SAVED

Chapter 5

I turn off my iPod due to the painful headache that has started to form. The sight of Beth and Zayn is clear as day in my mind. What bothers me most is that I think I could have befriended Zayn. With a guy? Are you out of your mind? I clench my teeth at my subconscious even though she’s probably right. He just seemed so friendly and open with me, but here I am getting my hopes up. I always do.

Being in New York City, the most entertaining city in the world, you’d think I’d have something to do during my breaks between classes. I really should start planning out my days. I still have over an hour until Photography. For what is probably the thousandth time today, I check my camera in my bag to make sure it’s secure and take it out. Our assignment last week focused on lighting which was pretty simple. 

I began to scan through my photos when I spot Zayn exiting the dining hall. He’s alone. I pretend to ignore him and focus on my camera.

“Emma?”

Shit. I peer up at him but say nothing. My facial expression says it all. 

“Hey...look I’m sorry about before. She literally came out of nowhere. I wasn’t even expecting to see her today.” The sincerity in his voice is somewhat comforting. For whatever reason he seems to want to know me. “Can I sit?” 

I nod and move my bag to the step below me so that it’s between my legs. “Why are you even talking to me?” I instantly regret asking it, but it was eating at my brain. 

He seems a bit taken aback by my question and I can’t blame him really. “Well why not?” 

I really feel like telling him about how boys normally repel me every chance they get. Or about how today I’ve not only dealt with one, but two seemingly attractive guys who happened to be nice to me and how today has been the weirdest of days. I know he doesn’t want to hear that, though. “I-I don’t know.”

He gives me a friendly smile. “Well if it means anything you seem like a nice girl. I was hoping maybe we could be friends?”

For the first time in a long time I ignore my subconscious sarcastic remarks and can no longer hide the smile forming on my lips. The only other friend I have is Anna but I only got to know her because we were forced to pair up for a group project. Zayn actually wants to be my friend. “I’d really like that.”

The smile grows on his face and I begin to feel more comfortable than I ever had before. This is new. Comfortably new. “So what have you been up to today?” 

I feel like I could actually talk without being judged. Zayn looks at me waiting for an answer, like he wants to listen to what I have to say. Is this really happening right now? “Well after English I went to lunch at Mustang Sally’s with my friend Anna and this new guy named Harry so that was nice.” I smile at the thought.

“Wait did you say Harry? As in Harry Styles?”

I don’t like the look on his face. “Uhh yeah, what about him?”

“Oh no it’s nothing really. Beth just wouldn’t quit yapping on about him.”

For whatever reason I begin to get a hint of jealousy. “What did she say?”

“That he was in her History class and she couldn’t stop herself from flirting with him. She wouldn’t quit going on about his ‘adorable dimpled smile’ oh god I wanted to punch her.” He laughs.

Oh. Well Harry is very easy on the eyes. I flush at the remembrance of him and smile to myself knowing that I do in fact have class with him now. “Doesn’t that bother you? Being that Beth is your um...girlfriend?” I would assume so.

“Yeah but I’ve know her a long time now. I know she’d never do anything with someone else.”

Part of me has a feeling that he doesn’t know Beth as well as he thinks he does, but I ignore the thought. We continue to talk and it feels like we’ve been at it for hours when I glance at my phone. 3:15.  Wow. 

“I should get going.” I stand and place my bag over my shoulder before smiling back at him. 

“Alright that’s cool. Oh wait...” I watch as he takes a napkin out of his back pocket and writes something down before ripping it and handing it to me. “Here’s my number. We should hang out sometime soon. Text me.”

I can’t control the flow of blood to my cheeks at the thought of a guy giving me his number. Even if we are just friends this is a first a want to remember. I thank him and head to the photo lab with a little skip in my step. As I turn the corner everything inside me stops and I could almost hear my heart breaking at the sight of Beth kissing Harry against the wall.