The Art of Seduction - Zayn Malik AU

Chapter 24: Unraveled

I notice Cora look up at her in blatant aggravation. It's a bit funny to see how much she despises Marissa. "Awesome, then let's go!" I say and unfold my map to look for the photography room. Marissa and I share a look I can tell Cora is watching before I lead them in the direction of the first clue. 

Cora's POV

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I briefly search for different objects in the room I could hit Marissa over the head with but the modern themed lobby has left me with no options besides a stack of flyers in a container or the small pole that ropes off the art - which I guess I could use if I really had to. Nicephore Niepce invented photography blah blah blah. Can he also invent a way to make her less annoying? 

I roll my eyes and follow Zayn and Marissa to the photography room. Zayn has been pretty much ignoring me the whole trip so far and it's starting to get on my nerves. He looks really hot today - well he looks hot everyday - but today I'm noticing it more since most of his attention is focused elsewhere. He's got his usual black ripped skinny jeans on, a black shirt with a blue and red snake plastered on the front that looks like it could be one of his tattoos, and a dark gray leather jacket that can easily be mistaken for black. 

We are apparently the first group to figure out the first clue when we get to the photography room. Not wanting to be useless in the first clue, I break away from the group to find one of the employee's. "Excuse me, what is the most recent addition to this collection?" I ask. The woman dressed in all black dress clothes points behind me. I turn around to see Kyle and Zayn standing next to Marissa as she takes a picture of it. Damnit.

I groan and join them by the photograph. It's of a girl sitting alone on a old beaten swing set while groups of kids around her play in the distance who are clearly ignoring her. Wow what a hilarious coincidence. 

"Next clue...let's see..." Marissa starts to read the scavenger hunt guide with Zayn just inches behind her. I clench my fists together and eye Kyle who is doodling something on his map. Just after dusk and right before dawn, a painting full of light, a painting called ______. Marissa starts to tap her pencil on her bottom lip as she ponders the clue. My head is filled with angry thoughts and there's barely any room left for thinking about the clue itself. 

"Twilight! A painting called Twilight!" Zayn finally says and Marissa turns to pat him on the back. "Nice! Now lead the way," Marissa smiles at him. I grind my back teeth together so hard the muscles in my jaw start to ache. 

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After 6 clues answered and many frustrating witnesses of flirtatious banter, I have had about enough. There are two more clues left on the guide and two more nerves left in my body. It's only escalated since this morning, Marissa apparently can't keep her hands off Zayn now and everything he says is hilarious even when it's not meant to be funny at all. The worst part is Zayn is just eating it up! 

The second to last clue involves painting a picture ourselves in the "Hands-On-Art" part of the museum. Marissa immediately votes Zayn to be the one to paint it since he "is a natural artist". Zayn happily obliges and picks up one of the provided water color trays and paintbrushes. 

What happens next is a deliberate and cruel act of seduction viciously played out by Zayn Malik. I catch Zayn's eye as he slowly slides off his dark gray leather jacket, revealing the fact his shirt happens to be a tank top. The thing about tank tops is they do a good job of covering your torso, but not your arms. This is a problem since the tank top Zayn is currently wearing has made it it's job to efficiently broadcast the captivating and enticing tattoos that cover Zayn's right arm.