in the hills • zayn malik

sixteen- eventide

sixteen- eventide

song for this chapter: “firefly” by Ed Sheeran

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“Zayn, tell me about going to the movies.”

The day was slightly cooler than what the previous week had been, bringing relief to Zayn and Iris. As he buried his face in a book that Iris had recommended, he snuck glances at Iris, who was reading in a chair a couple of metres away.

Zayn put his book down, looking at Iris, smiling. “Going to the movies?” He repeated, and she nodded eagerly, the wondrous curiosity coming back into her green eyes.

He thought about it, realising that he hadn’t exactly gone to the movies in a long time, but he remembered when he was younger, how the excitement had filled him, how eager he had been.

“Every time you go to the cinemas, there’s always this excitement that grabs at your chest.” Zayn said, placing a hand above his heart to reiterate his point. “You go into the cinema; a large room with tiered red seats, and you stumble through the darkness to your seat and most likely drop your popcorn.”

Iris laughed at that, closing her book and leaning on her elbows, looking so captivating to Zayn. “Sounds about right so far.”

Zayn chuckled, running a hand through his messy hair. “After kicking the remains of popcorn under the seats so nobody knows that you’ve done it, you sit down and wait, knowing that soon the curtains will pull back and the large screen will suddenly turn on.”

“How big is the screen?” Iris asked, looking thoroughly intrigued.

Zayn looked around the room they were in thoughtfully. “It would probably be the length of this room, and be one and half stories tall.”

“Wow.” Iris breathed, her eyes shining. “It must be incredible.”

It was Iris’ astonishment that made Zayn realise that after a while going to the movies seemed normal, and all the other things in his life that he took for granted Iris cherished.

A small morsel of self-disgust grew in his chest at how petty he could be, and after living out here for forty five days, where he had been getting water from the river and had to grow all the food themselves, he could see it now.

“You alright, Zayn?” Iris asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

Zayn blinked, shook out of his reverie, and smiled, determined not to think of such saddening thoughts. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Iris frowned and got up, taking the spare spot beside him. “You can tell me anything, you know?” She said quietly.