Chapter 21
Arianna's POV ~
"Whoo!" I screamed, and the hard, cold air slapped my face, making my long, wavy brown hair wave with the air.
I was screaming like this because I was up high in the air, it was a dark night, and it was a bit nippy.
Sitting in a little booth of a ferris wheel with Zayn across from me.
Of course, he had a big smile on his face as he watched my hair get tangled everywhere.
"Shoulda brought you something for your hair, Arie!" he shouted over the wind.
"I didn't know it was going to be this windy!" I replied.
Now the wheel was on the highest point, and it suddenly stopped.
I looked down, and before I could panic I realized people were getting off.
Zayn must've noticed and he chuckled a little.
"Don't worry, if this thing stops, we can die together." he smirked.
"That's not funny, Zayn." I rolled my eyes. I almost had a heart attack!
The thought of getting stuck up here in this cold weather was terrifying!
"Sorry, I wouldn't have brought you here if I knew it was going to get cold like this," he spoke.
"What? Zayn, it's not your fault that it got cold. How were you suppose to know it was going to be like this? I'm happy enough that you took me here. It's been a really fun night." I explained.
He shrugged, only staring at me as his only movement.
The wheel moved a little to let others go, but we we're still pretty high up, where it was the most cold.
He started to shake off his body, pulling his coat off, and then looked at me with the coat in his hand.
"Here," he said as he handed me the black jacket.
"I'm alright, you wear it." I objected, but he shook his head and resisted for me to take it.
So I did, and I wrapped it around myself, letting the warmth of the thick cloth take over me.
"Wow, how long does it take to jump out of a seat?" Zayn looked down below us.
"It's alright, it feels nice just being up here."
"Mmm.. yeah. It really does." he responded, smiling at me.
I could see his eyes twinkle at me as he did, making me smile back at him without thinking.
He left this affect on me that I didn't know how to explain.
I even didn't know what it was actually.
I jumped a little when the booth we were sitting in shook a little, and it lowered down a bit, and then stopped.
We had to wait for the next group of people to jump out, and we were still pretty up high.
Wow, this was going to take a while.
"Do you miss him?" Zayn broke the silence.
I wish he hadn't though, not with that question.
"Who?" I asked, even though I knew exactly who he was talking about.
"That boy.. Um.. Niall, was it?"
"Oh," I sighed.
I really didn't feel like talking about him right now. It was hard enough trying to get over him, which I haven't actually accomplished yet.
"Sometimes you're looking off into the air like you're deep in thought, and that's when I know you miss him the most." he said, his face tense.
I fixed myself on the seat a little, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
Had he noticed me doing those things all this time? I really need to watch myself.
I guess I kind of did leave reality when I think.
"Do you?" he repeated.
The booth moved down a little more, and I looked below us to see the kids jumping off and laughing. I kept thinking, hurry up! Please.
"Zayn, what if I told you I did? What would you say if I said, I miss him so much sometimes I'm on the verge of crying?" I asked, facing him again.
He stared into me as I spoke, and now I was remained staring back, waiting for his response.
Shockingly, he smiled a little, the corner of his lip raising.
"Well," he sighed.
"What do you expect me to do? If you loved him, then you loved him. And if you miss him, then you miss him. There's nothing I can do to change that. You're you, and you're the only one who can control your own feelings." he breathed.
"But I do know you, Arie. I know you so well that most of the time I know exactly what you're thinking, and what you're going to say next."
I sigh.
Zayn was right.
I loved Niall, and I missed him, and there was nothing I can do about it but wait till he came back to me.
More so, Zayn knew me, he really did. He was such a great guy, why was he here spending time with someone like me? I'm no one special. I don't get him.
Maybe I didn't know him completely like he knew me.
I wish I did though. I wanted to know what was in that mind of his, what he was thinking right now as his brown eyes gazed deeply into mine.
What was he saying to himself inside there? What was he going to say next?
I didn't know.
"We're halfway down now," he says.
"Anyway, all that matters is if you had fun tonight." he smiles.
"Of course I did! Why do you even ask?" I laughed, and he chuckled a little, shrugging.
"Oh.. Arianna, you amaze me sometimes."
"Really? I don't know how I can do that. All I ever do is complain and cry about things." I retaliated.
"Yeah, but aside from all that, you're fun to be with. That's probably why I've stuck around for so long." he laughed, and so did I.
"Hey, it's almost our turn!" I shouted, looking under.
"Aw man, is it really?" Zayn frowned jokingly.
I rolled my eyes. "It took long enough!" I laughed.
Zayn laughed a little, and I looked over the whole theme park since we we're at a point where this was my last chance to see the whole view.
Finally, our seat lowered far enough, and the bars were pulled from over us, and Zayn took my hand to help me off the booth.
"Well, that was fun." I said, overlooking the tall ferris wheel when I was back on my feet again.
"You mind a quick drink before I take you back?" he asked.
"Sure, that sounds like a way to end the night. It's Saturday tomorrow after all." I said.
He smiled and I followed behind him to his car that was on the other side of the theme park.
The place was more crowded now since we first got here. All the nighttime ones were coming out and spending time on this night before the weekend.
Since it was this way, walking through people shoulder by shoulder, it took longer to walk halfway out of the place than we had suspected.
I made sure to carefully watch Zayn's back, not wanting to get lost in the crowd.
Behind him I followed, and the crowd was slowing down as I took another step and another, and a man in a dark hoodie who's face I could not make out, since it was very dark out, slapped my shoulder quickly.
I almost screamed, and stopped walking. The man ran away behind me, and I found myself back on track, with my bag gone from my hand.
I just got jumped.
"Arie? What's wrong? Why'd you stop walking? We have to-" Zayn turned and walked towards me quickly, and I held out my empty hands in front of him, his face tensing in response.
I was sure that my expression was blank, almost out to burst into tears.
My wallet was in that bag, full of all the money I've been paid for the month.
My paycheck that I worked for all month was now gone. In just a quick 5 seconds that man had robbed me.
"Oh shit," Zayn's eyes widened, looking behind me in the crowd.
"Fuck... fuck, fuck!" his eyebrows lowered, and veins were popping from his neck, showing his anger that was increasing.
"It's okay, Zayn." I sighed, pushing my hands against his chest.
He was getting ready to make a run for it but I knew it wouldn't help anything.
Too many minutes had already passed and this guy would be gone by now.
"Arianna! Your money was in there, all your money!" he almost shouted.
"It's okay, really. Calm down please, just calm down."
"Man, I'm going to find that bastard. Here, take my keys and go to the car and I'll get your bag back. I swear to god-"
"No! Zayn, let's go. It was just money, It's fine." I said, still holding him back.
He pulled my hand out and dropped his keys in my palm, leaning towards my faces and looking deeply into my eyes.
Instead of the joy that filled those pupils tonight, they were now dark and frightening.
"Go, Arie." he demanded.
I nodded my head, afraid of what he might do if I were to object anymore.
He ran off behind me and before I walked anymore, I watched him run fast inside the crowd.
I sighed. It was a bag, and all it had were stupid money and makeup.
They were nothing to be risking himself about.
But when he turned this way there was no way of stopping him, especially not me.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.
I have been sitting in the car for at least over an hour waiting, when I finally saw the familiar man again.
Shockingly, I could see my bag in his big hand as he walked towards the car.
I unlocked the vehicle, and he jumped in. He was breathing heavily catching his breath, and his forehead was all wet from sweating.
"Zayn.." I said when I finally found my voice.
"Found it." he chuckled.
"Your sweating, and your hair.. Zayn, what happened?!" I asked, noticing his ruffled hair in the little car light.
"Nothing." he gasped.
"It is not nothing, obviously something happened. Look at you! Did you get in a fight?!" I asked, finally finding the answer.
"It's whatever, Arie. Give me the keys so we can get out of here." he didn't look at me as he spoke, but he was still breathing hard.
I sighed, taking my hand and palming my forehead. I knew this was going to happen. This is exactly why I didn't want him to go.
Opening the bag, I dug inside to make sure everything was still inside.
Making me gasp, I pulled everything out but I couldn't find it.
The one thing that was more important wasn't in there. It was gone.
"Zayn," I breathed.
He turned his head to look at me, then his eyes landed on my bag.
"It's gone, the wallet isn't here." I said through one breath.
His eyes expanded, and he slammed his hand on the steering wheel.
"Goddamit!" he yelled, and I let out a big sigh.
"I should've know he took it out first! Damn it! I'm so stupid!" he slammed his hand on the wheel.
"Zayn," I sighed again. "Zayn!" I almost screamed when he didn't stop panicking.
"What?!" he said with an annoyed tone.
"Just forget it. It's not worth crying over, at least you got the bag back, so thank you."
"Arianna, I had one job and I fucking failed. It's not okay, I'm so stupid. I should've known!" he shouted, not wanting to face me.
"Zayn.." I said in a gentle tone, wanting to calm him.
"Are you okay? Did the guy hurt you anywhere?" he asked, suddenly taking my wrist and examining my whole arm.
"No, I'm fine, it's all fine. Don't worry about anything." I pulled my arm back.
He sighed, still looking over me and then my face to see if I had been hurt, but really, I was fine.
I didn't even have a scratch on me to be seen anywhere.
I wished he would relax and take a deep breath. This was driving him nuts!
"Just take me back now please? This night had turned itself upside down and I don't think I can handle another second of it." I groaned, resting my head on my hand with my arm resting on it's elbow on the car window.
"I'm sorry." he said after a long breath. "I'm really sorry, Arie."
I turned my head and looked at him, thinking he was going to start crying, which I should've known better because he wasn't like Niall, who was sensitive and let his emotions out.
Zayn still had his face with anger, the kind of frightening eyes that worried me too much.
I rested my hand on his shoulder, letting him know everything was alright, and there was nothing to be sorry about.
He was making it a big deal more than it should be, and I wanted him to know I wasn't mad or anything.
"Let's just forget about it now, we had fun tonight, remember? Everything's good, it was just a small mishap." I smiled.
"I'm still mad at myself." he whispered. "You worked hard for all that money,"
"No, Zayn, stop. It's not your fault. Everything's fine, I'm safe, can't you see?" I outstretched my arms for him to look at them, but instead he kept his eyes staring into mine.
"I'm glad you're safe." he almost smiled. "I really am."
"Zayn?" I asked.
"What?"
I hesitated before asking him, it was a ridiculous question and I don't know why it decided to come into my mind.
Especially after what just happened.
"Never mind. Please take me back now." I said, turning my face straight to look outside.
We we're still in the parking lot and I could see the lights reflecting from the rides of the theme park.
The faint sound of music from out there inside the theme park could barely be heard from inside the small vehicle.
I saw the lights from the front of the car flare on, and Zayn drove the car out, not responding but doing as said.