Out of My League (Ziam)

2nd Base

Two weeks later, ZaynandLiam happened again. It was another hot Saturday morning, post-chores, of course. Only this time I was underwater, trying to catch some diving sticks.

"Hey, Zayn! What's up?" Liam greeted, just as my head hit the surface. He was standing outside of the pool in only purple swim trunks and a white snapback. His skin was a buttery golden brown that made me want to drown myself in the deep end.

"Hey, Liam," I replied, trying to pull myself together, because shit. Liam was gorgeous.

"Is Harry still inside?" He asked, doing that thing where he squints his eyes adorably, even though he already knew the answer.

"Yep." I swallowed, openly staring at him as he walked over towards the diving board, bouncing up and down on the edge before he did landed in the pool with a cannonball.

"Woohoooo!" He shouted as he hit the surface, brushing the water from his eyes.

"Nice one," I commented with a smile. The entire pool had erupted in deep waves. Liam always had the best cannonballs.

He started to swim around a bit, getting used to the water temperature, when he saw me in goggles, repeatedly bobbing in and out of the water.

"What're you looking for?" He kicked closer to me.

"These diving sticks. They're in the corner and I can't reach them," I pointed to the murky swim toys way out in the deep end, feeling pathetic next to Mr. Pacsun Model.

"I'll help," Liam balanced a hand on the side of the pool and slid on the nearest pair of goggles from the ledge. Harry's.

"Alright. On the count of three we'll go under," he instructed. "One, two.. three!"

We both dunked under at the same time, using all our strength to get down deep enough without running out of air. Then I felt a hand, large and warm and wrinkled from pool water, grab mine. Liam yanked me a little bit farther down, just enough to grab the diving sticks from the floor. He gave me that push and we swam back up to the top, breaking through the surface together.

I tossed the diving sticks to the side of the pool and wiped the water off my face with my free hand, trying to catch my breath.

"Thanks Liam," I smiled at him, breathing heavy. My eyes widened when I realized how close we were standing. And when I realized he wasn't moving away.

"No problem," he laughed, eyes squinty again. The screen door suddenly squeaked open up near the house, revealing my older brother, Harry.

"Hey guys," he greeted cheerily, but his smile became a straight line when he saw our hands.

Oh shit, our hands! I quickly detangled my fingers from Liam's and swam a few feet away, pretending that nothing had happened, and tried to ignore the instant cold that rushed to my hands like I had just jumped from a hot tub into the ocean.

"You guys alright?" Harry asked warily, his eyes narrowed like he just witnessed his brother and best friend holding hands.

Oh fuck.

"Yeah, Liam was just helping me reach some diving sticks from the bottom." I said hurriedly, my heart racing all over again. It technically was the truth, right?

"Yeah, okay," Harry considered it. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Who wants to play some Marco Polo?"

-

Marco Polo turned into pool baseball, which turned into Liam suggesting I be on the team.

"C'mon, Zayn, you're really good!"

"I don't know, Liam, I'm kind of busy this summer. I mow lawns..." I trailed off, because well, that's honestly all I did. Playing out in the field occasionally? Sure. But being on the team with Liam? No way, Jose.

Liam smirked. "Well at least come to camp with me. It's a few hours away at a university, only for the weekend. We'd stay in a dorm and everything!" He stood still in the shallow end now, waiting for my answer.

His face was lit up with excitement. I couldn't say no to those stupid big brown eyes.

"Fineeee," I agreed, dragging out the word. "But only because I'm your last option. We all know Harry is shit at baseball anyway."

"Hey!" Harry retorted weakly.

"Cool, it's settled," Liam slapped my arm like we were bros, and as his brown eyes crinkled I couldn't help but love the sting it left.