LOST II

Chapter 4: "Project Zalma"

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November 24, 2020

A smile spread on Zayn's lips the moment she turned around the corner. He stretched his arm out wide. Shaking her head, Salma chuckled and walked up to him, letting him pull her close and snuggled into his chest. Zayn kissed her hair. Her familiar scent descending a calming warmth upon him. He left his arm draped over her shoulders as they listened to the man talking ahead.

Except that it was short-lived and imaginary.

Except that it was a dream.

The loud noise just outside his room made sure to remind him of that. Life, harsh and upsetting, had once again pulled him out of his sleep. He never came close to her by an arm's length that day. He just watched her from afar, wishing it was him who had given her such a gentle and affectionate reassurance instead of her uncle. Zayn let out a miserable sigh, rubbing the sleep off of his face and eyes.

". . . No, it's okay, I just dropped the bag," Claire could be heard telling Niall.

"Do you need help?" Niall offered from downstairs

"Thank you, I'm good."

Zayn stayed in bed long after he heard his sister's footsteps recede. He wished he would stop dwelling upon his dreams but how could he? Every time he saw her, his heart leapt out at her. Every time she interacted with the others casually, he wished it was him. He may have pledged to move on, but he had no control over his dreams or his heart's desires. There was no distracting either with lies, workouts and pep-talks in the mirror.

Bracing himself for the day, Zayn pulled himself up in a sitting position. He was still very groggy. A voice in his head invited him to skip classes and just have a lazy day at home. An incoming text alerted his senses. Stretching out, Zayn picked up his phone. He sleepily read the notification sent to him by the studio assistant. He was assigned the only available time-slot for the week.

"Guess no lazy day for me today," Zayn mumbled to himself as he continued reading the rest of the notifications.

A frowned knotted his brow.

Snob: Campus coffee place. 8:00 a.m

Snob: Sharp!

Zayn blinked.

Snob?

He would have retorted with a snappish text, telling her to expect him no earlier than one in the afternoon, but a ripple going through his body had him checking if it was actually her sending him texts. One, because Snob had stopped her correspondence, all except occasionally sending him threats to dump him in the dormitories' sewers for his intentions to marry Salma. And two, she only ever sent such bossy texts when Bee was in trouble.

She said 8:00. Zayn realized he only had forty minutes to reach the coffee place. His comforter was sent flying as he jumped out of his bed as if electrocuted. After a quick in and out of the bathroom, and getting dressed, he zoomed past Claire who was going downstairs.

"'Morning!" she called after him.

Zayn nodded in response, grabbing his jacket and keys and stomping his feet in his shoes. He looked around. Where did he dump his bag again?

"Where to?!" Niall asked, eyes wide at Zayn's urgency.

"Uni," Zayn replied shortly, shrugging into his jacket. He hurried towards the couch where he had left his bag the previous night. "Have a meeting due in thirty minutes."

Niall and Claire exchanged a glance. She shrugged.

Zayn snatched the bag off of the couch and ran towards the door.