Pulling Heart Strings

2.

"Mum, we'll be back soon! Love you!"

"Take care, Joey! I love you both!" my mother responded shortly after. With that, I hastily slipped inside the car because of the cold bite in the air seeping through my thin clothes. Zayn smugly smiled at me from the driver's seat, his car purred softly to life before we back out of the driveway. Heated air whirled from the fans, and I pressed my stinging hands up against them. My big brother reached behind him, his hazel eyes still focused on the road ahead, and came back out with a royal purple blanket. One side was silky soft like the petals of a rose, the other side was white and as fluffy like a lamb's wool.

This thing would block out any numbing coldness without trouble. "Thanks," I grinned, draping the blanket over my shivering body.

"So, what will it be? Caramel frappuccino or Chai Tea frappuccino?" Zayn questioned as we pulled up beside Starbucks.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The flight was bumpy at first, scaring me to near death. Then it became smooth as we had settled ourselves into our seats. Zayn gave me the pleasure to sit beside the window seat, and I endlessly thanked him. Bright lights had twinkled like glitter against a black canvas. It got boring to watch bright lights twinkle, so I ripped my face away from the window. Zayn was reading To Kill a Mockingbird peacefully beside me, frequently checking his phone and smiling down at the screen. It was more than likely Perrie texting him. I was soothing myself to sleep with soft music, most from Ed Sheeran the other half from Vance Joy.

The last thing I remember was Zayn reaching over to wrap the blanket tightly around my shoulders and kissing my temple.

"Ten more minutes until landing." a delicate voice spoke through the microphone, and I set my attention back outside the window to where fuzzy dots of light shone against the darkness, fighting it and proudly winning. We were plunged into a deeper black-ink like sky that made me want to rest once more. I let out deep yawn as drops of water fell against the window, running down it before free-falling down the sky. The flight was only four hours long, but it would have been six by car.

Either way, the time I got of sleep was blissful to me. The flight attendant strolled by us. She kindly smiled towards me while taking some apple cobbler Zayn and I had asked for. It was their specialty. I thanked her as she walked off before noticing that my big brother was done speaking on the phone.

He smiled at me. "That was Liam. He wanted to make sure we were on our way." wow. The guys sounded super excited.

"Do you think they'll like me?" I blurted out without thinking. That question has been tampering with my head since the second I boarded the plane. What if I wasn't fun enough for them? What if I was just the little girl of the group? I wasn't much to enjoy. The guys were everything, angels to some. What would I be compared to them? Nothing. All I was wishing for was acceptance. The same wish I've been making my entire life.

Zayn's face drooped into sadness as if he could read my mind... as if he could read my social anxiety. "I think they'll love you to bits... a little bit too much if you ask me." he mumbled the last part underneath his breath, but I still caught it. Stiffling back a small giggle, I acted dumb.

"What do you mean, Zayn?"

"I mean, you aren't awkward. You're honestly beautiful, too beautiful for them. I'm sure at least one will fancy you." he grumbled, a low growl rumbling from his chest. His overprotectiveness was welcomed any time. It made me feel secured though it often got out of hand. My dad was really never like Zayn, he didn't necessarily care who I dated, but he still managed to be protective - just not Zayn protective. I playfully rolled my eyes at him.