Waiting for their interview on Ellen, Lauren was flipping through the channels of the television in their waiting room. She was done getting ready, along with Camila. The other three needed extra time for their hair, as usual.
While waiting for the commercial to end, Lauren played with the ends of her long, black hair. Not that she changed for anyone else, but she finally grew out her hair and dyed it again.
Zayn said she looked even scarier, which implied she was scary on a regular basis. That conversation didn't go all too well, but it ended with a home cooked meal by chef Malik.
Anyway, it helped with the role she was given as Zatanna Katara, a guest character on Legends of Tomorrow.
Needless to say, Zayn provided her with the most help and support. She wasn't a comic book buff (but she did dabble into the universe). Fortunately, he was. She did so well with her character, the writers and directors were finding ways to squeeze her into the upcoming season.
Coincidentally, Ellen came on after the short break. Of course, it was Zayn's episode.
Her eyes focused on the plasma screen, her lips instinctively sloping into a bright grin.
Ellen was reading a excerpt from Zayn's new book. "PR relationships revolve the entertainment world more than one would think. It all begins when your publicist says, 'I have somebody I want you to meet.' For several of my relationships, that was the case. And I can assure you, for many others, too. But one differed from the rest."
Since its release a few weeks ago, it was the talk of the town. The bit Ellen was reading aloud was from the most popular chapter. It was heavily exploited by numerous articles everyday since the novel hit the bookshelves nation and worldwide.
"Nobody introduced Lauren and I. We first met on X-Factor and years later at a bar. If you saw the articles from a few years ago, you can say we hit it off pretty well." The cheeky input caused a laugh to erupt through the audience, Ellen included. "Our managements were bloody pissed off at us. I was scared of backlash, so I offered her a relationship."
Flashbacks of that fateful night and morning flooded Lauren. She was overwhelmed with nostalgia. They came so far from what could have been a one time thing. Instead, it blossomed into something wonderful.
"However, she gave me so much more in return."
Funny how fate intervenes at just the right time, disguising itself as a coincidence.
"Lo, don't your cheeks hurt from smiling too much," Camila teased, poking Lauren's cheek to simply provide some annoyance.
The rest of the girls giggled from the make-up chairs.
Dinah cupped her jaw, faking a pained expression. "I think I got a cavity. You're disgustingly sweet."
"Pretty sure you're just unhy-"
"Do not even complete that sentence, Normani Kordei," Dinah glared, sending Normani into a cute fit of giggles.
"Y'all, let's not kill one another before the show," Ally reasoned, being the rational one in the group for the majority of the time.
Lauren smacked Camila's hand away, trying to kill her smile by sucking in her cheeks. It didn't work.
"Almost two years and you still get hella giddy," Camila commented, enveloped with happiness regarding her friend and her relationship. "I wish somebody can make me as happy as food does."
"Girl, you only like bananas," Normani corrected, remembering their lunch date and Camila going straight for the generic options.
"I know, but it sounds nasty if I say that."
Dinah whistled, throwing her sandy locks over her shoulders. "Y'all need to get your mind out of the gutters. I'm an innocent child here."
"Deej, you're almost twenty-one," Lauren dismissed, rolling her eyes.
"Exactly. A child. Can you believe I'm still not legal to drink in this country?"
"But you still do," Ally reminded her, wagging a slender finger.
"Oh my God!" Camila exclaimed, having an epiphany of sorts. "In a month, we will all be legal. Holy shit."
"And can you believe will be opening our world tour at the Staples Center in a few weeks?" Lauren heaved in excitement.
The girls came together, screaming incoherently at how far they've come from the X-Factor. It may have taken a while to get where they are now, but the raising journey was always the most fun. They regretted none of their experiences and in the long run, found their way.
"Most importantly," Normani piped up, standing from her chair. "This whole Zauren PR thing will be two years in a couple more days."
Lauren pinched her best friend's arm, but laughed, anyway.
And just as Zayn said it onscreen, she said it offscreen.
"Best decision of my life."
--
Liam opened the door for the recording studio, letting in a very tired Lauren.
"Hey, sis," he greeted fondly, leading her to the leather sofa behind Zayn's producer, Malay, and his soundboard.
Zayn was in the soundproof room, going over the lyrics of the new song he just penned.
"How long has he been in there?" Lauren asked the two men, noticing the evident circles under Zayn's eyes. Even from afar, they were noticeable.
"Hours," Liam complained, sitting on an empty chair by the smaller room. He was done recording his bit for their duet ages ago.
Malay spun around in his chair, hands gripping tightly on his dark fringe. Clearly, he was tired, too. The look of exhaustion written across his facade.
"He is such a perfectionist," Malay commented. Not necessarily grousing, but pretty close to it. But as long as Zayn was keen on recording, he couldn't call it for the night just yet.
As they were talking about the man of the hour, he popped his head through the open door. Only Lauren's presence could bring him out from the confined space.
"Hey, mi cielo," he greeted with that sweet smile of his that never failed to make Lauren's heart skip a beat. "How was Ellen?"
She rushed to his side, smothering his lips with tender kisses. Zayn, who was just as tired, felt recharged. To everyone's fatigue, he could stay another hour or so thanks to energy boost.
"Great, mi gatito!" Lauren chirped. "We talked about you."
Zayn's face lit up with curiosity and amusement. "Oh, what did you say?"
Since Lauren sucked at keeping secrets, she told him in a heartbeat. "What your name in my cellphone is."
No longer smitten, Zayn frowned. "It's been two years and you haven't changed it!"
The idea of erasing when he foolishly wrote years ago bothered Lauren and her brows met. "It's special to me! Think of the memories."
On cue, memories of that night passed them both, and they laughed.
Zayn wagged his brows, a dirty grin appearing on his face as he snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "Oh, no wonder you don't want to change it. You naughty girl."
Licking her smile, that heavily enticed him, Lauren mirrored his disposition. "If I change it, I won't remember that night, so..."
Smirking, Lauren left him confused and retreated back to the couch. Malay and Liam looked elsewhere, containing their laughter.
Once Zayn understood, he scowled. "Cheeky ass," he cursed, disappearing back into the booth.
Lauren mouthed 'I love you, too' to spite him, releasing her giggles with Malay and Liam when Zayn could no longer hear them. But he had eyes. He rolled them as they blatantly mocked him.
During the recording session, Lauren passed out. She was curled up on the black cushions, Zayn's leather jacket draped over her shoulders.
He was almost done, Malay was just explaining a few things for the upcoming songs he still needed to work on for his new album.
Liam was playing around on his phone, namely Snapchat, when he noticed Zayn no longer paying attention to the speech, his chair turned. Instead, all the attention was poured onto Lauren, who was oblivious to it all. Pressing the circular icon, Liam snapped a discreet video and uploaded it with a pretty witty caption.
love isn't just blind but deaf
--
Zayn was out on the veranda of his bedroom, taking a quick smoke. He heard Lauren open the French doors from behind him and immediately tamped down the flame. From time to time, Lauren would complain about his obsession to cigarettes, but would always kiss him, regardless of the strong odour.
There was only one thing he was addicted to. And that was everything about her.
"I brought you arroz con leche, mi gatito!" Lauren announced, her tone excited. She had a bowl of rice pudding in one hand, setting it on her lap as she sat down on the lounge chair.
"Aww, did mi cielo cook me her favouite food?" Zayn chuckled, leaning back on the same chair, patting the space between his for her to occupy; and she did.
"Yeah." She inflated her cheeks with air, something she did whenever she was slightly annoyed. "And you didn't help me. You ignored me for Legends of Tomorrow!"
"But, babe, it was your episode!"
There was no way Zayn would miss Lauren in a sexy magician costume.
"But that was a replay!"
Even if it was the third or fourth time he had seen it.
Lauren held a spoonful up to his lips as a pout laid on hers. A dopey smile formed on his features, pinching her soft, pink cheek when he ate the delicious dessert.
"Bloody cute! You're jealous of yourself," Zayn chided, tickling her waist.
Whining, afraid she'd spill the spoonful for herself, Lauren slapped his dangerous fingers away. She pointed a threatening digit his way, the utensil hanging between her lips.
"Zain Javadd Malik."
Pretending to be spooked, Zayn shivered. "How badass. You used my full name."
"Yes," Lauren sneered, jabbing her spoon back into the thick dessert. "I also used an I instead of a Y."
Zayn burst out in laughter over her immature, but adorable antics. His roars earned him a sharp slap on his thigh and he yelped.
Regardless, he continued laughing to his heart's content.
"I'm going to eat and ignore you now, douche bag," Lauren growled, turning around to sit with her legs crossed.
"Why are your terms of endearment everything but..." He paused to rub his chin, pretending to think. "Endearing?"
"Look, cutie patootie with the hella rad booty." Finally, it was her turn to tease him. One of her favourite hobbies.
At the mention of that name, Zayn gave up with a sigh, but chuckled when he enveloped his arms around her waist to rest her back onto his chest. "Let's look at the pretty stars, mi cielo. It's the only thing we'll share when you go touring in two weeks."
Lauren couldn't control her giggles at his cheesiness. It was so unlike his image, that she was caught off guard every single time.
He could be such a softie when least expected.
Finding Zayn's hand resting on her thigh, Lauren intertwined their fingers as she lifted their hands to the sky. A thin silver band clung around her left thumb. Much too loose for her slender fingers. It belonged to Zayn, but he gave it to her a couple of months ago. There was a second band that spun around the circumference, which Lauren formed a bad habit of playing with. So, he just gave it to her.
The media went ballistic, claiming it was a promise ring. Some went so far to call it an engagement ring.
Zayn and Lauren had a field day, mocking the ridiculous articles by tweeting a series of hilarious and sarcastic tweets.
Lauren Jauregui (@laurenjauregui)
i promise to laugh at his jokes even tho they aren't funny bc i'm taking acting classes for a reason 😉
With that, Lauren attached a video of Zayn using lame pick-up lines while they were eating breakfast at home. "Are you a magician? Because when I look at you, everyone else disappears. Get it, because you're Zatanna!"
Others enjoyed the rare sneak peak into their personal lives, but some labeled it publicity. The two paid no mind and Zayn hopped onto the bandwagon.
zayn (@zaynmalik)
i promise to tell more jokes so she could do her classes and bless me in her magician costume #legendsoftomorrow #cw #zatanna
"You say the most cheesiest things, you know that?" Lauren sighed dreamily.
"Love is cheesy, right?" Pressing his lips onto her temple, the vanilla scent of her hair filled his nostrils.
"Pretty sure love is crazy," she addressed, melting into his comfortable embrace. "And blind, too."
Zayn laughed, realizing his mistake. "According to Li, it's also deaf."
The two smiled fondly over the Snap. People spoke about how Zayn looked at her and Lauren saw it. But it was truly something else from a different perspective. He looked at her as if she held all the galaxies in her eyes.
"I wonder where they even got the whole love is crazy and love is blind business," he wondered, gazing up at the dark sky illuminated by clusters of light.
Lauren looked up at him, gaze full of love and admiration. "Want to hear the story about Love and Madness, then?"
Intrigued and curious, Zayn lifted a brow as he tilted his head. "Love and Madness?" He repeated and she nodded. "Okay, tell me."
"Well, long before there were humans," Lauren started on the tale she heard from her dear Abuela before she passed. "The vices and virtues gathered-"
"Oh, like the emotions from Inside Out?" Zayn interrupted, images of the five characters vivid in his mind.
Finding his reaction cute, Lauren nodded and continued, "Ingenious had an idea to play hide and seek. Madness volunteered to count. Everyone found a place to hide except Love, because we all know how hard it is to hide love." She sent him a meaningful look and Zayn returned it with a gentle kiss, thumbing the edge of her jaw.
"I'm picturing Love as a heart with stubby arms and legs, by the way," he childishly informed, jesting to gain some laughs. Zayn loved hearing Lauren's giggles.
"Anyway, Madness found them all, but not Love. Envy, who was envious, told Madness that Love was hiding in a rose bush," her tone grew foreboding, implying the climax of the story. "So, Madness took a pitchfork and began to stab the bush until a cry rang out. Love stepped out, blood trickling down his cheeks."
Zayn gaped, assuming the worst. "I thought this was supposed to be like Inside Out. There was no gore in the movie."
Lauren shut up him with a passive stare. "Madness, so eager to find Love, stabbed Love's eyes out. Madness wanted to repair Love's eyes, but Love said there was no possible way. Instead, Love asked Madness to be his guide. So, that is why love is blind and is always accompanied by madness," she concluded with a proud grin. "Well, craziness, in this case."
Soaking in the story, Zayn fell silent. It was simple to understand and not overly convoluted by confusing tidbits. Plus, listening to Lauren speak more was always pleasing on his ears.
No matter what, he would always listen to her. About everything, or nothing at all.
"So, if love is blind," Zayn started to deduce with an intellectual air resonating in his deep voice. "Is your beauty the pitchfork, because that's what blinded me, mami."
To laugh or to roll her eyes. Lauren didn't know about to do. Choosing the best of both worlds, she did both and even punched his arm.
"Are you saying I'm madness, then?" She asked, feigning an offended tone.
Zayn answered quickly, purposefully ticking her off. "Yes." He was rewarded with another hit, but he brushed it off with a hearty chuckle. "You made me go surfing the other day. I'm certain that qualifies as crazy. Estás loca."
Lauren snorted as the day at the beach resurfaced in her head.
"That wasn't surfing. You were just letting the waves roll you back to shore as you clung onto a boogie board!"
He never went further than waist level.
"I consider that surfing," Zayn muttered, averting his eyes elsewhere.
Laughing lightly, she turned his head and pecked his lips real quickly. "Okay, surfing. You were pretty hot on that pink board, mera pyaar."
Hearing that for the first time ever, because Lauren had no nicknames for him, Zayn's eyes widened and his heart skipped numerous beats.
"Did you just call me my love?"
"You tell me. It's your native tongue!"
"I've been upgraded from that horrid name on your phone!" Ecstatic, Zayn celebrated by pumping a fist into the air.
Lauren patted his chest to hush him down. Nobody could hear his exuberance, though.
"Well, if I'm Madness, then you must be Love," she illustrated in a soft voice that tugged at his heart strings. "My Love."
Touched by her sweetness, Zayn brought his lips down onto hers. "I love you, my Lauren."
She smiled, his words carving themselves in her heart over and over again. Her whole body was scribbled with his penmanship.
"I love you, too."
He nuzzled their noses after a tender kiss, grinning effortlessly wide. It was only natural to act that way around her. Only she had the power to supply him with unconditional happiness.
"Just, don't stab my eyes with a pitchfork."
"I'm going to stab your eyes with this spoon if you keep killing moments."
--
They spoke until the sun almost rose. Lauren fell asleep in his arms. Zayn wanted to move them into the room, but he was too comfortable to travel.
He couldn't sleep, though. In a few more weeks, she would be the furthest thing from him. So, Zayn wanted to cherish each and every waking moment with her.
Taking out his phone, he swiped for his camera and sneaked a picture. Thankfully, the light from the bedroom provided enough light to prevent the flash from going off. The last thing Zayn wanted to do was to wake her. She had rehearsals first thing in the morning.
Logging onto Instagram, he selected the picture he just took of her sleeping and typed away.
zayn today marks the day @laurenjauregui and i fooled the world. little did we know, we were just fooling ourselves. it's been a crazy ass ride, but love is all about the madness, right? before lauren, i was always scared to jump head first into cold water. i can't swim. who wants to drown? but this girl over here takes my hand, guiding me through the waves. no matter how hard it gets, she never gives up. because of her, i learned to be brave. i still have a lot of things to work on but she serves as a daily inspiration. to this day, i have no regrets of how we came to be. in fact, i think it was a brilliant discovery.
Posted.
--
I've honestly been dreading to post this chapter because it's the last one. I don't handle endings well. 😭 Btw, how I wish for superhero!Lauren and a Ziam collab. 😪
Well, that was one heck of a Summer adventure, right? I'm happy you guys stuck by this story. From the bottom of my heart, I'm grateful! 🙇♀️ Y'all seriously rock! 🤘✨
Let's meet each other again soon! *coughs* I have another story, which will now be my priority. It's called Clandestine (94398). 😬
Once again...
Thank you! 💖
{ the story regarding Love and Madness comes from a story I heard at school. you can find it on the web! }