through the dark ➳ malik a.u

six - field trip

"Oh, piss off!" I heard Lauren complain from her bed as my alarm went off. "It's a Saturday! Why are you getting up a eight in the morning?" her voice was muffled as she pulled the comforter over her head. 

Rolling over onto my back, I turned off the alarm. "I'm going into London today, I forgot to warn you. I'm sorry. You can go back to sleep." I said as I sat up on my bed. 

"You bet your ass I am." 

Chuckling, I stepped out from under my own comforter and padded over to the shower to begin getting ready. As I showered, I remembered what had happened after I'd come home last night. I wondered if Zayn would remember anything from last night or if he'd drank too much. One thing was for sure, he'd have a killer hangover this morning. 

Quietly, I continued to leave the shower and the get ready for the day ahead. Nerves boiled inside me and I couldn't exactly pinpoint why. Surprisingly, Lauren didn't even stir when I turned the hairdryer on and realised how tired she must have been. Guilt spread through my body about waking her earlier. I finished off my hair by pulling it to the side of my head and braiding it while I walked over to the window to check out the weather. It looked colder than it had been the last few days. With a sigh, I pulled on the same jeans from yesterday, a plain black tank top with a navy blue crewneck on top. I swiped my eyeliner and mascara on before deciding I looked decent and leaving the room, quietly closing the door behind me.

As I walked downstairs I checked the time on my phone. I'd deliberately got up earlier than I needed to so that I'd have time to get some breakfast. Even though breakfast started from about half past eight every day, on Saturdays most of the students didn't even roll out of bed until noon. There were a few students sitting in the cafeteria, but only a fraction of the number on a school day. It only really consisted of students getting up early to study or to go out like I was. 

A frown appeared on my lips as I collected two slices of toast - I couldn't see anyone I knew or even just recognised. My eyes continued to search for someone to save me from being that guy sitting on their own. Relief flooded my mind as I noticed a certain drunken idiot from last night sitting at his usual table. A smirk formed on my lips as I strode towards him. 

"Good morning!" I half shouted in Zayns ear after sneaking up behind him. 

He groaned and rubbed his temples. "No need." He murmured as I took a seat across from him.

The smirk slipped from my face as I took in his appearance. He looked similar to when I'd woke him up last week, with his hair un-styled and a tired look in his eyes. Except this time he was less shirtless. 

"Well aren't you a glorious bowl of sunshine on this fine morning." I cooed with a smirk. Zayn sent me a dry look. 

"How are you so chirpy?" He asked picking at his toast.

"Not chirpy,” I started before taking a bite of toast, "Just less hungover - a lot less hungover."

Zayn puffed out his cheeks. "Louis told me you found me last night."

"Yeah, I did."

"Did I say anything weird to you?" 

"You don't remember anything?"

"No. Oh God, what did I do?"

"No, no! Nothing weird at all, honestly. You were kind of adorable."

I froze on the spot as I finished the last sentence. I'd just called Zayn adorable. To his face. Zayns eyes sparkled and I knew that the smirk would form before it actually did. You could practically see his ego inflate at my words. "You think I'm adorable?" He asked, his voice teasing. 

Heat flushed my cheeks. "No, I meant - uh. Well, yes, when you're drunk." I decided to even attempt to defend myself since I'd already thrown myself in there. 

"So you're saying I'm not adorable?" He retorted, his smirk still playing at his lips. 

"Oh, would you look at the time!" I changed the subject quickly. "We should get going." After this encounter, I was kind of dreading the forty-five minute long drive to get into London. 

"Yeah, we should. Come on then, angel." He stood from his chair and I copied him. I could feel eyes burning into my back as Zayn and I left the room together, and I turned around to witness Jessica turning away quickly from where she was standing to buy her breakfast. I brushed it off, and followed Zayn out of the building and towards the student parking lot. 

The cold bit at my face as I walked behind Zayn until we stopped outside a black car. Zayn pulled the passenger side open for me - a gentlemanly gesture I definitely was not expecting from him. Thanking him, I sat down in the car and watched as he walked back around to the driver’s side. It was still new to me that the driving sides were switched here in Britain. Which was the reason why I hadn't even attempted driving over here yet. The engine roared to life and the heating was turned up as high as possible before we were pulling out of the school grounds. 

"So what's the plan?" Zayn asked and I shrugged in response. 

"Go to London." 

He rolled his eyes at my response. "I mean once we get there, what do you want to do first?" 

"I don't know, just all the tourist things. London eye, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace. The whole package." 

"Oh, I can give you a package, angel." 

It took me a minute I catch onto what Zayn had said, but when I did I smacked his arm. 

"Hey! Driving!" he complained but you could see that he was holding in laughter. 

"Well you've perked up." I noted his hangover seemed to be disappearing. 

He looked at me, a soft smile on his lips. "It happens when I'm in good company." His golden eyes held mine for a moment before averting back to the road. The hairs on my arms rose and it definitely wasn't because of the cold. 

We both stared out of the front window until Zayn broke the silence by turning on the radio. The silence became more comfortable with the music filling the car. My forehead was pressed against the window watching at the streets rushed by me. 

"So, are we going to get some work done?" Zayn's voice broke the silence causing me to jump and hit my head against the window. Zayn was stifled laughter when I looked up at him, and I shot a glare in his direction. 

"May aswell." I muttered rubbing my head. 

"What do your parents do?"

"My Mom's a nurse." My reply was stiff and I didn't know if Zayn noticed, but if he did he didn't show it. "Yours?" 

"Mum's a teacher," He said, "And my Dad's a full time asshole." The last part was said under his breath, and I clearly wasn't supposed to hear. I stared at face and took in his expression. He looked angry, like he was dying to say something but was holding back. His knuckles were white from gripping too tighly onto the steering wheel. Suddenly, I understood Zayn a little more, or related to him a bit. It looked like we both had dysfunctional father figures in our lives. Like he did, I restrained myself from asking any further questions about his parents. 

We continued questioning each other on things like our favourite subjects, movies and other silly things like that. Surprisingly, we both shared the same favourite movies. 

"I wouldn't have pinned you as a Lord of the Rings girl." Zayn had said, glancing at me curiously.

"I wouldn't have pinned you as a Lord of the Rings guy." 

As I started to ask Zayn about his favourite books, he shushed me and turned up the radio a little. When I sent a puzzled look in his direction, he stated that he liked the song. A grimace spread over my face as the all too familiar song filled my ears.

"What? Do you not like music?" 

"I like music, just not overly-cheesy boy bands." 

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

"You like this?"

"Why are you so shocked?"

"Just, never would have guessed." 

"Well, I'm just full of surprises angel." He winked at me before turning up the volume some more. Before I could protest again, he held a finger up. "Sh, this bit's about you." My eyebrows scrunched in confusion. 

"Said her name was Georgia Rose!" Zayn sang along loudly with a wide grin. 

"There's no Rose in my name." I muttered. 

"Don't ruin this angel - " Zayn said quickly before continuing, " - was a dentist!"

"My Mom's a nurse." I couldn't help but laugh at him being so happy and carefree as he sang along.

"Said I had a dirty mouth!" 

"Well, that's true." I commented and Zayn chuckled at me. "You know, you're actually like, not terrible at that - singing, I mean." 

"I know." Zayn replied arrogantly, winking at me again. Scoffing at him, I turned my attention back to the window as he turned the volume back down. "We're about fifteen minutes away." He glanced at me and I nodded in response.