One Night (Book 1) - Zayn Malik

Chapter 93

"Thought we could play some Christmas music, you know... since this is like, our little Christmas." I smile at him. He smiles back at me and wipes his hands on a towel.

"I'll get it." He leaves the room and within seconds returns with a silver laptop. Placing it on the counter holiday music begins to play throughout the apartment.

I manage not to make Zayn too angry while cooking – he's quite bossy and precise about the way to cook. He constantly criticizes the way I am making the meal – usually taking over for a moment before handing it back to me.

"Love, the onions need to be chopped finer." He mumbles, taking the knife from my hand and chopping away.

"Okay." I nudge at his body, smiling at his strange bossiness. He wasn't usually this particular when it came to cooking – at least it never seemed that way.

By the end we have a beautiful Italian meal splashed with color of all the ingredients in it. Zayn sets down two bowls at the table and nods for me to join him. Washing my hands I quickly sit down next to him and stare at the food.

I take a deep breath, smelling the meal and smile. I look to Zayn who watches me carefully, waiting for me to say something.

"This is what Elizabeth made us on our first date." I stare at him – the only thing I can manage to do right now. That wasn't necessarily our first date - but it was our first real date seeing as the one before was a double date.

"You liked it so much when she made it I just... I thought it would be nice to make it again." He explains, reaching across the table and taking my hand. A smile finally breaks through my shocked face, warming my heart.

"I love it." I smile, taking my fork and eating the meal. Holiday music still faintly plays in the background while we sit at the table eating.

"Is this why you were being so bossy?" I ask, watching him while he stares at me with a confused frown.

"I wasn't being bossy." He shakes his head with denial. I can't help but smile and let out a soft laugh.

"Yeah you were." I nod, watching him frown more.

"I was not. I just... I wanted it to turn out nice." He explains. I take a bite of the food and cherish the taste of the Italian meal that brings back memories of our date.

The candles set up on the balcony at Elizabeth and Jonah's house. When he attempted to teach me to play guitar. When Charles showed up out of nowhere. When everything we did seemed to go into a cycle. Fighting, making up, dates and then repeat.

"Have you picked any of your classes for next semester?" I ask, twisting the noodles on my fork for another bite.

"I just signed up for a few easy courses. I picked Literature, Classical Humanities and another Psychology class." He lists off his classes as if it were no big deal.

"Psychology?" I can't help but be surprised. He only joined the class to find me and at that he hated it.

"Yeah. I didn't mind the class – it was decently interesting... when I wasn't fighting with you. And especially since I won't have Mr. Collins anymore." He points out.

Mr. Collins had respectfully backed out of my life – well there's not way to respectfully do so, but he left me alone now. I still had weird feelings about him ever since he began taking interest in my personal life.

"So what's with Classical Humanities?" I set my fork down to take a sip of my water. Zayn chews on his food for a moment before answering.

"I just think it's cool. Learning about the Romans and Greeks, you know... like their culture." He shrugs.