The Contract

Forever and always

The last couple of weeks since Zayn was so busy with school all his modeling duties were put on hold. He wanted his focus to only be on school at the moment. His mind was in full student mode.

Liam was doing some studying of his own too. He went over and over in his notes app what he had typed in the past few days. It was the short speech he would be reciting on one knee in front of everyone and more importantly Zayn.

Even though it was a staged proposal he couldn't help but still feel nervous about it. Yeah he had promised Zayn privately and it was a sweet intimate moment, but this was in front of their close friends and family along with the whole world.

He's never been more sure of anything in his life. He's not entirely sure what shifted in such a short time but he knew that he truly wanted to do this. Before all of this yes, he knew wasn't the best.

Everything he did in the past was because he was running from all his feelings. Jumping from one fling to the next, trying to please his father, battling within himself to keeping his sexuality relatively hidden, the pain from his first relationship, his accident, and suppressing the childhood feelings he experienced for the boy he grew up with.

It wasn't until getting into this bind with him that he realized just how far he pushed everything down, sometimes he wondered what Zayn saw in him all along. He wanted to be perfect for him. Little did he know that deep down Zayn always thought he was.

After finals and getting their grades posted graduation came. Zayn and Harry drove to the ceremony excitedly in their cap and gowns. It was a big moment for them. They started this chapter of their lives together and here they were finishing it.

When they got to the schools arena they gave each other one more hug until they had to group with people in their degrees. Zayn sat next to some of his friends that he's been in the same courses with all four years. They snapped pictures took boomerangs and waited for it to start.

Liam sat with all of Zayns supporting group. His family, Kendall, Gigi, Niall, his own parents Karen and Geoff, along with Harry's parents too. Harry had a smaller family than Zayns so they sat together. He also invited Louis to come along and was accompanied by his seven year old.

Thanks to Niall's connections they sat in one of the upper closed off sections since they were all pretty much high profile figures. He hired security to discreetly stand by when they were outside in the crowd of graduates and loved ones, just in case.

Liam sat next to Niall and Louis nervously bouncing his leg. They were the only two who knew he was proposing in a few hours. "Don't be nervous." Louis took note of his frantic leg lowering his voice.

"Yeah don't worry about it. It's going to be fine." Niall smiled patting his back.

"I just want it to be perfect." He took a deep breath.

"I mean technically he has to say yes, obviously bu-" Louis started as Niall shot him a look. "I mean of course it's perfect." He turned to see Freddie laughing it up with the two models a few seats up.

"Real subtle." Niall scoffed. "Look don't even think about it. Honestly I'd be more nervous if you weren't nervous." He calmed his voice. "It just shows that you truly love him." Liam eased up a bit at Niall's words dropping his tense shoulders.

The ceremony started after all the long speeches from the Dean and a few chosen students. One by one in alphabetical order each degree was called up. Zayn would be called early on as Harry was toward the end of the ceremony.

Before he walked the stage Zayns heart was pounding. All the memories of the past four years came rushing at him. He was going to miss being in school if he was honest. It was his little slice of normal among his crazy upbeat life.