slow it down // zayn malik

chapter fifteen // in the zone.

He continues to glance at Zayn with a peculiar look, obviously wondering what's going on, but he doesn't say a word about the matter. I'm surprised this man even has enough time to breathe properly. 

Luckily for me, Zayn stays completely silent and obediently tags along. For some reason, having him simply next to me keeps my stress levels down. Though I can tell his presence is sending Sable's stress through the roof, which would have been me had Zayn not helped me out earlier. 

I don't know how or why it happened, but it's as if a switch went off in both our brains, reminding us that the other is an actual human being. I'm finding myself acting less bitter towards him for some reason. When I find myself starting to snap at him once again, instantly I feel bad. 

I don't know what the hell is happening to me. 

The crowd goes wild as the band rushes off of stage, dripping with sweat. They high five each other and drain water bottle after water bottle as they walk past us. I can see Sable eyeing them up rather interested, the rocker vibe to them being right up her alley.

"Great job," She smiles at the lead singer as he pushes his long black hair out of his face. 

Stopping momentarily to give us all a look, he grins at Sable, allowing her to take hold of his undivided attention. I roll my eyes and try my best to suppress my smirk. 

"Hey, you guys are the two girls from Starry Eyes, aren't you?" He asks, pointing at Sable and I.

I've never been so nervous that Sable would explode than I am at this moment. Her face lights up, beams of sunlight shooting from her face. Gone is the stress and tension creating deep wrinkles on her forehead; now replaced with a cheeky grin and large, innocent eyes. 

Zayn glances at me, giving me a knowing smile as he watches as Sable tries her hardest to coat on the charm. 

"Yeah, we are," She tilts her head, letting her long brown hair to sway in the breeze, "Sable," She gestures to herself, "And Linley," She turns to momentarily bring me into the picture.

But the man isn't interested in me in the slightest; they never are. He gives me a sliver of a smile before returning it to Sable again.

"Good luck out there, I'm excited to watch you guys," He tells her, giving her a wink before hurrying off with the rest of his band. 

 Sable watches him strut away with his performer's-confidence with her jaw slightly ajar, a dazed look glazed over her eyes. My grin spreads across my face as I giggle to myself, finding this side of Sable just as hilarious as it always is. 

She returns her attention back at us, pretending as if that little exchange hadn't happened. But as she catches Zayn and I both smirking at her, her cheeks flare up an embarrassed shade of red. 

"C'mon, you're freaking out too, aren't you?" She objects in her defense, crossing her arms stubbornly.

"You're the only one," I smirk at her, giving her a shrug that I know will irritate her. 

Sable lets out a dramatic gasp, looking at me as if I had just grew another head. Complete astonishment transforms her face.

"MGMT just told us that they were excited to watch us and you're not freaking out?" She raises her eyebrows at me, giving me a blank stare.

Instantly my stomach drops as my heart tries to leap out of my chest. My jaw nearly drops to the ground as my eyes widen in outrage and pure shock. 

"That was MGMT?" I ask, raising my voice as my world crashes down around me.

MGMT just walked past me and I didn't even acknowledge them. I've never been so disappointed in myself before. I should have listened to the song that was playing on stage before. This place is crawling with famous talented bands and I'm not even keeping my eyes peeled.