Throw It All Away [Zayn Malik]

Chapter 19: Renewing (Part I)

Dana

            “Holy crap, I can’t believe we just did that,” Madeleine breathes, seeming literally weak at the knees as she steps through the door leading out of the backstage area.

            She turns to me, fanning herself a bit and grinning like a madman. “And that,” she laughs. “It’s the New Year’s Eve fashion show of twenty-thirteen! Feeling the rush yet?”

            I have to admit that I am, at least a bit. Though I can’t really tell the difference between that and the feeling of seeing the boys, Zayn, and Ben. It’s like a woozy kind of feeling that goes to your head, makes you kind of useless and immobile at the same time.

            But she doesn’t need to know it’s probably not the show alone giving me that feeling.

            “For sure,” I manage to choke out, blindly following Madeleine out the door where the other models before us are gathering. I stumble over to one of the couches and plop down with a huff, making sure to sit properly on the material of my outfit.

            Madeleine instantly preoccupies herself with talking to a few other people, still caught up in the so-called rush of the show.

            Meanwhile, I’m tugging my heels off, suddenly realizing that my feet are absolutely killing me. It’s not like I was ever a big heel wearer before, so I’m still not at all used to wearing the damn things. I’m definitely going to have to work out how to deal with that, after everything else, of course.

            “Alright everyone!” Kent is at the front of the crowded room now, clapping his hands and grinning widely. “Great show tonight! Now that the work is over… time for the after party!” He drags out the ‘after party’ and everyone begins cheering and heading to change, pumped to get to the real fun of the night.

            When I look over, Madeleine is already in the middle of the flood of people heading out. Everyone is whooping and cheering like crazy, just excited for the prospect of the late night and the countdown to the New Year.

            I know that I have to change too, so instead of following people with knowing I’m going to have to fight the crowd, I decide to slip out one of the side doors instead.

            Shoes in hand, I amble down the hall, only able to think about the boys and Ben. I still can’t figure out how or why they’re here- though I may be the sole reason for one of those.

            Either way, it’s all just weird and it only gets weirder when a guard practically runs me over turning a corner.

            “Sorry Miss!” He says immediately, barely even pausing before he’s jogging off down the hall again, appearing to be searching for something- or someone.

            I have no idea what the hell he’s in such a rush for, but it doesn’t seem good, at least. If a guard’s looking for you, generally, trouble should be expected.

            “Dad’s dead!”

            Never before have a heard two words spoken with such anguish, such fury. Or at least the only time I could maybe compare it to would be when I was on the streets with Ben and Dad.

            God, Ben and Dad. I still wonder about them, how they’re getting along, and that’s probably why whoever just spoke sounds so much like Ben in my mind. Maybe I’m not even seeing them, maybe it’s all in my head and I’m going insane.