'Cause all you want is
Recreational love, love, love.
You say you need your freedom,
I just don't believe your reason.
"Recreational Love" || The Bird and the Bee
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"Next in line!"
Anais sits in the little cafe Zayn first introduced her to and stares out the window.
She's got coffee in her hands despite the way the weather is warming. The temperature has risen to the thirties today, and the sun is out, which means that hopefully spring is somewhere around the corner.
Anais has her sketchbook open, and she stares at the designs she can't decide on choosing or editing for Daphne's show.
Which was right around the corner, too.
Everyone was participating, it seemed. From Jourdan and Cara and Soo to Diego and Adonis and Lucky. It was a big deal to Daphne, to be the first Junior to put on a spring show by herself. She was really going big - they'd all be graded on execution - or going home.
And Anais wanted to do a good job.
Because this was what she wanted to do, design. And because this was what she wanted to do when mostly, most often during these shows she was asked to model, she's really really looking forward to being able to show off her talents as an actual artist and not just be another pretty face for once.
So, she stares at her sketchbook and raps her fingers against her chin, manicured nails drumming on the saucer of her cappuccino as she realizes that is has really been a long time since she's drawn and doodled and got caught up doing the things that all of her friends would have once said was the reason for her unavailability; her distance.
But, life is funny like that.
It is.
At the beginning of the semester, it was her obsession with perfection and work that kept her from realizing that Lucky actually did like her back.
But, had she acted on these feelings, she'd have been with him.
There'd have never been a Zanais.
There'd have never been a Zayn, and somehow, the thought of no Astronomy and no rooftop and no Zayn seems so unsettling and so wrong.
And with this thought, Anais begins to draw...
...as Zayn quietly enters the cafe.
He's just come from his apartment, which he really had to find a way out of since Louis had invited over Soo, and Niall was playing video games with Cara, and Liam and Harry (who, as Magdalena's new best friend had told her they were doing 'brunch,' so of course that meant she'd dragged along Jesse) had come over with Sophia, who Soo and Cara were both gossiping about and the commotion was just a lot when all he wanted to do was sleep in on this Saturday morning.
And he peers around the cafe, looking for an empty seat somewhere, preferably near a window, because that's where he liked to doodle, when he catches sight of curly hair being twirled around a thin finger as those eyes he loves are downcast, staring at what he's assuming is her sketchbook.
And Zayn steps to the cashier, ordering a coffee before asking, "And um," he pauses, "do you like, d'you have any scones?"
The barista nods. "Flavor?"
"Blueberry."
"Must be your lucky day. There's one left."
"Thanks, mate."
And Zayn pays for his order and takes a number and is told that his food will be brought shortly to his table.
Zayn nods, pocketing his change and picking his way towards the girl drawing by the window.
Feeling eyes on her, Anais looks up with obvious surprise to see Zayn approaching her table.
She lifts a brow. "Isn't it a bit early for you, sir?" She points to the clock as he fights a smile. "It's only ten. That means you had to wake up around-"
"Eight," he finishes, standing beside her chair. "Was probably like, seven-something if I'm being honest like you."
Anais laughs. "Wow...And how's that working out for you?"
"It's just so," he shakes his head, "so bright."
Anais laughs again. "Good morning, Zayn."
"Morning, love," he says, gently squeezing her shoulder because he has to at least touch her.
(He'd more than like to kiss her but, y'know...baby steps).
Zayn takes the empty seat across from her and taps his fingers upon the table. "See you're drawing, yeah?"
Anais nods, closing the book because now Zayn's here and she no longer wants to draw. "It's for Daphne's show, y'know?"
He nods, and he raises his eyes gently to hers. "Are you -"
"So, uh -"
And they both start laughing because they've spoken at the same time and somehow, that simple act has released some tension.
"Go ahead," Anais smiles.
"No," he shakes his head. "After you, yeah?"
And there's a pause as they stare at each other, the sounds of the cafe surrounding them.
And Zayn's opened his mouth to speak when there's a waiter at their table.
"Coffee?"
Zayn lifts a finger, and the mug is placed before him.
"...And a blueberry scone?"
Zayn points to Anais, and her look of confusion melds into one of surprise and happiness as she melts and the scone is placed before her.
"Enjoy," says the waiter, and Anais flashes a bright smile.
"Thank you," Zayn smiles, and he lifts his mug to his lips, still smiling at Anais over his coffee.
And even though it's a small gesture - honestly, it's only a blueberry scone - Anais is definitely appreciative and made to feel very special because he didn't have to buy her anything and he decided to, anyway.
She claps her hands happily. "You got me a scone?"
"Like," he shrugs, "thought you liked them, yeah?"
"If you want to know a secret," she leans forward a bit, lowering her voice, "they're kind of my weakness."
Zayn lifts a brow. "They sell 'em at Nero, don't they?"
"And also Starbucks," Anais hums. "And also 7-Eleven, but, y'know, not every scone is created equal."
"Make that up, did you?"
"Sounded better in my head but," she shrugs. "No take-backs now."
And as Anais giggles softly to herself, Zayn rolls his eyes and sticks his tongue in his cheek.
"Kidding, kidding," Anais smiles, and as she stares at Zayn and he looks up, noticing that she's staring, she shakes her head and doesn't take her gaze from him as she asks, "What are you doing here, Zayn?"
She shakes her head, "I mean, y'know, it's early."
"Try telling that to Niall and Louis," Zayn snorts. "They've got the girls over, and so's Li and Haz and like, the rest of the world, it seems," he shakes his head. "Just needed some quiet."
She snorts. "And lucky you, you ran right into me."
And Zayn opens his mouth to tell her that he couldn't have planned for a better surprise when Anais cuts into her scone.
"I heard Lou was doing brunch," Anais nods, because she'd been invited by both him and Soo and declined simply because similarly, she too felt like being alone.
Zayn snorts. "He is," and he raises a brow. "Why didn't you go?"
Anais shrugs. "I kinda..." She pauses, and his stomach turns because it's because of him, isn't it? She'd still been avoiding him, wasn't she?
But, Anais shakes her head.
"I just wanted to draw," she says, and she laughs as Zayn stares at her, awaiting an explanation. "I know, it's lame, I just," and she shrugs, shaking her head as she looks off into the cafe. "I just wanted to draw," she pouts, "and the library is just too far for me today-"
"Not avoiding me, huh?" He asks abruptly over another sip of his coffee. "I mean," he lowers his cup to the table, "you're not still set on dodging me, are you?"
Anais snorts. "Of course not," she replies, smiling down at her scone. "I'm kind of happy you're here, actually."
"Kind of?"
"More than kind of."
Zayn looks surprised. "Actually?"
She laughs. "Actually. We haven't been out like this in a while," she raises her brows, "y'know, alone, have we?"
And Zayn realizes in that moment that he and Anais hadn't really been out on a proper date in ages, it seems. Like, without interruption - y'know, without friends to set up and without friends to interrupt and without friends to be in the way. So much of their relationship had been spent trying to make other people happy, wasn't it?
Zayn leans back against his seat. "Been awhile since we've actually been alone," he says quietly, "hasn't it?"
Anais cringes. She'd been ignoring him for weeks, can't forget that.
"I've got to take most of the blame for that one, honestly."
Zayn feigns shock. "What?" He gasps. "Ana, you? What? No," he exclaims, as she snorts again, letting out a breath, blowing the hair from her eyes. "No," he pouts. "But, why? Why'd you say that, love?"
"Alright, alright," she says, "I deserve that."
"What? No... Deserve what? What d'you mean by that, love?"
"Okay, okay," she raises her hands in surrender, "I deserve that, I do, but if it's any consolation," she pauses, unsure of how to say this without possibly creeping him out or sending him away, "I've missed you."
And Zayn stops laughing immediately as a little smile replaces his smirk.
He taps his fingertips against the table. "Did you, now?"
Anais sticks her tongue in her cheek, grinning cutely and turning her eyes to the ceiling. "If you can believe it."
"Well," he holds out his arms, shrugging, "here I am, yeah?"
Anais can't help the smile that breaks out across her face. "Yeah," she nods, and then there's a new light in her eyes as she adds, "and there's always Astrono-?"
"Don't," Zayn shakes his head. "Don't even try it."
And Anais laughs. Like, a small giggle bubbles from her lips as she leans against the window and laughs.
Zayn was cute. He was so cute. He was honestly adorable. Any terms that one might think of to describe someone affectionately could very seriously be used to define him. And the thing was, he probably knew how attractive he was. He probably knew how talented he was, despite being modest, but Anais really and truly didn't think he knew just how weird and adorable and funny he could be, because most times he made her smile without trying.
He made her laugh without trying.
And Zayn smiles, forehead creasing in confusion.
He chuckles. "What? What's so funny?"
"Zayn, I can't..." She pauses, "You're so silly, sometimes," she says, when honestly, in this moment, Anais realizes that she's just missed this. She's missed these moments. She's missed the alone time she'd grown so accustomed to with him - she's missed their banter back and forth and their friendship that started here, just like this.
And Zayn stares at her as she shakes her head and stares off into space and gets lost in her own thoughts.
And all of a sudden, he doesn't want this day to end here. He doesn't want this day to end with the two of them having a great time together and then going off to part ways. If they were still together, they'd be off somewhere to continue this Sunday in each other's company, and despite them not being together, who says they have to be apart?
Right?
Zayn drums his fingers against his knee. "Still trying to draw, or...?"
"Or?" Anais grins, shaking her head and snapping herself from her quiet reflection.
Anais looks down at her empty plate and her folded notebook and shakes her head, "I think I'm done drawing, actually."
Zayn rises from the table. "Then, whaddya say we get out of here, huh?"
Anais hums, "Spontaneity," she nods, following behind him. "I can get with that."
Zayn snorts, rubbing his hand across the hair on his face - the things Anais said never failed to amuse him.
"Glad to hear it," he says, as Anais grabs for her purse.
With her bag over her shoulder and phone in hand, Anais watches as he tugs upon the pockets of her coat.
"How might you feel about catching the end of brunch?"
"Lead the way," Anais shrugs, stuffing her hands into her pockets as she follows him from the shop. "I'm going where you are."
"Yeah?" Zayn breathes, as they hit the door, the brisk air sharp against their faces.
"Yeah."
"Alright," and Zayn rubs his hands together, blowing quickly into his palms before he hooks his arm through Anais'.
He sends her one of those smiles. "C'mon, then. Let's go."
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Sorry guys this took me forever to update I've been soo oooioafoasdkf;laskjf ;busy.
Is it Thanksgiving Break yet?
Is it Winter Break yet?
IS IT SUMMER BREAK YET?????
I actually really like this chapter but next chapter them miiiiiiiiight just be pushing one of my favorites *spoiler alert* lol.
Comment and vote! I'll update quicker next week I promise.
xx