She's So High - Tal Bachman
This Is Beautiful - Tyrone Wells
(A/N: Zayn's house! Pictures are on the side. This house is an actual house in Boulder, CO!)
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The next day in class Zayn seems better. He doesn't look exhausted, he's shaven, he looks cleaned up.
We don't talk during class even though I want to bring up the fact that Harry invited me along for tomorrows little trip to his aunts house. I can't find the courage to do it, I don't want to walk out of here fighting or arguing with him again.
Instead I just focus on my work and he focus's on... whatever it is he does in this class. In Literature class I find Lindsay right away and tell her of our invite.
She's shocked, I hope, she's been staring at me with her mouth open for about thirty seconds.
"Lindsay..." I touch her arm with worry. A shrill shriek of excitement comes from her as she hugs me. I can't help but laugh at her reaction, it makes me feel as though I had done a gracious deed for someone in need.
"You're amazing! You made my life!" She laughs as I sit down next to her.
"Glad I could be of service." I joke as if I were her servant and bowing my head at her.
"So we're really all hanging out? At some guys aunts house?" She asks for clarification.
"Apparently it's a big house." I laugh. I wonder how big it was. I wonder why some of Zayn's family lives here in Boulder, is that why he came to Boulder? I remember that one night of our conversation when I brought up what brought him here he brushed it off as nothing.
~~~
Friday comes. The week is smooth with Zayn ignoring me - though it does bug me. Once I'm finished with my classes I head to the dorms with Lindsay where Niall and Sarah wait for us. When we get there Sarah and Niall are sitting at the kitchen table laughing as always.
"Hey guys." I smile as Lindsay trails in behind me into the dorm room. "This is Lindsay. Lindsay this is my best friend Sarah and her boyfriend Niall." I introduce them. Lindsay's bright eyes smile at them,
"Hi." Her voice is small but nice. She goes to shake Sarah's hand but Sarah takes her into a hug instead. I see Lindsay's body relax and know she won't feel shy around Sarah anymore.
"Welcome to our humble abode!" Sarah laughs pulling away. Niall shakes Lindsay's hand and she looks like she just met a rock star.
We decide to take two cars just in case one of us needs to leave before the others. Lindsay rides with me in my car while Sarah obviously rides with Niall.
The house is a ways from campus, a good twenty minutes I would say. It's in a secluded area, where there is more land between houses, the houses growing bigger as we keep driving down the road. We come to a large gate leading into a neighborhood full of mansions.
The gates a large and black barred. The gate runs around the entire community I would assume. There are golden letters on the bar that read "BC" which I assume is the name of the neighborhood. Niall opens his window and punches in a few numbers. Soon enough the large gates swing open.
We drive for a few more minutes, making some turns until we come to a house that I'm sure is the wrong one. It's two floors from what I can tell, I'm not sure if there is a basement.
The house is made of black bricks, some of it has a light tan build to it. It's a beautiful modern house with many clear glass windows.
The pavement we drive onto is gray stones. It looks like something a millionaire would reside to for vacation. I realize we are farther from the city than I thought, there's a view of Boulder as we pull into the driveway.
I spot Harry's jeep in the driveway and a relatively new Subaru. I wonder who's car that was... I think of Liam, I would see him driving a car like that.
Parking, Lindsay and I get out of the car, staring up at the elegant house. It is landscaped beautifully, lots of land surrounding until the next house.
"This is beautiful." She breathes next to me. I suddenly feel self-conscious. Not belonging at this big house. I worry about my appearance.
I wear a white blouse and dark jeans with boots on my feet. I glance at Lindsay who is still in her school clothes. She looks nice, she wears a black skirt and a light colored top that matches.
"Crazy right?" I hear someone call from the door. I smile at Harry who is leaning in the doorway. "I swear this is like my fifth time being here and I still get lost." He laughs as we reach him at the door. He greets me with a side hug and a smile.
"Harry this is Lindsay, Lindsay Harry." Lindsay holds her hand to him and he shakes it with his charming smile exposing his dimples.
The sight of Lindsay's face made me want to laugh but I bite my tongue as she stared wide eyed at him.
"H-h-hi." She manages. He shakes her hand and gives a light chuckle. Lindsay gives me a look as if she met the man of her dreams, her eyes wide and her mouth in a wide smile.
"Hey guys!" Harry nods to Sarah and Niall who walk towards us hand in hand like the golden couple they are.
"Harry!" Niall screams, releasing Sarah's hand and jumping into Harry's arm.
I laugh hard as I take a step back from their sweet embrace. Sarah just shakes her head at them with a smile on her face. Even Lindsay begins to laugh at their bromantic hug.
"Did I hear Niall?" I hear a light British voice ask. Turning to Louis who walks towards us in the opening of the house. "Jules." He greets with a wide smile. I notice that Louis has a few tattoos on his forearm as he wears a shirt withe the sleeves rolled up.
"Hi Louis!" I smile, I enter the house more and give him a quick hug. "Where's the rest of the guys? I want them to meet Lindsay." I nod towards Lindsay who is taking in the house, her eyes wandering along the high ceilings. I take a look around too.
The house has high ceilings, banisters and stone walls along with normal white plastered walls.
The entrance opens into a large open space with the grand wooden staircase in front of us that splits in two: the right and left, also where it splits is a glass door that leads to the backyard I presume.
There aren't many doors inside the house. It is beautifully crafted and open. I step further into the house and gasp as I come into the living room. There are windows lining a wall, over looking into the beautiful trees of Colorado. I can't help but just gape in awe at the house. The room is lit with the natural light from outside.
I feel like this is a vacation house. Somewhere I would come just to relax and enjoy myself. The living room is open and connects to a kitchen. The kitchen is beautiful.
It has a stove along the counter that holds the bar for the chairs. It's open and has beautiful wooden cabinets. I walk into the house as everyone follows.
The kitchen holds a few sinks, many cabinets that I can't imagine what they put inside each one. Turning my mouth drops, they have four ovens. Who needs four ovens? I start to feel uncomfortable, this house was too much.
To the right side of the line of windows is a beautiful wall segment made of gray bricks. There is a fireplace at the bottom, thing and long, most likely a gasoline fireplace.
There is a TV screen above it, nothing too big for the size of the wall, but big enough. Next to the brick wall is stairs that leads downstairs.
I turn my attention back to the wall full of windows and window doors. I stare out over at the beautiful city of Boulder. It was beautiful, green, mountains, and yet there were city lights.
"Crazy huh?" Louis says next to me with a whistle.
"He lives here?" I ask confused, my eyes continue to stare outside. I'm tempted to go out on the porch but don't want to be the one in the group who isn't participating in the fun.
I can't help but imagine being here during December. Seeing the snow drifting down and covering a thin layer of powder.
To see the warm lights from the city against the white snow. Out in the open and somehow secluded. I could only dream about living in a house like this.
"Well I mean... when he moved out here I'm pretty sure this is where he stayed. And for the first year of college. This year he joined the frat." Louis answers my question. "So he lives there with us." I feel stupid when he says the information I already knew.
"This is bigger than your frat house." I laugh looking around the house, there is a chandelier hanging in the living room. The colors are calming, they're soft browns and cream whites. The couch is a soft brown and make's a U shape around a coffee table.
"Yeah of course it is. Zayn's Uncle bought that frat house." Louis chuckles as if that were so simple to understand.
"What?" I turn to Louis who gives me a confused look. Puckering his lower lip out and lowering his eyebrows. "I mean Zayn's relatives own the frat house?" I didn't expect that...
"Yes and no." Louis nods. "Well see, Zayn's uncle was one of the first members of the frat, it wasn't made too long ago. So as a... alumni, when his uncle got rich he bought the frat a nice house. We used to live in a tiny little piece of shit." He admits.
Louis seems to know quite a bit about Zayn... I remember how he told Zayn to have a talk with him at the party where I went to get my chemistry book. The way Zayn listened to him.
That all seems so long ago, when in reality it was about two weeks ago. I feel an odd comfort knowing Louis is able to handle Zayn and Zayn seems to trust him with information about himself.
I find myself enjoy Louis' company. He had a child like air about him, similar to Niall. He just wanted to live life. I also feel comforted by the fact he had told me about Zayn's relatives, even though I'm sure it's not a huge secret.
"Oh..." I bite the inside of my cheek. Learning more and more about Zayn was strange because I thought I knew him better than anyone.
That's what he says at least, but who knows if I should believe any of the words that come out of his mouth... Everything so far has seemed to be a lie, or at least his actions are the opposite of his words. Even his words eventually contradicted his words.
Our date when he told me he liked me, he volunteered for the date. How he exploded on me later telling me he didn't do any of it for me and didn't even want to be there but yet I found out he planned the entire thing.
How he ignores me, how we fight, but he tells me I understand him... Which in reality I don't. He has me more confused than I've ever been in my life.
"Welcome to my home." His voice breaks my thought. Louis and I turn from the window and look up at the banister up above where he stands at the railing. He wears a simple black shirt and dark jeans. He looks over all of us in the living room.
"Nice place you got here Zayn." Sarah smiles at him, she's been staring at the fires place contraption for the most part. "A person could get lost in here." She laughs, her laugh echoing through the open house. Zayn makes his way down the stairs towards us in the living room.
"We did get lost." I hear Liam say from behind me. Coming in from the window door is Liam and a beautiful girl. She has beautiful dark curly hair that ends a little past her shoulders, warm but light eyes, and smooth mocha tan skin. "Jules." He smiles at me, embracing me in a soft hug.
I pull away and glance at the girl who doesn't have a trace of jealousy on her face. She's angelic looking, a smile that is all too kind.
"I'm Danielle." She holds her hand out to me. Right, Danielle, the cheerleader Liam was into.
"So nice to meet you!" I smile taking her hand. "I'm Juliet, this is my friend Lindsay and Sarah." I glance back at Sarah who is talking with Harry about something but Lindsay is right there to be greeted by Danielle.
"Hi." She waves to Danielle.
"Hey...." Danielle slowly says. "Don't I have science class with you?" She points at Lindsay who blushes and nods.
"Yeah... I didn't think you noticed me." She shyly explains. That's right, Danielle is a cheerleader, open and friendly like Sarah while Lindsay - while secretly wild - is very shy.
"I do! You're so smart." She laughs. "I wish I was as smart as you. Or you Jules, Liam has told me all about you!" she smiles. I can't help but like Danielle, she didn't seem to have a mean bone in her body. I can see why Liam liked her.
"So where are the relatives?" Louis asks, sticking his hands in his pockets and rocking on his heels.
"Up in Aspen or something." Zayn shrugs, not really caring. Though I doubt that's how he really feels. I know he cares about his family, the most precious of course are his mother and sisters.
"You know Zayn... this house is so big and... confusing, we could play an epic game of hide and go seek!" Louis announces loudly and proudly his idea.
He holds his arms open and faces up at the ceiling. I smile at his child like behavior and idea. Zayn is at the bottom of the stairs arms folded so his muscles were pushed out.
My eyes travel to the designs on his right arm, the few tattoos but noticeable ones. I wonder if it hurt? I wonder if he cried? Doubtful. I wonder if his parents knew he had tattoos...
"Let do it!" Danielle claps, Sarah is focused on the conversation now and smiles.
"Yeah! We should make it interesting though!" Niall chimes in.
"How so?" Louis raises an eyebrow and pull one side of his lips up in a hilarious facial expression. I glance at Zayn, his caramel eyes are staying on Louis. I wonder if he knew I was coming and bringing Lindsay. If he didn't he acted like he could care less, which was typical behavior from him.
"Whoever wins... wins... wins..." Niall is thinking of something. "Dinner!" Niall cheers at his idea, everyone shares a light laugh except Zayn who pulls a half smile.
Louis announces proudly. "I'll be the seeker." His hand is up in the air, claiming his spot.
"Alright. Sounds good. Is that alright with you Zayn? If we go running and hiding in your house?" Harry laughs. I wonder what Sarah and him were talking about...
"Just don't break anything Harry or you're paying for it." Zayn threatens with a playful smile.
"You know me Malik, I won't leave a thing unbroken." Harry laughs patting Zayn's back. Zayn tries not to smile but a ghost of a smile appears on his lips anyways.
"You sure Zayn? We won't find any dead people in the closets?" Sarah laughs jokingly.
Something snaps in Zayn and he glares at Sarah. No playful demeanor to it... Sarah stops smiling and lowers her eyes.
What was that? Was there really dead people in the closets? Did Sarah think there were dead people here? Obviously not from that small scene that took place. Sarah was all joking and Zayn just looks angry.
"Let's get started! Based one who finds who, we build teams and whoever finds the most people wins the dinner!" Of course the winning prize is food, it always is with Niall.
Everyone nods in agreement, Zayn seems irked still but I try not to look at him.
"You guys ready?" Liam smiles at everyone. Everyone gives a swift nod, examining the room to figure out where to go. Niall clears his throat and steps to the middle of the room.
"Ready, set, go!" Niall shouts. Louis turns to the wall with a smile as all eight of us take off through the house.
Niall's laughter echoing through as Louis counts aloud. I smile as I take off, exploring the house in hopes to find a good hiding spot.
I run through the house laughing as I hear Louis counting. I climb the stairs entering a part of the house I didn't think existed. But then again this house seemed endless.
I rush down the open hallways and let out a deep breath as I scan the possible rooms. This house was awfully big and open, so many places to hide.
I'm still shocked this is Zayn's aunt and uncle's house. A beautiful mansion, he drives a nice car but dresses like he owns three shirts. Shirts that I always notice...
I wonder what his home in England was like? Was it big like this or small? Were his aunt and uncle related to his dad or his mom? Did he like his aunt and uncle? Which one was related to his family?
Was it his aunt that married into the family or the uncle? Why do I even care is the better question, what is it about him that makes me care?
"Ready or not, here I come!" Louis' voice echoes through the house. I begin to panic, I was so deep in thought that I forgot to hide.
I am in a hallway and can faintly hear Louis laughter and his calls to us, trying to convince us to come out of hiding.
Where was I? This house was too large for me to handle.
As I take a step towards another hallway a gasp comes from my mouth as someone grabs my wrist.
A yelp of surprise and fear begins to come from me as I'm being yanked backwards but a hand quickly covers my mouth.