Show me, what it means to take it slowly
Friendship into love takes growing
Knowing it's a long long road to love
Leads back to you.
- "U" || Mikky Ekko
______
"You're cleaning?"
"You never clean."
"What's got you cleaning?"
Classes are cancelled again.
It's Tuesday of the following week - an exact seven days has passes since Zayn has first heard the words, 'I love you' slip from his girlfriend's mouth.
Seven days.
But, who's counting?
"Shut up, Lou," and Niall rises, standing from where he was fixing the couch cushions. "You too, Zayn."
"What?" He laughs defensively. "It was Louis, mate. Not me."
"S'always Lou," Niall groans, before narrowing his eyes at the dark-haired friend of his fighting a smile. "So that's not much of an argument, Z."
"Aww, c'mon, Nialler," Zayns grins, throwing his arm around his friend's neck and ruffling his blonde head. "What's with ya today?"
"He's cleaning," Louis states, biting into an apple. "He never cleans unless his mum's coming to visit."
Zayn's eyes light up. "Your mum's coming to visit?"
"No, my mum is not coming to visit," exclaims Niall, exasperated.
"What is it, then?"
"Cara's comin' over."
The snowstorm this winter is out of control. Classes have never been cancelled like this, in all of Zayn's years of being in college, albeit them being few. Never has the entire city been impacted before. Never has he been alive to see the subway so filled up with snow.
"What?" Louis exclaims, arms out as he falls backwards (and dramatically) into Zayn. "Cara? Cara's comin' over, here? To this house? To see who? Anais?"
Zayn turns at the mention of his girlfriend. "What do you mean by that, Lou?"
"Oh, please," Louis tuts. "She's over enough she might as well live here, yeah? You're sharing a bed and all..."
Zayn decides not to answer this. He was just about to go for a smoke when he realized it was too cold to even do that, and when he climbed back inside he decided to text Anais because he missed her and she was the only thing that could distract him from his nicotine craving.
That's when Louis had walked into the living room.
That's when they both noticed Niall.
"Well, guess we've got a full house," Louis announces, eyes transfixed upon his phone. "Haz says he and Liam are bored at theirs so I've told them to come over-"
Niall lifts a newly fluffed pillow and slaps Louis upside his head with it.
"Hey!" He exclaims, as Zayn laughs silently, leaning against the wall for support. "Wha's wrong with you?"
"Why'd ya invite them today, Lou?"
"Uh...because, you little leprechaun," he says with rolled eyes, "they're our mates."
Niall groans, running a hand over his face.
Louis pauses. "Is this a date?"
"No," Niall grunts. "S'not a date, alright?"
Louis looks to Zayn, who only shrugs, so he looks back at Niall, who groans again. Louis is obviously not convinced.
"She's comin' to play video games," Niall explains. "She's just comin' over to hang out, alright? Fuck off, would ya? I don't need either of you givin' her the third degree when she's over here."
"Fine, fine," Louis says, hands raised in surrender. "I'll leave ya alone and keep the boys out of your way."
"Thanks, Lou."
He hums, retreating into the kitchen. "What can I say? I'm a gift. A gift to you, Nialler. A gift to the world."
Zayn takes out his phone, plopping onto the couch and placing his feet on the coffee table before Niall pushes them off.
"Alright, mate," he says, "I live here, too."
"And you never see me do that when Anais is over."
"So," Zayn pauses, grin growing, "you like her, huh?"
"Anais? Yeah. I mean, yeah. I thinks she's great. She's fit, she's funny," Niall nods approvingly. "I mean, you chose well. Ya' seem happy, and-"
Zayn shakes his head, because despite the fact that he's happy Niall and Anais are friends, Zayn wasn't exactly looking to have this conversation now. "Not Ana. Cara, Niall."
"Oh," and now Niall takes a seat beside him on the couch. "What about her?"
Zayn laughs, shaking his head. "You like her?"
He shrugs. "We're friends," and he lifts a brow. "Why?"
Zayn shrugs, now. He's not about to tell Niall that it was supposed to be Chanel that he was inviting over, at least according to Anais.
And honestly, what was he doing? He was about to pry into Niall's love life. He was about to meddle. He was about to play matchmaker.
He was about to be Anais.
"No reason."
Niall eyes him curiously. "Uh huh..." He says, rising from the couch. Then, he sniffs himself, pulling a face. "I'm gonna go shower, then."
"Yeah. Do that."
"Shut up, Zayn," laughs the blonde, rising from the couch. "And tell Ana she might as well come over, too," he grins a bit. "I know you were about to invite her anyway."
Zayn chuckles, eyes wide as he pulls out his phone.
He really can't be that obvious.
Guess who's coming over? :) x
Anais replies almost immediately.
Who?
Cara
*le gasp*
TO SEE WHO?
*whom
To see *whom :)x
-__________________-
thanks a ton grammar nazi
love you too babe :) x
i love you more :-*
Zayn smiles to himself.
He doesn't even care if his friends come into the room and see.
debatable :)), he types back.
Anais is typing.
-_____________-
TELL ME THEN
Niall
She's coming to hang out
Shutupppp!!!!lknasdnfas
that bitch didn't tell me
I'm shocked and excited at the same time
Zayn laughs.
Come over then
And intrude on a date?
that sounds wrong even for me
Apparently it's not a date
They're just hanging out
Right
"Hanging out" she types.
Okay
"Hanging out" to hook up on the couch maybe
whatever haha
just come to keep me company
i miss you
i saw you yesterday
literally less than twelve hours ago :)
Zayn pauses, thumbs lingering over his keyboard as he decides what to type to this. Sure, Anais is kidding (at least that's what he thinks), but they just became official and he doesn't want her to think he's clingy, or something. He isn't trying to push her away.
(He's totally overthinking).
He types, finally: I thought what we had was special ;(
lol she types back.
i'm literally on my way
(That makes him smile, too).
buuuuuttttt be warned: i'm very sleepy
i was up all night
He reads this and smiles and hopes she's coming with the intent to stay up all night with him.
so please know, her texts continue, that i'll probs never leave
His grin grows.
what do you want for breakfast tomorrow? :) x
_____
"Okay, Niall. Please, tell me right now whether or not I should laugh or if I should cry."
"What?" He frows, eyes glued to the television, thumbs moving at an unreal speed to push the controller in his hand. "Wha's that supposed to mean, Cara?"
She smiles, side-eyeing him to keep most of her focus upon the video game.
"I'm just curious, really," she says. "I wanna know if I should laugh at you because you suck at this, or cry a little because I can't believe how badly you suck at this."
"Well," Anais exclaims, as she shrugs off her coat and grins, placing her hands upon her hips as she stares at the group of boys in the kitchen.
She hikes a thumb over her shoulder, where profanities and occasional screams seem to filter from the living room. "Sounds like someone's having fun, eh?"
Liam laughs - but then again, Liam laughs at most things Anais says - and nods, taking a seat beside her at the table. "I can't quite tell if you're being sarcastic or not."
Zayn shakes his head. "She's not."
Anais points to him. "He's right," she grins. "I'm not. Cara's so competitive, it's scary. She tried to teach me how to play Call of Duty and nearly unfriended me on Facebook when I made her team loose."
Liam and Zayn both burst into laughter.
"I'm serious! She's too intense."
"I believe it," Liam nods.
I'm scared for Niall. Aren't they playing Fifa?"
The boys all nod, as Louis smirks. "Remember when I tried to teach you to play, Anais?"
"Ha ha," she exclaims quickly. "Let's not revisit this."
"What?" Zayn looks up. "What, Lou?"
Louis grins. "Literally, you should'a been there, Zayn, 'cause it was hysterical watchin' her -"
Anais quickly rushes him, covering his mouth with her hand.
"Ana!"
"And today is not about telling stories about me, but instead about Cara," she says, "who I'd much rather talk about than me, right? Right," and she recoils because Louis' licked the palm of her hand and she's slapping him, wiping his saliva upon the front of his shirt.
"God, you! Why are we friends?"
"Questions I'd rather not answer," he replies with a grin, just as another scream floods the kitchen.
He covers his ears. "Shit-" He laughs. "You'd think someone's died."
Anais shrugs. "Told ya. It's just Cara."
Liam pouts a bit, nodding his head more vigorously before shooting a thumbs up. "Note to self: never play games with her-"
"Ah," Anais shakes her head, "Never play games against her's the thing. Playing with her is perfectly fine."
Liam giggles, and Anais smiles because he's giggled.
"Thanks, Anais."
"Just want you staying safe out in the streets, Liam."
He laughs again.
But this time, so does Louis and Harry and of course so does Zayn, who walks to the fridge, kissing behind her ear as he does so.
"Hey!" She exclaims, smiling after him.
He only shrugs. "Couldn't help it."
"Gooooaaalllllll!!!"
"Fuck me! Niall what the fuck, mate?!?"
"That's 2-1! How's that, Delevigne!"
Louis scoffs. "Well, then."
Liam nods. "Vulgar."
Zayn chuckles, leaning against the counter.
"I wanna go watch."
"No," Anais says at once as everyone eyes Harry, who's peeking into the living room. "No, you really don't. You'll get hit with a controller or a pillow...I swear, no one in that room is safe."
Harry lifts a brow. "You're speaking from experience, then?"
And Anais laughs. "How'd you know?"
"Lucky guess," he replies, and he takes her cheeks in his large hand, eyes roaming over her face. "What'd she do? Where'd she hurt you, love?"
"See? Can you see my battle scars?"
Harry laughs, throwing his arm around her, and he says something in her ear that not only makes her laugh but also makes Zayn stand upright. Now, he loves that his friends love Anais, but no way in hell should they love her as much as he does.
"C'mon, Ana," he says, slipping his hand into hers and dragging her from the kitchen.
"Ooh," she grins. "Where're we going."
"No!" Louis exclaims. "Don't take Anais, Zayn!"
"Yeah, mate," Liam nods. "Thought we were having fun."
"We were," Zayn replies. "Still are, actually," he says, leading her still from the kitchen, "So call us when the food's here, yeah? Yeah, and we'll keep the fun going."
"You're crazy," laughs Anais as the boys call after them and Zayn leads her past Cara and Niall in the living room - who Anais happens to notice are sitting quite close to each other on the couch - and into his bedroom.
"Crazy?"
She hums.
He closes the door behind him and she falls upon his bed.
"But, it's okay," she says, watching him as he stalks towards her. "I knew that already, so you're in the clear. I won't break up with you."
"Good," he says, laying beside her. He props himself on an elbow, staring down at her. "If you won't end it," he shrugs, "I guess I won't, either."
She laughs softly, rubbing her eyes.
He lays atop her, arms on either side of her, and she yelps out of surprise. "Zayn!"
He lifts a brow. "Yes?"
She sighs because he's dropped his head to her neck, leaving a trail of kisses along her collarbone.
"Nothing," she says. "Carry on."
Zayn smirks against her skin, lips lingering longer upon her skin.
Anais sighs, her fingers on his arms as he continues, smiling against her.
"I," she pauses, "I talked to my mom last night..."
He hums, "Yeah?"
Now, he understands why she's tired. She's told him that she'll stay up and talk to her parents - in Toulon, France - a six hour difference.
His teeth graze her neck.
She squeaks. "Yeah..."
He pauses, only to lift his eyes to hers.
And he doesn't know what makes him ask this with such a lack of subtlety, but it means something to him, asking.
"You told her about me?"
She frowns, and he does not expect her to frown.
"No..." She replies, dragging out the vowel.
"You didn't?"
"Was I supposed to?"
He blinks rapidly. "I-I mean..." He shakes his head, brows pinched together. "Like...I don't...I thought..."
"Does your mom know about me?"
"Yes," he replies with an immediacy that makes her eyes grow wide. In fact, his sisters and his dad and his favorite cousins all know about Anais and he stops himself from telling her this because she...
Why does it even matter this much? They'd been dating for seven days.
Seven.
Only seven.
He pauses, staring at her and wondering why she's smiling.
"Zayn?"
He unclenches his jaw. "Yeah?"
"Zayn," she begins, lips twitching. "Zayn, I'm only kidding."
"What?"
She laughs. "I told her, Zayn," and she laughs harder. "Oh my god," she exclaims, "Of course I told her," her eyes close, body shaking against his. "Oh man...She asked me for a picture and everything. She's like..." Anais shakes harder, tears pooling in her eyes. "You should've seen your face..."
His jaw actually drops a bit.
"Fuck you," he exclaims, dropping on top of her. His hands fly to her waist and he tickles her relentlessly.
"Apologize."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." She squeals, tensing and writhing beneath him.
"Say it like, like you mean it."
"I'm-" She laughs harder. "God, I'm so sorry."
He stops, hands still lingering around her waist, face close to hers. She's breathing hard, eyes narrowed as she pokes him in the ribs. "Fuck you."
He chuckles, shaking his head.
He pauses, "You um, like, told actually your mom about me?"
Anais nods. "She thinks you're hot, too, so..."
He smiles.
"...We're going to have to fight over you, apparently."
He chuckles, shaking his head. "Anais..."
She shrugs. "It's the tru-What?"
He frowns. "What, what?"
She smirks. "You're staring at me like-"
And he crushes his lips to her, silencing her. Where this came from, who knows, but he's actually really happy. Like, really happy and he isn't exactly able to explain why. All he knows is that he really likes the way Anais hands are grasping at his shirt, and he really likes the little moan that escapes from her mouth and he also kind of likes that he's allowed to slip his tongue between her lips. Zayn feels Anais' nails through his shirt and he deepens the kiss, taking her bottom lip between his teeth, hands roaming down her sides and beneath her shirt...
"Shit, Niall, you fucking fuck!"
"Yes! Yes - How's that, Cara? Yes! I won! Suck my dick, Delevigne!"
They jump, both of them staring at the other.
They're breathing hard.
"What the fuck?"
Anais rolls her eyes. "God..."
"Rematch, you fuck! I swear to God, Niall-!"
"Fine, then! Set it up, then," Niall's laugh rings in the room. "Hell yeah, I'll kick your sorry arse again!"
"Fuck you, Horan! You'd better save this day in your memory 'cause it's not happening again, you twat!"
Anais laughs, eyes wide.
Zayn chuckles. "What?"
"Holy shit..." She shakes her head. "Zayn, holy shit, Cara's got a thing for Niall."
-~*~-
Shipping Niall and Cara pretty damn hard guys.
SORRY 4 THA WAIT
Totally slacked on this over the weekend lolz forgive me lolz.
Comment and vote! Literally this story was ranked like, consecutively and that's a pretty big deal for me so I seriously can't thank you enough. Your comments make me laugh and smile and I'm so happy you're enjoying this story.
<3