Marisa's POV
"How have you been?" Zayn asked once we had gotten into the car.
"Stressed out about school," I answered honestly. "What do you think would happen if I just drop out?"
"You might be working at McDonald's the rest of your life," he chuckled.
"Maybe I should be a singer. You guys don't have to go to school," I kidded.
"Can you sing?" he questioned.
"My showerhead thinks I am a lovely singer, thank you very much," we both laughed.
"What are you studying?" he asked.
"English. I want to be a teacher. I will eventually get my education degree but right now I'm focused on English."
"You know I think that if I wasn't a singer, I'd be a teacher," he informed me.
"Why is that?"
"I love kids. I think they are innocent. Some days, when we get those little fans that come and meet us, I wish that I was their age again."
"That age when the worst thing that can hurt you is your parents saying you can't have another piece of cake for dessert?"
"Exactly," his eyes glistened.
"Everything was so easy then..."
"It really was. If your parents told you no you waited till they weren't looking, snuck the piece of cake to your room. Most likely, you got a belly ache. You sat in bed clutching your stomach wishing you would have listened to your parents, but then two hours later, you were fine."
"Now, pain seems to last much longer than that."
"Much much longer," he said half heartedly.
"You know people give you a bad rep," I informed him.
"What do you mean?"
"Vain Zayn really isn't all that vain, is he?"
He laughed.
"I'm serious! You haven't struck me as conceded at all!"
He shrugged, "I don't want to appear self centered."
"Well you don't. Not to me anyway."
"Thanks Riss. So, I don't know what or who is going to be at the theater but please don't be scared off by the dedicated fans or any paps that might be there."
"If people start taking pictures of me, I promise I will make weird faces to make it look like you are hanging out with some freak."
"Sounds fun. I'll make them, too. Then we can both be freaks!" His enthusiasm made me laugh. He wasn't the rock star I thought he'd be.
When we arrived at the movies, we were able to enter without any trouble. Zayn relaxed when he saw there was no one waiting for him. I'm sure it must suck not knowing if people are going to be waiting to photograph you simply going out with a friend. Then, the next thing you know, the pictures are scatter across the world. Stupid technology these days.
I'd never heard of the movie before but it was supposed to be a comedy. It was funny. I give Zayn props for picking out such a great movie.
About half way through the movie, Zayn put his arm around me. I scooted closer to him when he did. I hear him chuckle lowly when I did.
When the movie was over, we went to throw our popcorn and pops away.
"How does ice-cream sound? Want a milkshake?"
"Sounds delicious," I grinned licking my lips.
"Let's go then!" He opened the theater door for me and that's when the madness hit.
Flashing lights, the clicks of cameras. I shielded my eyes with my hands so I could see. Zayn's arm was around my waist in an instant pulling me to him. The photographers were screaming Zayn's name and trying to figure out who I was.
"Smile and walk," he whispered in my ear. "I'm so sorry."
I gave him an understanding look as we walked to the ice cream shop down the block. Once we were inside, he let go of me.
"Sorry Riss... I don't know what to say."
"Oh really Zayn. DO you think I would hang out in public with you and think that people wouldn't recognize you?" I rolled my eyes. "Stop apologizing for something you can't control." I smiled at him caringly. "Let's get so milkshakes!" I exclaimed with way too much enthusiasm.
"YEAH!" he shouted.
We ordered and sat down in a corner away from the windows.
"Wanna play rapid fire?" I asked him taking a drink of my chocolate milkshake and whipping my mouth.
"Yeah," he bounced in his chair. "You ask first."
"Favorite animal?"
"Zebra. Apples or oranges?"
"Neither, grapes. Favorite movie?"
"Hangover. Favor place to go on a first date?"
"Shopping?"
Zayn looked at me disgusted. "You would really torment a guy on a first date with shopping? What kind of terrible date are you?"
"It's rapid fire Zayn! I just said the first thing that came to my mind. I actually hate shopping! Now go! Ask a question! You're wasting precious time!" I waved my arms in the air.
"Right, right, right. What is the worst thing you've ever told someone to their face?"
"I told my parents to .... bug ... off. Got grounded for a month. Don't use the word bug when you are thirteen."
Zayn tumbled over in laughter.
"If you were to die tomorrow, what is one thing you would want to do today?"
"Jump out of a plane!"
"Suicide or with a parachute?" I questioned.
"Parachute. But that's an interesting aspect I hadn't considered. What is the wildest thing you've ever done?"
"Broke my curfew."
"Really?" he asked surprised.
"I'm not proud of this and it only happened once, but my curfew was at 2AM. I came home at eight completely hung over. I was sixteen."
"Never, ever, ever, would have guessed that. How long did you get grounded that time?"
"Two weeks."
"Seriously? You got grounded for a month because you dropped to f-bomb but when you came home four hours late after getting completely wasted...?"
"My parents parental skills started to fail around the time I entered high school. They place the blame in lots of different areas but I'm pretty sure they just didn't care. Lucky for me, I was a star athlete and I knew I had to take care of myself and keep my grades up."
"Favorite spot?"
"Soccer." I smiled. "Okay, football. I call is soccer but whatever."
"Are you good?"
"I was offered scholarships to American colleges," I shrugged. "But it wasn't something that I wanted to continue doing. However throw in a game of pick up and I am there in an instant."
"I love playing and so do the boys. We could put together a game..." he suggested.
I nodded, "Sounds good to me!"
We finished our dessert and then ran back to the car. Most of the paps were gone, however the fans weren't.
"Zayn can I please het a picture?!" a little girl cried out. She was standing a few feet from the car. She was slowly fading away into the sea of teenagers that was approaching. The little girl was no older than five.
I slipped away from Zayn's grasp; his arm had been wrapped around my shoulders. I pulled the little girl onto my back just as I used to do with my little cousins. She screamed when I grabbed her. I told her not to worry –that I was a friend of Zayn's. I asked her if she wanted to meet him. Her pale blue eyes pleaded that she did. I took the girl, with her mom following behind me, and made my way back to Zayn. I set her on the ground next to him.
Zayn bent down so he was eye level with the girl.
"Hi," he smiled his brilliant smile. "What's your name?"
"Claire," the girl said timidly.
Zayn gave her a kiss on the cheek causing her to giggle. "It's nice to meet you Claire. I'm Zayn."
"I know," she smiled. "I have a poster of you on my desk!"
"You do?"
She nodded proudly.
"Well how about this. What if we take a picture together and then you can replace the poster with a picture of me and you. Does that sound like a plan?"
She smiled ear to ear jumping up and down. "Can I really get a picture?"
"Of course –anything for you!"
His kindness towards the girl was incredible. It was so adorable –the way he treated her.
He pulled the girl into a hug as her mom snapped a picture. Zayn held up a finger signaling for the mom to take one more. He turned his head to place his lips on her cheek. She was laughing when her mom took the picture. It was an adorable moment captured.
"Hey Claire, do you think I could get a picture for my room?" he asked.
"You want a picture with me?" she was shocked.
"Why wouldn't I want a picture with a pretty girl like you?"
She brought her hands up to her mouth attempting to contain the squeal that escaped her mouth.
Zayn handed me his blackberry so I could take a picture.
"It was nice meeting you Claire! Maybe we'll meet again."
"Thank you, Zayn!" she gave him a giant hug.
"Goodbye love!"
She waved goodbye as Zayn grabbed my hand and let me to the car.
"That was adorable," I grinned at him. "You just made that little girl's life."
"She was a sweetheart." He smiled and took out his phone. I peaked over his shoulder as he tweeted the picture of the little girl with the caption "Just met the greatest girl ever. Love you Claire."
We pulled out of the parking lot and made our way back to campus. He dropped me off outside of my dorm.
"Thanks for an amazing night Zayn," I gave him a hug.
"I'll text you," he winked. "We should do it again sometime and soon. It's a date."
That was the last thing he said before driving off into the night.