfortable.  He had said he didn't want their relationship to change but he was the one causing the change. With that thought she began to drift off, her essay the last thing on her mind. 

~~~

"Sleeping Beauty, really?"

Kate squirmed when she felt her covers get lifted off her.  "Cold," she muttered as she reached for her blanket. 

"It's Friday night. Eight o'clock, what the hell are you doing sleeping?" Jake asked as he sat on the end of Kate's bed. 

Kate opened one eye  reluctantly.  "Jake..."

~~~

Zayn tried not to cringe when he had to watch some overly dramatic teen show with his sister.  It was past midnight and near twilight yet he had been unable to sleep and had started to watch TV in his room only to have his sister come in and join him, then manipulating him into watching her show. 

"She's so pretty," She sighed before leaning into him to rest her head on his arm. 

He glanced up briefly  at the lithe blonde haired girl wearing a snug black strapless dress with makeup disguising her every blemish,  but he wasn't as impressed as his sister.  Kate's prettier...

"You're never allowed to wear a dress like that." He said shaking his thoughts away from dangerous territory.  

Hi sister merely hmphed at him. 

~~~

Kate glanced up, her hazel eyes flittering between the person in front of her to the door. 

"This is awkward isn't it?" Mason Hamilton asked as he rubbed the back of his neck. 

"Sorry, Jake didn't tell me..."

"He was setting you up on a blind date?"

"No, not at all." Kate laughed unsure. 

"Didn't you two meet on a blind date?" Mason asked amused.

This time Kate laughed, a smile on her lips. "Yes, I'm sure he laughed at the irony of this situation too." 

Like that, the awkwardness dissipated as the two shared stories of their friend in common, and the reason why they were there at the restaurant and previously staring awkwardly at everything but each other. 

~~~

Dear Zayn,

Its fine. Of course we can be friends. I'll always be here for you, no matter what.

Hope you had a great holiday. 

Happy Valentine's day too if this gets to you in time.

-Kate                            

~~~

Valentine's Day

"What the hell! Melina! Melina what's going on?" Louis yelled into his computer as he watched his girlfriend get up with a bat to answer the door where  someone was yelling her name repeatedly.

Zayn looked up from his unopened letter as Louis continued to yell.  His curiosity getting the best of him, Zayn moved to look at the screen too.   

"What, what is he doing there? What the hell is that tosser doing there?!" Louis yelled as he saw Melina's ex just beyond Melina's shoulders.  "Use that bat!" Louis yelled like as if he were watching a game when the tosser leant down towards his girlfriend.  "What the hell! Is that tosser drunk?!" as if to answer his question, the "tosser" fell over nearly on Melina. 

Zayn silently laughed as he walked away to read his letter.  Opening it carefully he pursed his lips in wait. 

He read it twice, making sure not to miss a word. He took a deep breath as he read it one more time.

Looking over his shoulder he watched as Louis and Melina talked, well more like Louis yelling and Melina calling him a drama queen.  Despite the hilarity of the conversation, he couldn't help but be slightly jealous. 

Thumbing his letter, Zayn took out his cell phone only to find that it was dead.  "Louis can I?" He began to ask but seeing Louis preoccupied, he just took his mate's cellphone. 

It was early and she could've been in school but he could leave a message... and he also wanted to hear Kate's voice if nothing else, even if it was just her voicemail.  Taking a short breathe then dispelling it, he dialed her number. 

However instead of getting her voicemail as he expected, the call connected. 

~~~

"Kylie, Jake, Mason can one of you get my phone please!" Kate yelled as she wiped her paint stained hands on her apron, having started the night before in her stress over her grandma's health, expecting a call about her grandma from the clinic anytime soon.

"Got it!" Mason yelled as he picked up her phone from the charger.  "Hello." He said seeing the unfamiliar number.

"Who, who is this?" Zayn asked thinking that maybehe had the wrong number but... he memorized Kate's number months ago. 

"Um this is Mason, Kate's boyfriend.  Is this Reid's Clin-" Mason didn't get to finish as the other end hung up.  

Zayn said nothing as he closed his eyes, clutching the phone in his hand.