ROSIE.
I stood and stared at the two bottles on the counter for a good twenty-five seconds. The Asylum Zinfandel that I’d gotten for twelve dollars or the second to last bottle of Zayn’s Brignac Brut that was approximately around three-hundred and fifty dollars. I decided shortly after that I’d wait to drink the champagne with him. I liked the hopefulness of that. Ding. Ding.
Zayn: just finished up the first dublin show…miss you .xx
I smiled to myself. He’d been very good about calling me constantly and texting…we were doing well. Things were good and I was happy. Content.
Zayn: btw…would call ya, but the lads have all just gone away to their bunks so i feel like they might get a bit grumpy if i talk on the phone…s’this okay?
Rosie: Course :) Miss you too .xo
Zayn: k. glad we’re both on the same page, yeh?
Rosie: Always! How was the show tonight?
Zayn: mazing as always. s’honestly like the best feeling, y’know?
Rosie: Not sure that I do…I’m not world famous like somebody…;)
Zayn: m’gonna say something real cheesy right now
Rosie: Uh-oh…
Zayn: youre world famous to me :D
Rosie: Definitely the cheesiest thing anyone has ever said to me, Mr. Malik.
Zayn: you like it though .xxxx
Rosie: Guilty.
Zayn: really miss you :(
Rosie: Already said that, Z .x
Zayn: but like…keeps hittin me. makes me a bit sad, yeh?
Rosie: Makes me sad too :( Soon though, hopefully?
Zayn: v’definitely decided m’comin back there after this. like…okay it was nice to see my family, but now that i have, i can kinda just chill…spend the rest of my free time with my girl .x
I really couldn’t even begin to explain the feelings that were sprouting and overtaking my entire being as I read over those two words. My girl. His girl.
Zayn: so yeh, soon. swear it .xxx
Rosie: Can’t wait :)
We texted back and forth for another twenty minutes before he stopped responding, which probably meant he passed out and I looked at the clock on my phone. It was only eight o’clock on a Friday night in New York City and I was bored. Very bored. I cursed myself out for not being more of a social butterfly because I didn’t actually have many friends. I dialed Jessa’s number and she picked up on the fourth ring.
“Hi honey!”
“Hey Jess…are you busy?”
“I am not, why?”
“I’m completely bored out of my mind and I miss you.”
“Well…being the wonderfully cool thirty-three year old that I am, I’m sitting here in my pajamas and Drew just went out to grab some food, so if you don’t mind staying in with us, please, please come over.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be there in a bit.”
“Yay! Okay see you soon. Love you!”
“Love you too, Jess.”
✍
“You hungry, Rose?” Andrew asked, unloading the Chinese takeout boxes at the kitchen counter.
“I’m fine…ate a bit before I came over.” I smiled a bright smile at my brother-in-law and he went momentarily cross-eyed. “I will have some wine though.”
“So, would you please, please fill me in on your life? And should I be worried that my twenty-two year old bombshell of sister isn’t out partying on a Friday night…?” Jessa came in with her wine glass full of sparkling water and sat down next to me on one of the barstools. I laughed lightly at my sister’s words as Andrew handed me my glass of Pinot Grigio.
“Thanks Drew. Um—no…not necessarily. I’m just too busy with work and—”
“Oh, do not give me that. You need to get out, Rosie. Enjoy your life because you’re only young once!”
“Would you let me finish?” I quirked an eyebrow and she held her well-manicured hands up in playful defense.
“Sorry, sorry…please, go on.”
“Well…I met someone…”
“You did not!”
“I did, yes.”
“Do I have to break out the shotgun?” Drew’s coy smile made me giggle and Jessa rolled her eyes.
“Oh please…you don’t even know how to use a firearm, Andrew. Keep talking, Rosie. What’s his name?”
“His name is Zayn…”
“Sounds very…sexy…” You have no idea.
“Um…he’s…” I trailed off, not knowing the right words to even begin to describe him. “He’s beautiful…like…absolutely, utterly beautiful. He’s sweet, and he’s gentle…caring…we can actually talk about things. I feel like…I don’t know, I feel like things are so easy between us. Like, our feelings are there and quite obvious, but at the same time…there isn’t that weird discomfort that always seems to be present at the beginning of new relationships, y’know? It’s just simple and nice and I actually trust him…which is a first for me.”
“He’s good to you?”
“He is. He’s quite the gentleman.” I didn’t see the point in telling them exactly who he was…at least not yet.
“I’m so excited for you, honey! This is—this is good. First real relationship since that piece of—” Jessa gritted her teeth at the mention of Kade. “Anyway. I’m proud of you. I just hope everything works out and I’m really, really hoping we’ll get to meet him soon?” I hoped so too.
“Yeah…soon. Not yet, but soon.” This seemed to sit well, for now, so I decided to switch the conversation over to them and after two glasses of Pinot and lots of baby-talk, I gave them each a kiss and said goodnight before going home and quite literally passing the hell out as soon as I hit my mattress.
YOU ARE READING
rough draft || z.m
Fanfiction"Maybe tomorrow that goodbye will lead to a new hello, and maybe this time you will fuel the fire in her heart and make her stay." -Robert M. Drake
