They don't know about us
They don't know about us
-----Emily's POV-----
I stood in the hallway, fussing with my hair. Behind my ears or in front, I could never decide. I let out an exasperated sigh allowing my loose blonde curls to fall over my shoulders.
"Anna!" I yelled up the stairs "get your ass moving we're going to be late!"
I turned back to the large hall mirror, checking out my outfit. I was wearing a white lace cropped top and dark blue skinny jeans, my hair falling messily over my shoulders. Grabbing my eyeliner from the table I slicked a small line over each eyelid, standing back to admire my makeup, ensuring the eyeliner was even. I smiled, satisfied with how I looked. Stepping into my nude heels and turning towards the stairs, I called out for Anna again.
-----Anna's POV-----
"I'm coming bitch! Calm down!" I shouted back in response, sighing as I pulled my hair back up into a ponytail, only to let it loose again after deciding it made me look like a 12 year old. I pouted my lips into the mirror, applying a fresh layer of my light nude lipstick, smiling proudly at how I looked. Stepping back to admire my outfit, tucking my pale pink blouse into my black jeans, I threw on my black heels and grabbed my coat and bag, heading downstairs, finally satisfied with how I looked.
"Do I look okay?" I asked Emily, holding out my arms and spinning to show off the outfit. I wasn't entirely sure of where we were going, I just knew it was a house party with some friends of Emily and Nina's. Emily's huge grin and squeal seemed to answer my question. She pulled on her beige fur jacket and grabbed my hand, dragging me out of the house, locking the door behind her and skipping towards the large black Range Rover parked out the front. I hopped into the passenger seat, flinging my bag into the back seat. Emily hopped into the driver’s seat throwing her bag over at me, narrowly missing my face. I giggled, rolling my eyes as I threw her bag into the back seat along with mine. Reaching over to the centre, she switched on the radio, her One Direction album kicking in and blasting out Diana. Throwing her hands in the air Emily cheered, laughing out loud at my facial expression. A laugh escaped from my mouth and she began to sing along. Turning the keys in the ignition the car roared to a start. Pulling away from the curb we continued singing along as I wondered where the hell we were actually going.
-----Later-----
We pulled up to a curb outside a row of tall houses, the engine falling silent. Removing the keys, Emily leaned into the back seat grabbing both of our bags, and handing mine to me. A smile plastered her face as she threw her head back laughing and hopped out of the car.
"Where the hell are we Em?!" I yelled after her, also hopping out of the car and running, the best I could manage in heels, to catch up with her. Turning to face me, she grabbed my shoulders and smiled again.
"Okay, just be calm" she instructed, holding my eye contact "don't freak out or you're staying outside okay bitch?"
"Jesus Christ Em?!" I squealed "where the hell are we I'm freaking out!"
“You are totally going to love this” I heard her mumble quietly to herself. Grabbing my arm, she pulled me towards the front door and we entered the lobby of what appeared to be an apartment complex. Approaching the lift, Emily pressed the button and I waited anxiously behind her, wondering what I'd agreed to here. I knew we were going to a party, but why wasn't I supposed to freak out? Who was going to be here? The lift arrived and the doors slid open, stepping inside I noticed the mirrored walls and gold buttons for each floor. My stomach flipped a little at seeing Emily press the 'penthouse' button, turning to me and grinning again. Her creepy grins were starting to freak me out a bit; I'd have to remind her to stop that. I could hear laughing, raised voices straining to be heard over the loud music. As we ascended higher the music and voices got louder, increasing in volume again when the doors slid open. Partygoers were revealed, girls in short dresses carrying red plastic cups (they actually have those? This is amazing) and boys tirelessly attempting to attract their attention. Stepping out into the room I felt horridly out of place amongst the tall model like girls, none the less, I stood tall and strutted into that room like I owned the place, and anyway, walking in next to Emily made me feel more at home, her comfortable stature, being greeted by people I'd never seen before who clearly knew who she was.
"Emily!" I heard a high pitched squeal from behind us, followed by Emily being ambushed by a small brunette, who leapt onto her back sending her toppling over onto the floor. I laughed as I watched the two girls giggling in a heap on the floor. I'm sure I recognised her. My thoughts were interrupted as she leapt up from the floor flinging her arms around me and yelling my name. My theory was confirmed as she faced me, it was Nina. I returned her hug and smiled as she stepped back.
"It's so good to see you both!" She exclaimed "we've been waiting for you, you're super late you know!"
"Oh no we're fashionably late darling" Emily exaggerated a posh accent, winking at Nina "where are the boys? I miss my leprechaun"
I frowned in thought, her leprechaun? Whose party were we at exactly? My questions were soon answered when I noticed a curly mop of hair bounding towards us though the partyers. I widened my eyes, my heart leaping as I realised who the curly mop of hair belonged to. Harry Styles strutted towards us, his toned arms pulling Emily into a tight hug. Releasing her he turned to me and pulled me into the same hug, my mind spinning, my body freezing under his grasp.
"You must be Anna?" He asked through smiling lips "it's nice to meet you, I've heard a lot about you"
"And why the hell are you so late!" He yelled turning again to face Emily. Grinning she opened her mouth to reply but was cut off before she could say a word.
"Wait let me guess... Fashionably late darling" he mimicked Emily's earlier posh accent almost perfectly. She must be fashionably late a lot.
"Come on diva pants, lead me to the boys, where's my Niall?" Emily giggled, grabbing Harry and myself by the arms, pulling us through the crowd. Nina skipped away, pushing her way through the crowd and leaping onto a blonde boy who was sitting on the sofa. We made our way through the crowd stopping by the kitchen counter, where three guys stood, their backs to us.
"Hello boys" Emily spoke in a low, attempted alluring sounding voice, winking as the boys turned around, smiling. I stood to the side as they said their hellos, hugs and kisses exchanged. I smiled at their interactions, wondering how Emily knew one direction so well. I was quite proud of myself; so far I'd managed to stay calm, even though internally I was squealing like an obsessed fan girl. I looked up, my eyes connecting with the chocolate brown eyes of Zayn Malik. A smile graced his lips as he made his way towards me.
"You must be Anna" his smooth voice speaking my name, turning my body to jelly. “It’s nice to meet you”
I nodded, trying to hold my composure, not revealing that my heart was racing. He knew my name. Zayn Malik knew my name. He took my hand in his, raising it to his lips, placing a soft kiss on the back, never breaking eye contact. I realised I hadn't spoken, my mouth unable to form words. I should probably talk before he decided I was crazy, or a mute.
"Uh... It's nice to meet you too" I smiled and stuttered out my best attempt at a sentence. He chuckled at my clearly flustered state, my cheeks flushing pink.
"So kids, where's my boy?" I heard Emily question behind me, flinging her arms around the shoulders of Liam and Harry.
"He was out on the terrace last time I saw him" Liam confirmed
"Probably waiting for 'his lady'" Louis chimed in, struggling to stifle a giggle.
"Well then I should join him" Emily replied, clearly un-phased by the obvious teasing from Louis. Grabbing a bottle of champagne and a couple of red plastic cups, she turned on her heels, placing a kiss on my cheek before weaving back through the crowd towards the terrace. I smiled; watching her walk away, wondering what was going on with her and Mr Horan. I was distracted from my ponderings as I realised I was now alone with 4/5 of One Direction. I turned back towards them to see that Liam had wandered off, Louis and Harry now distracted, seemingly racing to see who could drink their cups of unidentifiable alcohol the fastest. I glanced to my side, noticing Zayn was still standing there, his eyes locked onto me. He smiled as my eyes met his. Handing me a drink he grabbed my hand and began dragging me through the crowd.
"Let's introduce you to some people" he smiled back at me before continuing to push his way through the crowd. I followed, gripping his hand tight out of fear of being separated by the crowd of drunken people. We approached a couple of sofas surrounding a fireplace; a few people had made themselves comfortable, entangled with each other on the comfy cushions. I noticed one of those people was Nina, who quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me down beside her. I stumbled, barely managing to contain the liquid in my cup as I tumbled onto the cushions, forcing Zayn to release his grip on my hand. He smiled at me apologetically and took a seat on the opposite chair.
"Anna, this is Josh, Josh this is Anna" Nina introduced me to the blonde haired boy sitting beside her.
"Hey Anna, it's nice to meet you, Emily and Nina have told me a lot about you" he smiled welcomingly.
"They seem to have told a lot of people a lot of things about me" I laughed "hopefully nothing bad!"
"Oh no of course not!" Josh laughed. I looked down at my cup, lifting it to my lips to take a sip, the cool, sweet bubbles tingling my mouth and throat, calming my nerves somewhat. I glanced up to see Zayn, still sitting opposite, smiling as we made eye contact. Nina and josh had returned to their earlier conversation, laughing and muttering quietly to each other, words that I couldn't quite understand. Seeing that everyone had gone back to their previous conversations, I stood from my seat, manoeuvring my way around the small wooden coffee table and placing myself down next to Zayn.
"How are you enjoying the party?" He asked.
"It's great, thanks for inviting me" I smiled gratefully, "although I think I could use a little more alcohol in me" I laughed, raising my dwindling cup of champagne.
"I think you might be right" Zayn laughed, agreeing before standing and making his way to the kitchen. He returned a few moments later carrying a new, unopened bottle of champagne. He reached his hand out to me, gesturing for me to take it. Taking his hand, he pulled me up from the sofa.
"Let's go somewhere more private" he grinned, offering a cheeky wink before leading me away from the crowds. I glanced back behind me, trying to attain where Emily had disappeared to. I spotted her through the large glass doors, leaning against the terrace railing, smiling at the blonde boy standing beside her. My view was soon blocked as we walked through a door just past the kitchen which led to a long hallway.
-----Emily’s POV-----
I grabbed a couple of cups and a new bottle of champagne, ignoring Louis teasing comments. Honestly I’d gotten used to it; it was like being around a bunch of children. Anyway I didn’t mind so much, it’s not like I had anything to hide, me and Niall were a lot closer than I was with any of the other boys, we all knew that. I placed a kiss on Anna’s cheek, before making my way through the crowd towards the terrace. She’d be fine on her own, and anyway, it would seem she’d made a friend judging by the way Zayn was looking at her. I snaked through the crowd, dodging the drunken sluts falling all around me, stopping to giggle at the sight of drunken Nina and Josh, clearly enjoying each other’s company. I reached the glass door, stopping to observe the blonde Irish boy standing out under the stars; my blonde Irish boy. I placed my hand against the glass door, pushing it to the side and stepping out into the cold December air.
“Aren’t you lonely out here all alone?” I asked, smiling when he turned to face me.
“Not anymore” he responded, taking a few steps towards me, leaning in to place a kiss on my cheek. A light blush invaded my cheeks as my eyes locked with his.
“I brought champagne” I announced, raising the bottle and plastic cups in front of his face. “I apologize about the plastic cups; apparently we’re not trusted with glass”
Placing the cups on the table, I handed Niall the bottle to open. After struggling for a moment, the cork popped out, releasing the sweet bubbling liquid. He poured us each a cup before placing the bottle down on the table. I took the cup from his hand, raising it in front of us. He grabbed his cup, lifting it to mine, before raising it to his lips and taking a sip. I followed suit, taking the sweet bubbles into my mouth, hardly able to take my eyes off him. Noticing I was staring, he took my cup from me, placing both back onto the table before moving his hands to my waist. His firm grip pulled by body towards his. This wasn’t uncommon, Niall and I had been sort of dating for a little while, but it didn’t stop my heart from racing every time he touched me. Once our bodies were practically touching, his hands moved up to hold either side of my face, pulling my lips in towards his. The kiss was sweet and soft, only lasting a few seconds before we both pulled away, his eyes capturing mine, a smile forming on his lips. Noticing my body shivering from the ridiculously low temperature, he pulled my back up against his chest, wrapping his arms around me.
“You look beautiful tonight by the way” he whispered into my ear, placing a light kiss on top of my head.
-----Anna’s POV-----
"Where are we going?" I asked, curious as to where I was being led.
"I told you, somewhere more private" he turned to face me, a soft smile on his lips. Accepting his answer I continued to follow him as we travelled further along the hallway, finally stopping in front of a large door, decorated with graffiti, which I could only assume was Zayn's room. Swapping the red cups to the hand that was also holding the bottle of champagne; he used his free hand to turn the door handle, swinging the door open to reveal a spacious room, surprisingly clean and tidy. The bed was made, cushions littering the large space. My attention was drawn to my surroundings, spray paint artwork adorning the walls, vibrant colours and shapes catching my eye.
“Wow” I mumbled to myself, not expecting to be heard.
“What are you wow-ing at?” Zayn questioned, placing the cups and bottle of champagne on a small table in the corner of the room.
“Oh! Um… just the walls, the artwork, it’s amazing” I announced, turning to smile at Zayn. He smiled back, walking to my side and looking up at the wall in front of us.
“Thanks” he responded, clearly pleased with the praise “I love painting. Some people don’t see this as art, but I just love doing it”
“It’s amazing” I repeated, turning to face him. He smiled in thanks at my compliment, turning to grab the champagne from the table. He gestured for me to follow him as he made his way through the large glass doors and onto the balcony. The cold winter air hit my face, causing me to shiver. Noticing that I was cold, Zayn leaned back in through the door, grabbing a jacket from the back of a chair and wrapping it carefully around my shoulders. Grabbing the bottle of champagne from the table, he began to attempt pulling the cork out. I struggled to suppress a small giggle at the sight of Zayn Malik struggling to open a bottle of champagne. Hearing my failed attempt at not laughing, he turned to face me, his eyebrows furrowed in a frown and a pout on his lips. Giving up on my attempts to hold back my laughter, a chuckle escaped my mouth followed by a squeal of shock as the cork popped out of the bottle, sending champagne splashing all over both of us. We stood in silent shock for a moment, looking at each other trying to determine the other’s reaction before both bursting out into laughter. Placing the bottle back down on the table, Zayn took my hand leading me back into the bedroom, still laughing. He made his way to a large closet, reaching in and grabbing a couple of t-shirts, throwing one in my direction, before pulling his own over his head revealing his toned stomach. His muscles tensing under his tanned skin as he threw the champagne soaked shirt onto the floor, in the general direction of the washing basket. I found myself admiring his tattoos, especially the Arabic writing on the right hand side of his chest. I think it was his granddads name or something, I read about it online. His arm muscles tensed as he pulled the clean shirt over his head, covering his body and destroying my view. I unconsciously let out a small sigh, disappointed that I could no longer see his toned stomach. I pulled my view away from his chest and back up to his face, his eyebrows raised and a smirk on his face. Oh god, he’d seen me staring. Laughing at my wide eyed, deer in the headlights facial expression he made his way over to me, taking the clean shirt out of my hand and placing it on the bed.
“Here, let me help you out” his voice taking on a softer, deeper tone as he took hold of the sides of my sopping wet blouse. My body froze as he untucked the blouse from my jeans, slowly lifting it up my body, revealing my stomach. He stopped for a second, his fingertips lingering on the soft skin of my waist, before he finished lifting the blouse over my head. Dropping the blouse to the floor, he stopped for a second, his eyes tracing my upper body. My heart rate quickened, feeling exposed and self-conscious under the scrutiny of those chocolate brown eyes. However when I mustered up the courage to make eye contact, it wasn’t judgment I saw; it was admiration and a gentle smile. He quickly reached down and picked up the clean shirt he’d given me earlier, lifting it above my head and pulling it down to cover my exposed body. Our eyes were still connected as he raised a hand to my face, brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear and placing his warm hand on my flushed cheek. My heart raced inside my chest, my eyes refusing to break contact, hardly blinking. My heart almost stopped as he moved in closer, feeling his hot breath on my face. He placed a soft kiss on my lips, gentle and sweet, before taking a step back and dropping his hand to his side. Taking another step back, he surveyed my face, attempting to determine if his actions were welcome. My gentle smile confirmed my acceptance of his kiss. He breathed a sigh of relief; turning and making his way back out onto the balcony. He returned shortly carrying the now half empty bottle of champagne. Picking up a blanket from the bed and passing it to me, he gestured for me to follow him. We left the room, heading back down the hallway towards the main living area where the partying continued. Glancing down to see the blanket in my hands, I found myself wondering why I was carrying a blanket into a party, but dismissing the thought that it was weird, remembering it was Zayn who’d handed it to me. I was snapped from my thoughts as I noticed the feeling of a hand in mine, looking down to see Zayn had taken hold of me, probably preparing to fight through the drunken crowd.
As we entered back into the living area, I noticed the party had thinned out slightly, people probably being taken home, too drunk to stand. Zayn kept hold of my hand, ignoring a few curious stares from the few people still left standing and heading towards the living area.
“Josh, Nina, care to join us on the balcony?” Zayn asked politely, smiling when they both agreed, jumping to their feet and following us towards the back of the room. We reached the glass doors just in time to see Emily and Niall pull away from what looked like a very heated kiss. Emily’s cheeks flushed pink as she spotted us standing by the glass.
“Sorry guys were we interrupting something?” Josh asked, stifling a giggle “because you know you have a perfectly nice bedroom down the hall if you want some alone time”
The rest of the group broke out into giggles, Niall pulling Emily into his chest, attempting to hide her embarrassment. They looked cute together. The way he looked at her melted my heart.
“Thought we could have a little sing song” Zayn piped up, walking out onto the balcony, his hand still gripping tightly to mine. He led me to the soft cushioned 2 person sofa and gestured for me to sit down, taking the blanket from my hand and draping it over my shoulders before taking a seat next to me. I lifted the blanket from one of my shoulders, placing it around his. He turned to look at me, smiling at my simple, but kind gesture. I returned the smile, leaning in towards his body as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“I’ll go get my guitar!” Niall squealed a little too excitedly. Emily giggled, plonking herself down onto the adjacent sofa and shooting me a curious look. Glancing between me and Zayn she began to grin, followed shortly by a cheeky wink. I felt my cheeks blush, my heart racing as I remembered Zayn’s arm was wrapped around my shoulder. Josh had found a seat on a rather comfy looking chair, Nina taking a seat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, as he wrapped his around her waist. A few moments later Niall returned with his guitar, taking a seat next to Emily.
“So guys, what song?” Zayn asked, looking to Niall for an answer.
“Um… How about… they don’t know about us?” Niall responded, quickly glancing at Emily before making his decision. The positive responses from everyone on the balcony confirmed their acceptance of the song choice. Re-arranging his position to better accommodate the guitar, and also, I noticed, so he could turn to face Emily. His nimble fingers began plucking at the guitar strings, producing the beautiful melody of what I knew was one of Emily’s favourite One Direction songs. I noticed him glancing up at her as he began to sing.
People say, we shouldn’t be together,
We’re too young, to know about forever,
But I say, that they don’t know,
What they’re talk talk talking about.
‘Cause this love, is only getting stronger,
And I don’t wanna wait any longer,
I just wanna tell the world that you’re mine girl.
At this point at the beginning of the chorus, Zayn joined in, him and Niall singing together, harmonising to produce a beautiful sound. Josh had begun drumming on his chair, producing a steady beat for the song.
They don’t know about the things we do,
they don’t know about the ‘I love yous’,
but I bet you if they only knew,
they would just be jealous of us.
They don’t know about the up all night’s,
They don’t know I’ve waited all my life,
just to find a love that feels this right,
Baby they don’t know about, they don’t know about us.
I closed my eyes, taking in the soft melodic voice of the boy holding me in his arms, smiling at the emotion in the lyrics. I had to admit, I also loved this song. I opened my eyes, glancing over at Emily and Niall opposite. My heart fluttered as I noticed their eyes locked on each other’s, passion in every word Niall sung. He had clearly chosen that song for more than just the fact it was her favourite. I think he was singing it to her. The way he looked at her was mirrored in her eyes, clearly feeling the same emotions as he sung his way through the chorus. I was distracted from my thoughts by a gentle hand lifting my face to the sky. I stared deep into those chocolate brown eyes as he continued to sing.
One touch, and I was a believer,
Every kiss, gets a little sweeter,
It’s getting better,
keeps getting better all the time, girl.
My heart almost stopped in my chest as he sung those words. Zayn Malik was singing a love song to me. I was hardly able to control my mouth and a smile spread across my lips. He smiled in return, turning his head away from mine as we heard a giggle from across the balcony. I looked over to see Emily, who had managed to peel her eyes away from Niall for just enough time to observe my intimate moment. A smile lit up her face as she turned her head back towards the boy at her side, serenading her, as he launched into the second chorus. Their eyes stayed locked for the entirety of the chorus. I felt Zayn shift next to me, moving into a more comfortable position and pulling me in closer. I relaxed into his body, feeling the slow rise and fall of his chest and the gentle thud of his heart.
They don’t know how special you are,
they don’t know what you’ve done to my heart,
they can say anything they want,
Cause they don’t know us.
Niall continued to sing, his eyes still never leaving Emily’s. This clearly hadn’t gone unnoticed by Zayn who proceeded to nudge me, pointing his head in their direction and sending a cheeky wink. I giggled, unable to contain myself. Zayn followed suit, letting out a small chuckle before singing his line.
They don’t know what we do best,
It’s between me and you our little secret,
But I wanna tell them,
I wanna tell the world that you’re mine, girl.
He moved his face closer to my ear, singing the lines in a hushed voice, sending shivers down my spine. He offered a cheeky wink, during the second line, I assumed, referring to the champagne bedroom incident earlier. I grinned, enjoying the sound of his voice, his arm around me, his eyes locked onto mine. The song drew to a close, Niall finishing off the last few lines. I felt Zayn’s arms tighten around me, and I snuggled into his body, resting my head on his shoulder. I took one last look at Emily and Niall, who were still sitting side by side, facing each other with longing looks in their eyes. I could have sworn I saw a small tear race down Emily’s cheek, the moonlight reflecting off the water droplet.
-----LATER-----
I sat on a kitchen stool, observing the large spacious living room; the floor now littered with red plastic cups and spilt alcohol. The majority of the guests had departed, thanking the boys for the party and stumbling out of the door. I laughed as I spotted Harry and Louis, looking surprisingly comfortable, cuddling on the sofa, Louis snoring into Harry’s dark curls. And they wondered why people invented Larry Stylinson. I glanced around the room, trying to attain who was still here and who had left. I wasn’t entirely sure of where Zayn had disappeared to but he’d assured me he’d be right back. I stood from my seat, turning and making my way across the tiled floor. I searched the cupboards for a few minutes until I finally found the glasses. Taking a glass from the shelf I made my way to the sink. I turned on the tap, letting the cold water fill the glass. Returning to my stool, I sat back down, lifting the glass and taking a sip. I’d drunk quite a lot of champagne and was still feeling a little tipsy, so I hoped a glass of water might sober me up a bit before sleeping to prevent a hangover. Thinking about sleeping, I wasn’t sure what was happening, whether we were staying here or not. My question was answered as Niall entered the room through the balcony doors. His arms were cradling a sleeping Emily as he stumbled across the room, trying not to wake her but almost doing so as he tripped over Harry’s arm, which was hanging off the sofa. I smiled, noticing how careful he was with her, returning the gesture as he smiled as me.
“Are you okay out here Anna?” He asked, questioning my being by myself.
“Yeah I’m fine” I replied “Zayn said he’d be right back. Get her to bed”
He smiled, a blush creeping over his cheeks as he glanced down at the sleeping girl in his arms. I was about to get up to help him with the door when Zayn walked through, holding it open for Niall to pass. He smiled at me, offering a hand.
“Come on” he spoke, his voice soft “Let’s go to bed”
I gladly took his hand, standing from my seat and following behind him. I glanced back at the room one more time, from my new standing position, noticing Nina and Josh, lying on the sofa next to the fireplace, sleeping soundly. I smiled, recalling the evening’s happenings, before following that brown eyed boy out of the room, the door closing behind us.
I stood in the hallway, fussing with my hair. Behind my ears or in front, I could never decide. I let out an exasperated sigh allowing my loose blonde curls to fall over my shoulders.
"Anna!" I yelled up the stairs "get your ass moving we're going to be late!"
I turned back to the large hall mirror, checking out my outfit. I was wearing a white lace cropped top and dark blue skinny jeans, my hair falling messily over my shoulders. Grabbing my eyeliner from the table I slicked a small line over each eyelid, standing back to admire my makeup, ensuring the eyeliner was even. I smiled, satisfied with how I looked. Stepping into my nude heels and turning towards the stairs, I called out for Anna again.
-----Anna's POV-----
"I'm coming bitch! Calm down!" I shouted back in response, sighing as I pulled my hair back up into a ponytail, only to let it loose again after deciding it made me look like a 12 year old. I pouted my lips into the mirror, applying a fresh layer of my light nude lipstick, smiling proudly at how I looked. Stepping back to admire my outfit, tucking my pale pink blouse into my black jeans, I threw on my black heels and grabbed my coat and bag, heading downstairs, finally satisfied with how I looked.
"Do I look okay?" I asked Emily, holding out my arms and spinning to show off the outfit. I wasn't entirely sure of where we were going, I just knew it was a house party with some friends of Emily and Nina's. Emily's huge grin and squeal seemed to answer my question. She pulled on her beige fur jacket and grabbed my hand, dragging me out of the house, locking the door behind her and skipping towards the large black Range Rover parked out the front. I hopped into the passenger seat, flinging my bag into the back seat. Emily hopped into the driver’s seat throwing her bag over at me, narrowly missing my face. I giggled, rolling my eyes as I threw her bag into the back seat along with mine. Reaching over to the centre, she switched on the radio, her One Direction album kicking in and blasting out Diana. Throwing her hands in the air Emily cheered, laughing out loud at my facial expression. A laugh escaped from my mouth and she began to sing along. Turning the keys in the ignition the car roared to a start. Pulling away from the curb we continued singing along as I wondered where the hell we were actually going.
-----Later-----
We pulled up to a curb outside a row of tall houses, the engine falling silent. Removing the keys, Emily leaned into the back seat grabbing both of our bags, and handing mine to me. A smile plastered her face as she threw her head back laughing and hopped out of the car.
"Where the hell are we Em?!" I yelled after her, also hopping out of the car and running, the best I could manage in heels, to catch up with her. Turning to face me, she grabbed my shoulders and smiled again.
"Okay, just be calm" she instructed, holding my eye contact "don't freak out or you're staying outside okay bitch?"
"Jesus Christ Em?!" I squealed "where the hell are we I'm freaking out!"
“You are totally going to love this” I heard her mumble quietly to herself. Grabbing my arm, she pulled me towards the front door and we entered the lobby of what appeared to be an apartment complex. Approaching the lift, Emily pressed the button and I waited anxiously behind her, wondering what I'd agreed to here. I knew we were going to a party, but why wasn't I supposed to freak out? Who was going to be here? The lift arrived and the doors slid open, stepping inside I noticed the mirrored walls and gold buttons for each floor. My stomach flipped a little at seeing Emily press the 'penthouse' button, turning to me and grinning again. Her creepy grins were starting to freak me out a bit; I'd have to remind her to stop that. I could hear laughing, raised voices straining to be heard over the loud music. As we ascended higher the music and voices got louder, increasing in volume again when the doors slid open. Partygoers were revealed, girls in short dresses carrying red plastic cups (they actually have those? This is amazing) and boys tirelessly attempting to attract their attention. Stepping out into the room I felt horridly out of place amongst the tall model like girls, none the less, I stood tall and strutted into that room like I owned the place, and anyway, walking in next to Emily made me feel more at home, her comfortable stature, being greeted by people I'd never seen before who clearly knew who she was.
"Emily!" I heard a high pitched squeal from behind us, followed by Emily being ambushed by a small brunette, who leapt onto her back sending her toppling over onto the floor. I laughed as I watched the two girls giggling in a heap on the floor. I'm sure I recognised her. My thoughts were interrupted as she leapt up from the floor flinging her arms around me and yelling my name. My theory was confirmed as she faced me, it was Nina. I returned her hug and smiled as she stepped back.
"It's so good to see you both!" She exclaimed "we've been waiting for you, you're super late you know!"
"Oh no we're fashionably late darling" Emily exaggerated a posh accent, winking at Nina "where are the boys? I miss my leprechaun"
I frowned in thought, her leprechaun? Whose party were we at exactly? My questions were soon answered when I noticed a curly mop of hair bounding towards us though the partyers. I widened my eyes, my heart leaping as I realised who the curly mop of hair belonged to. Harry Styles strutted towards us, his toned arms pulling Emily into a tight hug. Releasing her he turned to me and pulled me into the same hug, my mind spinning, my body freezing under his grasp.
"You must be Anna?" He asked through smiling lips "it's nice to meet you, I've heard a lot about you"
"And why the hell are you so late!" He yelled turning again to face Emily. Grinning she opened her mouth to reply but was cut off before she could say a word.
"Wait let me guess... Fashionably late darling" he mimicked Emily's earlier posh accent almost perfectly. She must be fashionably late a lot.
"Come on diva pants, lead me to the boys, where's my Niall?" Emily giggled, grabbing Harry and myself by the arms, pulling us through the crowd. Nina skipped away, pushing her way through the crowd and leaping onto a blonde boy who was sitting on the sofa. We made our way through the crowd stopping by the kitchen counter, where three guys stood, their backs to us.
"Hello boys" Emily spoke in a low, attempted alluring sounding voice, winking as the boys turned around, smiling. I stood to the side as they said their hellos, hugs and kisses exchanged. I smiled at their interactions, wondering how Emily knew one direction so well. I was quite proud of myself; so far I'd managed to stay calm, even though internally I was squealing like an obsessed fan girl. I looked up, my eyes connecting with the chocolate brown eyes of Zayn Malik. A smile graced his lips as he made his way towards me.
"You must be Anna" his smooth voice speaking my name, turning my body to jelly. “It’s nice to meet you”
I nodded, trying to hold my composure, not revealing that my heart was racing. He knew my name. Zayn Malik knew my name. He took my hand in his, raising it to his lips, placing a soft kiss on the back, never breaking eye contact. I realised I hadn't spoken, my mouth unable to form words. I should probably talk before he decided I was crazy, or a mute.
"Uh... It's nice to meet you too" I smiled and stuttered out my best attempt at a sentence. He chuckled at my clearly flustered state, my cheeks flushing pink.
"So kids, where's my boy?" I heard Emily question behind me, flinging her arms around the shoulders of Liam and Harry.
"He was out on the terrace last time I saw him" Liam confirmed
"Probably waiting for 'his lady'" Louis chimed in, struggling to stifle a giggle.
"Well then I should join him" Emily replied, clearly un-phased by the obvious teasing from Louis. Grabbing a bottle of champagne and a couple of red plastic cups, she turned on her heels, placing a kiss on my cheek before weaving back through the crowd towards the terrace. I smiled; watching her walk away, wondering what was going on with her and Mr Horan. I was distracted from my ponderings as I realised I was now alone with 4/5 of One Direction. I turned back towards them to see that Liam had wandered off, Louis and Harry now distracted, seemingly racing to see who could drink their cups of unidentifiable alcohol the fastest. I glanced to my side, noticing Zayn was still standing there, his eyes locked onto me. He smiled as my eyes met his. Handing me a drink he grabbed my hand and began dragging me through the crowd.
"Let's introduce you to some people" he smiled back at me before continuing to push his way through the crowd. I followed, gripping his hand tight out of fear of being separated by the crowd of drunken people. We approached a couple of sofas surrounding a fireplace; a few people had made themselves comfortable, entangled with each other on the comfy cushions. I noticed one of those people was Nina, who quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me down beside her. I stumbled, barely managing to contain the liquid in my cup as I tumbled onto the cushions, forcing Zayn to release his grip on my hand. He smiled at me apologetically and took a seat on the opposite chair.
"Anna, this is Josh, Josh this is Anna" Nina introduced me to the blonde haired boy sitting beside her.
"Hey Anna, it's nice to meet you, Emily and Nina have told me a lot about you" he smiled welcomingly.
"They seem to have told a lot of people a lot of things about me" I laughed "hopefully nothing bad!"
"Oh no of course not!" Josh laughed. I looked down at my cup, lifting it to my lips to take a sip, the cool, sweet bubbles tingling my mouth and throat, calming my nerves somewhat. I glanced up to see Zayn, still sitting opposite, smiling as we made eye contact. Nina and josh had returned to their earlier conversation, laughing and muttering quietly to each other, words that I couldn't quite understand. Seeing that everyone had gone back to their previous conversations, I stood from my seat, manoeuvring my way around the small wooden coffee table and placing myself down next to Zayn.
"How are you enjoying the party?" He asked.
"It's great, thanks for inviting me" I smiled gratefully, "although I think I could use a little more alcohol in me" I laughed, raising my dwindling cup of champagne.
"I think you might be right" Zayn laughed, agreeing before standing and making his way to the kitchen. He returned a few moments later carrying a new, unopened bottle of champagne. He reached his hand out to me, gesturing for me to take it. Taking his hand, he pulled me up from the sofa.
"Let's go somewhere more private" he grinned, offering a cheeky wink before leading me away from the crowds. I glanced back behind me, trying to attain where Emily had disappeared to. I spotted her through the large glass doors, leaning against the terrace railing, smiling at the blonde boy standing beside her. My view was soon blocked as we walked through a door just past the kitchen which led to a long hallway.
-----Emily’s POV-----
I grabbed a couple of cups and a new bottle of champagne, ignoring Louis teasing comments. Honestly I’d gotten used to it; it was like being around a bunch of children. Anyway I didn’t mind so much, it’s not like I had anything to hide, me and Niall were a lot closer than I was with any of the other boys, we all knew that. I placed a kiss on Anna’s cheek, before making my way through the crowd towards the terrace. She’d be fine on her own, and anyway, it would seem she’d made a friend judging by the way Zayn was looking at her. I snaked through the crowd, dodging the drunken sluts falling all around me, stopping to giggle at the sight of drunken Nina and Josh, clearly enjoying each other’s company. I reached the glass door, stopping to observe the blonde Irish boy standing out under the stars; my blonde Irish boy. I placed my hand against the glass door, pushing it to the side and stepping out into the cold December air.
“Aren’t you lonely out here all alone?” I asked, smiling when he turned to face me.
“Not anymore” he responded, taking a few steps towards me, leaning in to place a kiss on my cheek. A light blush invaded my cheeks as my eyes locked with his.
“I brought champagne” I announced, raising the bottle and plastic cups in front of his face. “I apologize about the plastic cups; apparently we’re not trusted with glass”
Placing the cups on the table, I handed Niall the bottle to open. After struggling for a moment, the cork popped out, releasing the sweet bubbling liquid. He poured us each a cup before placing the bottle down on the table. I took the cup from his hand, raising it in front of us. He grabbed his cup, lifting it to mine, before raising it to his lips and taking a sip. I followed suit, taking the sweet bubbles into my mouth, hardly able to take my eyes off him. Noticing I was staring, he took my cup from me, placing both back onto the table before moving his hands to my waist. His firm grip pulled by body towards his. This wasn’t uncommon, Niall and I had been sort of dating for a little while, but it didn’t stop my heart from racing every time he touched me. Once our bodies were practically touching, his hands moved up to hold either side of my face, pulling my lips in towards his. The kiss was sweet and soft, only lasting a few seconds before we both pulled away, his eyes capturing mine, a smile forming on his lips. Noticing my body shivering from the ridiculously low temperature, he pulled my back up against his chest, wrapping his arms around me.
“You look beautiful tonight by the way” he whispered into my ear, placing a light kiss on top of my head.
-----Anna’s POV-----
"Where are we going?" I asked, curious as to where I was being led.
"I told you, somewhere more private" he turned to face me, a soft smile on his lips. Accepting his answer I continued to follow him as we travelled further along the hallway, finally stopping in front of a large door, decorated with graffiti, which I could only assume was Zayn's room. Swapping the red cups to the hand that was also holding the bottle of champagne; he used his free hand to turn the door handle, swinging the door open to reveal a spacious room, surprisingly clean and tidy. The bed was made, cushions littering the large space. My attention was drawn to my surroundings, spray paint artwork adorning the walls, vibrant colours and shapes catching my eye.
“Wow” I mumbled to myself, not expecting to be heard.
“What are you wow-ing at?” Zayn questioned, placing the cups and bottle of champagne on a small table in the corner of the room.
“Oh! Um… just the walls, the artwork, it’s amazing” I announced, turning to smile at Zayn. He smiled back, walking to my side and looking up at the wall in front of us.
“Thanks” he responded, clearly pleased with the praise “I love painting. Some people don’t see this as art, but I just love doing it”
“It’s amazing” I repeated, turning to face him. He smiled in thanks at my compliment, turning to grab the champagne from the table. He gestured for me to follow him as he made his way through the large glass doors and onto the balcony. The cold winter air hit my face, causing me to shiver. Noticing that I was cold, Zayn leaned back in through the door, grabbing a jacket from the back of a chair and wrapping it carefully around my shoulders. Grabbing the bottle of champagne from the table, he began to attempt pulling the cork out. I struggled to suppress a small giggle at the sight of Zayn Malik struggling to open a bottle of champagne. Hearing my failed attempt at not laughing, he turned to face me, his eyebrows furrowed in a frown and a pout on his lips. Giving up on my attempts to hold back my laughter, a chuckle escaped my mouth followed by a squeal of shock as the cork popped out of the bottle, sending champagne splashing all over both of us. We stood in silent shock for a moment, looking at each other trying to determine the other’s reaction before both bursting out into laughter. Placing the bottle back down on the table, Zayn took my hand leading me back into the bedroom, still laughing. He made his way to a large closet, reaching in and grabbing a couple of t-shirts, throwing one in my direction, before pulling his own over his head revealing his toned stomach. His muscles tensing under his tanned skin as he threw the champagne soaked shirt onto the floor, in the general direction of the washing basket. I found myself admiring his tattoos, especially the Arabic writing on the right hand side of his chest. I think it was his granddads name or something, I read about it online. His arm muscles tensed as he pulled the clean shirt over his head, covering his body and destroying my view. I unconsciously let out a small sigh, disappointed that I could no longer see his toned stomach. I pulled my view away from his chest and back up to his face, his eyebrows raised and a smirk on his face. Oh god, he’d seen me staring. Laughing at my wide eyed, deer in the headlights facial expression he made his way over to me, taking the clean shirt out of my hand and placing it on the bed.
“Here, let me help you out” his voice taking on a softer, deeper tone as he took hold of the sides of my sopping wet blouse. My body froze as he untucked the blouse from my jeans, slowly lifting it up my body, revealing my stomach. He stopped for a second, his fingertips lingering on the soft skin of my waist, before he finished lifting the blouse over my head. Dropping the blouse to the floor, he stopped for a second, his eyes tracing my upper body. My heart rate quickened, feeling exposed and self-conscious under the scrutiny of those chocolate brown eyes. However when I mustered up the courage to make eye contact, it wasn’t judgment I saw; it was admiration and a gentle smile. He quickly reached down and picked up the clean shirt he’d given me earlier, lifting it above my head and pulling it down to cover my exposed body. Our eyes were still connected as he raised a hand to my face, brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear and placing his warm hand on my flushed cheek. My heart raced inside my chest, my eyes refusing to break contact, hardly blinking. My heart almost stopped as he moved in closer, feeling his hot breath on my face. He placed a soft kiss on my lips, gentle and sweet, before taking a step back and dropping his hand to his side. Taking another step back, he surveyed my face, attempting to determine if his actions were welcome. My gentle smile confirmed my acceptance of his kiss. He breathed a sigh of relief; turning and making his way back out onto the balcony. He returned shortly carrying the now half empty bottle of champagne. Picking up a blanket from the bed and passing it to me, he gestured for me to follow him. We left the room, heading back down the hallway towards the main living area where the partying continued. Glancing down to see the blanket in my hands, I found myself wondering why I was carrying a blanket into a party, but dismissing the thought that it was weird, remembering it was Zayn who’d handed it to me. I was snapped from my thoughts as I noticed the feeling of a hand in mine, looking down to see Zayn had taken hold of me, probably preparing to fight through the drunken crowd.
As we entered back into the living area, I noticed the party had thinned out slightly, people probably being taken home, too drunk to stand. Zayn kept hold of my hand, ignoring a few curious stares from the few people still left standing and heading towards the living area.
“Josh, Nina, care to join us on the balcony?” Zayn asked politely, smiling when they both agreed, jumping to their feet and following us towards the back of the room. We reached the glass doors just in time to see Emily and Niall pull away from what looked like a very heated kiss. Emily’s cheeks flushed pink as she spotted us standing by the glass.
“Sorry guys were we interrupting something?” Josh asked, stifling a giggle “because you know you have a perfectly nice bedroom down the hall if you want some alone time”
The rest of the group broke out into giggles, Niall pulling Emily into his chest, attempting to hide her embarrassment. They looked cute together. The way he looked at her melted my heart.
“Thought we could have a little sing song” Zayn piped up, walking out onto the balcony, his hand still gripping tightly to mine. He led me to the soft cushioned 2 person sofa and gestured for me to sit down, taking the blanket from my hand and draping it over my shoulders before taking a seat next to me. I lifted the blanket from one of my shoulders, placing it around his. He turned to look at me, smiling at my simple, but kind gesture. I returned the smile, leaning in towards his body as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“I’ll go get my guitar!” Niall squealed a little too excitedly. Emily giggled, plonking herself down onto the adjacent sofa and shooting me a curious look. Glancing between me and Zayn she began to grin, followed shortly by a cheeky wink. I felt my cheeks blush, my heart racing as I remembered Zayn’s arm was wrapped around my shoulder. Josh had found a seat on a rather comfy looking chair, Nina taking a seat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, as he wrapped his around her waist. A few moments later Niall returned with his guitar, taking a seat next to Emily.
“So guys, what song?” Zayn asked, looking to Niall for an answer.
“Um… How about… they don’t know about us?” Niall responded, quickly glancing at Emily before making his decision. The positive responses from everyone on the balcony confirmed their acceptance of the song choice. Re-arranging his position to better accommodate the guitar, and also, I noticed, so he could turn to face Emily. His nimble fingers began plucking at the guitar strings, producing the beautiful melody of what I knew was one of Emily’s favourite One Direction songs. I noticed him glancing up at her as he began to sing.
People say, we shouldn’t be together,
We’re too young, to know about forever,
But I say, that they don’t know,
What they’re talk talk talking about.
‘Cause this love, is only getting stronger,
And I don’t wanna wait any longer,
I just wanna tell the world that you’re mine girl.
At this point at the beginning of the chorus, Zayn joined in, him and Niall singing together, harmonising to produce a beautiful sound. Josh had begun drumming on his chair, producing a steady beat for the song.
They don’t know about the things we do,
they don’t know about the ‘I love yous’,
but I bet you if they only knew,
they would just be jealous of us.
They don’t know about the up all night’s,
They don’t know I’ve waited all my life,
just to find a love that feels this right,
Baby they don’t know about, they don’t know about us.
I closed my eyes, taking in the soft melodic voice of the boy holding me in his arms, smiling at the emotion in the lyrics. I had to admit, I also loved this song. I opened my eyes, glancing over at Emily and Niall opposite. My heart fluttered as I noticed their eyes locked on each other’s, passion in every word Niall sung. He had clearly chosen that song for more than just the fact it was her favourite. I think he was singing it to her. The way he looked at her was mirrored in her eyes, clearly feeling the same emotions as he sung his way through the chorus. I was distracted from my thoughts by a gentle hand lifting my face to the sky. I stared deep into those chocolate brown eyes as he continued to sing.
One touch, and I was a believer,
Every kiss, gets a little sweeter,
It’s getting better,
keeps getting better all the time, girl.
My heart almost stopped in my chest as he sung those words. Zayn Malik was singing a love song to me. I was hardly able to control my mouth and a smile spread across my lips. He smiled in return, turning his head away from mine as we heard a giggle from across the balcony. I looked over to see Emily, who had managed to peel her eyes away from Niall for just enough time to observe my intimate moment. A smile lit up her face as she turned her head back towards the boy at her side, serenading her, as he launched into the second chorus. Their eyes stayed locked for the entirety of the chorus. I felt Zayn shift next to me, moving into a more comfortable position and pulling me in closer. I relaxed into his body, feeling the slow rise and fall of his chest and the gentle thud of his heart.
They don’t know how special you are,
they don’t know what you’ve done to my heart,
they can say anything they want,
Cause they don’t know us.
Niall continued to sing, his eyes still never leaving Emily’s. This clearly hadn’t gone unnoticed by Zayn who proceeded to nudge me, pointing his head in their direction and sending a cheeky wink. I giggled, unable to contain myself. Zayn followed suit, letting out a small chuckle before singing his line.
They don’t know what we do best,
It’s between me and you our little secret,
But I wanna tell them,
I wanna tell the world that you’re mine, girl.
He moved his face closer to my ear, singing the lines in a hushed voice, sending shivers down my spine. He offered a cheeky wink, during the second line, I assumed, referring to the champagne bedroom incident earlier. I grinned, enjoying the sound of his voice, his arm around me, his eyes locked onto mine. The song drew to a close, Niall finishing off the last few lines. I felt Zayn’s arms tighten around me, and I snuggled into his body, resting my head on his shoulder. I took one last look at Emily and Niall, who were still sitting side by side, facing each other with longing looks in their eyes. I could have sworn I saw a small tear race down Emily’s cheek, the moonlight reflecting off the water droplet.
-----LATER-----
I sat on a kitchen stool, observing the large spacious living room; the floor now littered with red plastic cups and spilt alcohol. The majority of the guests had departed, thanking the boys for the party and stumbling out of the door. I laughed as I spotted Harry and Louis, looking surprisingly comfortable, cuddling on the sofa, Louis snoring into Harry’s dark curls. And they wondered why people invented Larry Stylinson. I glanced around the room, trying to attain who was still here and who had left. I wasn’t entirely sure of where Zayn had disappeared to but he’d assured me he’d be right back. I stood from my seat, turning and making my way across the tiled floor. I searched the cupboards for a few minutes until I finally found the glasses. Taking a glass from the shelf I made my way to the sink. I turned on the tap, letting the cold water fill the glass. Returning to my stool, I sat back down, lifting the glass and taking a sip. I’d drunk quite a lot of champagne and was still feeling a little tipsy, so I hoped a glass of water might sober me up a bit before sleeping to prevent a hangover. Thinking about sleeping, I wasn’t sure what was happening, whether we were staying here or not. My question was answered as Niall entered the room through the balcony doors. His arms were cradling a sleeping Emily as he stumbled across the room, trying not to wake her but almost doing so as he tripped over Harry’s arm, which was hanging off the sofa. I smiled, noticing how careful he was with her, returning the gesture as he smiled as me.
“Are you okay out here Anna?” He asked, questioning my being by myself.
“Yeah I’m fine” I replied “Zayn said he’d be right back. Get her to bed”
He smiled, a blush creeping over his cheeks as he glanced down at the sleeping girl in his arms. I was about to get up to help him with the door when Zayn walked through, holding it open for Niall to pass. He smiled at me, offering a hand.
“Come on” he spoke, his voice soft “Let’s go to bed”
I gladly took his hand, standing from my seat and following behind him. I glanced back at the room one more time, from my new standing position, noticing Nina and Josh, lying on the sofa next to the fireplace, sleeping soundly. I smiled, recalling the evening’s happenings, before following that brown eyed boy out of the room, the door closing behind us.
Notes
Hey guys! thanks for reading i hope you liked it! please rate and review and you can read my other stories if you like :3 Thankyou my angelsEmily x
You're very welcome darling, i'm glad you enjoyed it :') got 3 more to come!
11/28/13