Escapade » z.m

51. I Walk Around With A Flower Crown

Zayn saw Gemma one day prior to his birthday. It was Saturday, and he was in Half Moon Plumpton, making hot cups of chocolate for the two children who had stepped into the Coffee House that day. It was a rare sight, children, in this place. It was mostly for those who brooded and found solace in silence. Also in the occasional music Zayn put on the speaker from time to time.

He had to thank Fionn, he always forgot to, for he had let Zayn have the bluetooth speaker for eternity, which Zayn had once burrowed for, and quoting, "A day or two."

It wasn't planned, the meeting between him and Gemma. It happened how it mostly did, through a coincidence.

He was pouring tea for Mr. Hudson, the kettle steady in his hands. It wasn't necessary, but Zayn wanted to thank him for showing up early almost all times since they had had that feud, or as Zayn liked to call it, "I don't remember what you're talking about Jimmy, that wasn't me."

The oak door opened, bringing in the chill and Gemma, but Zayn didn't see her at first. He was more concentrated on not spilling the boiling tea on Mr. Hudson, whose hand was curled around the handle of the cup.

"Hi, dad." Her voice reached in his ears. He straightened, a look of surprise on his face. He wasn't expecting to see her before exams. She gave him an acknowledging glance, and quickly went back to addressing her dad. She looked different today. The coat she was wearing was much bigger for her size, but it looked right on her for some reason. Her red hair weren't left unbound, they were half tied, with a white rose tucked just above her knot. He smiled at it, it looked quite elegant.

"I came to drop in the keys."

The tip of her nose was rubicund, and she was sniffing in between her words. The harshness of winter was visible on her cheeks. She was on an edge, something was off about her. That could be why she looked a bit different, but he wasn't sure. Her eyes kept flickering towards him, as if to see his reaction to the conversation taking between her and her father.

He figured, with a pang guilt, that standing there like a statue, he might be intruding in an exchange that was more personal than he realised.

If he was in her place, and Mr. Hudson were his own father, he wouldn't have liked any uninvited friends to witness his unflattering terseness around him. He always held back from being himself around his father, maybe that was why they never connected that much. But Zayn was afraid, he always had been since he gained any senses, that if he did let his guard down, spoke his mind and intentions out loud, they might have never connected at all.

Not that he had to worry about it now.

"Where's Every? When are you coming back?" Mr. Hudson asked with his perpetual frown, which was only getting deeper. Gemma shifted on her feet, her hand sliding in her coat pocket.

"I'll be back by dinner." She provided. Zayn smiled to himself, he used to think she was vague only with him, but apparently she was like this with everyone. "Every's at work, University. She was saying she'll cook today."

Mr. Hudson nodded, a ghost of a smile clearing the grimace off his face. "Don't be late." He added like an afterthought.

"Of course." She said, sending Zayn a quick glance. She took her hand out of the pocket and kept a bundle of keys on the table. "Don't start without me." She added, an impish smile adorning her face.

Mr. Hudson's lips curled up slightly. Zayn was shocked to see that transition, it was the first time he had seen him smile.

"We won't." He said gently, his smile still present, and Zayn felt the invisible wall there had been between him and Gemma crumble. What if there was no wall at all, and it was just Gemma's vagueness that had caused the distance Every was talking about. He didn't want to interfere, but he definitely wanted to know.