Tamper

Chapter 7

On Thursday, Liam heard a knock. He looked up to find Zayn at his classroom door, before glancing at his wristwatch. It was lunch time. So immersed he was in his research for a vasectomy, Liam had lost track of time. He had a doctor narrowed down who could perform the procedure but he hadn't made the appointment. He knew it would be a matter of time before Sophia began wondering why she hadn't fallen pregnant. Then she would demand fertility testing and Liam was certain that a simple blood test would detect that she was still on oral contraceptives and that would lead to more questions. But that was Sophia and she was the furthest thing in his mind when he had Zayn standing at his doorway.

"Come in and close the door," Liam said.

Zayn walked inside the classroom and pulled the door shut, muting the adolescent noise coming from the hallway. They had roomed together for five nights in Finland. Being alone in his classroom with Zayn shouldn't make Liam's breath catch in his throat. Yet it did. Liam watched, entranced, as Zayn looped his fingers on his backpack and walked towards Liam's desk.

"Sit down." Liam opened his desk drawer, pulling out the boxed Nokia 3310 he had purchased from a street trader in London. He had already saved his own cellphone number to its phonebook and loaded airtime onto it. He handed it to Zayn.

"This phone looks ancient," Zayn opened the box and pulled out the phone, inspecting it.

"It can make and receive calls," Liam replied dryly. "It's good enough."

"When you said you'd get me a phone, this wasn't what came to mind." Zayn returned the phone back in its box.

"There's a charger in there as well. Keep it switched off until 8:50PM, which is the time when I will send you a text instructing where you must meet me. And please don't get it confiscated." Liam said, his voice stern as he emphasised the word. The last thing he needed was the phone to land in the wrong hands.

"I won't. I still can't believe you got Ms. Mundy to agree to cover for us."

"I merely pointed out that its best for you to know how to protect yourself." Liam feasted his eyes on Zayn who was hunched on one of the visitor's chairs, chewing absently on the inside of his cheek. How could something so mundane be so sexy? Zayn looked up and caught Liam's eye.

"What?" Zayn asked.

"Uh, nothing." Liam dropped his eyes to his laptop. He shouldn't stare at Zayn like that, he didn't want Zayn to get a weirdo vibe from him. Liam busied himself, aware that Zayn was still watching him.

"Are you preparing for your next class?" Zayn asked.

"Not right now." Although Liam probably should be, considering he was taking the Sixth Form group next, a problematic and tiring bunch of know-it-alls.

Zayn was quiet for a bit then he said, "Do you enjoy being a teacher?"

"I enjoy not having to work during the summers." Not that he was looking forward to spending three long months away from Zayn. Summer was still some time away and when it arrived, Liam was sure by then he would have made progress and the Nokia would come in handy for them to keep in touch when Zayn returned home. Mr Malik's summer blockbuster would debut and he would leave to promote the film, taking his wife. Zayn would be left home all alone and Liam would use the opportunity to book an expensive hotel room for Zayn and himself and they would spend entire days in bed, Liam giving Zayn an education on all things carnal—

"I should get going," Zayn made no move to leave. Liam opened Google, searching for upmarket hotels in London and found a website that ranked them.