Eros • Zayn Malik AU

chapter ii

Cindy wrapped her arms around her daughter and grinned.

"I'm so glad that you're going through with this,"

Bella rolled her eyes for the millionth time.

"Oh my, just wait until your father hears about this. He will be just as glad."

They walked towards the convertible and got into it gracefully.  "Now all we have to worry about is your brother." Cindy snorted as she put the key in the ignition.

"Mom, I really don't think this whole matchmaker thing is actually going to work." Bella laid her head against the side of the door.

"You don't know that for sure." Cindy pursed her lips. She turned her head to the side and eyed down Bella's outfit. Cindy frowned. "Bella, next time please dress appropriately. How could your name mean beauty, but you dress like that?"

Bella ignored her and didn't respond. All she wanted was this day to be over, so that she wouldn't have to hear her mother speak about the matchmaker business.

She wished it was her brother who was in her position. He probably would have taken this situation more seriously than she had.

Bella furrowed her eyebrows. Who settles down at the age of twenty-one?! She thought. She had other plans than finding love. She loves to sing and she wants to pursue her dream of making it big.

She huffed out a breath and shoved her small hands into the pockets of her sweatpants. They arrived at Sebastian's high school. Sebastian sat on the curb and immediately smiled when he saw them pull up.

He grabbed his duffel bag and scurried to the backseat of the car.

"How's practice?" Bella mumbled.

"It was great!" Sebastian beamed. "I think I may be a starter for next weeks game."

Bella's ears perked up. "That's nice to hear, Seb." Her lips curled into a small smile.

"Oh, Sebastian! You won't believe what your sister and I did earlier." Cindy looked in the rear view mirror to see her son.

Bella rolled her eyes and turned the volume up from the radio. "Oh wait! I want to show you this new song I found."

Cindy's smile dropped from her face as her voice was drowned by the pop music that was blasting on the radio.

***

Bella's fingers tapped against the wooden table, matching the beat of the music that was blasting through her earphones.  Her lips pressed together, quietly humming the lyrics of the song.

On the other side of the living room, Sebastian was watching soccer highlights of his favorite player, Neymar.

Bella's headache seemed to fade, as she did not have to listen to her mother talk on and on. She didn't understand why her mother wanted to be involved with her love life. 

It shouldn't even concern her.  Bella thought.

Bella felt that she didn't need a man.  For what?  She didn't need one to make her happy.  She was absolutely okay with being single and nothing was going to change that.

Bella straightened her back against the wooden chair, and stretched out her limbs.  She would be going back to her new apartment that her and her best friend had got together.

"Mom, I'm going back now." She said aloud.

She gathered all of her things that were on the table, shamelessly shoving everything inside her pink bag.  She bid her little brother goodbye, to which he responded with a hum.  She left without waiting for a response from her mother.

***

"Are you serious?" Vanessa, her roommate, squealed.  "You're going to go on a blind date?"

"Basically," Bella said with tight lips. "I don't even want to do it."

"Why not?" Vanessa frowned. "It sounds romantic, what if you actually find the one?"

"Don't be serious." Bella snorted. "All this matchmaker thing is bullshit,"

Vanessa rolled her eyes and sat onto their small brown couch that occupied their small space.

"How would you know? I think you should just try it. If you truly feel like it's bullshit, then bail out." Vanessa said.  "You've got to go."

Bella narrowed her eyes at her curly haired friend.

"Please! Go on at least one date." Vanessa begged.  "I really want to help choose your outfit and do your makeup and stuff." She grinned.

"Whatever." Bella huffed.

Bella rubbed her eyes, feeling more fatigued than usual.  Everything that happened that day took a toll on her mental state.  She felt that she deserved a nice rest.

Preparing to lay down in her small twin bed, Bella fluffed up her pillows and arranged them to her liking.  She liked the way it would surround her, making her feel cozy.

As usual, before she goes to sleep, she would use her phone and go through social media.

As she was scrolling through her Instagram feed, she couldn't help but think about the matchmaker.

Is he as real as everyone says he is?

She took it upon herself to look him up.  The first page that popped up featured an image of the man she saw at Cupid's Arrow.  It was in black and white, it seemed like it was a professional head shot photo.

Bella looked at the image of him for a few moments.  There was no doubt that she thought that he was good-looking.

She scrolled through his page.  Many of the pictures consisted of couples that he has joined together.  There were many comments that thanked him for all he's done.

Bella was impressed at the amount of people he was able to match.  Then, she became curious if he could find one for her.  She felt like she could be a challenge.

Her phone buzzed, interrupting her.

Unknown:

Hey, it's Zayn from Cupid's Arrow.  Are you good to meet up tomorrow at 4:30 at Bebe's Café?