Accepted[Zianourry AU]

Chapter 1: The New Arrival

Zayn took in his father’s touch and sighed. 

“Whatever you say, pops.” Zayn gave his father a hug before stepping out of the car. When the door finally closed, his father waved and smiled before driving off down the wet, cobblestone street, turning the corner and vanishing from sight. 

Zayn slumped his black backpack over his right shoulder, trudging in the rain to the main office. He was given his class schedule as well as the map of campus in the mail. 

It was the start of second term and even though he ruthlessly begged his parents to keep him home---that he’d just go back to school next year to start off new, he was given the boot with no avail. They told him that ‘this was a change for the better’ and ‘why prolong your brand new life by staying home doing nothing?’ 

Knowing that his parents were never gonna cave, he just sighed and went upstairs to his room. 

Earlier that morning, his mother had told him to report to the office, since it was his first day of school there, to pick up a slip and have all his teachers sign before the end of the day. 

When Zayn opened the office door, the sounds of telephones ringing, papers shuffling and middle-aged women chatting about their morning, rang in his ears. He hurried to the counter two women were sitting at. Both of them looked up at Zayn, and stopped frigid into the middle of their conversation and stared at him with wide, judging eyes. 

Here we go again, Zayn thought in disgust. 

Shakily, the pudgy woman who was eating her danish stood up from her seat, away from the thinner women with peppery hair and walked towards the counter. 

“Yes,” her voice shook, softly. “How can I help you?”

“Zayn Malik,” he said dryly. “New student. My mum said she got a call from someone in the office, saying that I had to come here to pick up some slip?”

The ginger-haired clerk hung her head lowly, looking around aimlessly, hiding her evident blush. She peered from out of the stack of newsletter and handed Zayn a pink slip. 

“Thanks.” 

And before she could say another word, Zayn walked out of the office, down the hall and to his first class of the day. He moved around campus with ease, ignoring the stares he got from the students around him. He made sure to study the map and mark down his classes, marking the shortest paths to each. Zayn wanted little interaction with everyone. He could just imagine what might have happened if he asked people for help with his school map in hand. They would take advantage of his vulnerable situation and surely torment him for being a half-breed. 

That was the last thing he wanted. To be seen as weak. His parents were right to say that this was going to be a change because he, himself was going to change. He was going to be more reserved and less friendly. The last thing Zayn wanted to do was make friends. All he needed was to finish the term going unnoticed by everyone and hope his time in Birmingham High would be a hell of a lot faster than he could ever have anticipated. 

Turning the knob, he took a step inside, already feeling the stares of his classmates. He kept his head low, walking over the silenced class, over to the older gentleman who stopped mid-sentence. Passing the note, the older man, Zayn recalled his name being Mr. Bronte from his class schedule took it shakily, signing it quickly and pointing to a seat in front of class. 

Zayn ignored the empty seat, walking in back of class, sitting in the shadows as everyone followed him, eyes widened in shock. 

This is going to be a long day, Zayn groaned to himself.