Friend Zoned

After multiple introductions, I had established that we were in fact, in Bradford for Zayn’s grandmother’s birthday. I felt so privileged to be here but I felt a bit out of place. I think Luna felt worse but the Malik’s were more than welcoming of us.

“So Chelsea, what do you do for work?” One of Zayn’s uncle’s asked me.

“I’m a lawyer.”

“Ah, smart one,” I smiled and nodded politely.

“Is it a busy life?”
“I work part time in the office, it’s based around the next generation of lawyers and we have pretty flexible hours, which are good. I do have a presentation that I need to finalise and prepare for Monday that I will stress about tonight and tomorrow.” I let out a sigh.

“Zayn was always extremely good at English, I’m sure he will give you a hand if you need it.” Zayn’s aunty added in.

“Who was good at what? Who’s helping Chelsea?” Zayn asked as he joined us in the seat beside me.

“Chelsea here was telling us how she is a lawyer and how she has a presentation she needs to finish for Monday that she is stressed about. I told her how you were good at English and that us she asked you, you would be willing to help her out,” his aunt told him.

“You do?” I nodded. “We can work on it later tonight at the hotel.” I looked at him as if he was crazy.

“Thanks for the offer but Zayn, we’re here to see your family that you barely ever see. I want you to spend as much time with them as possible, it is just a presentation. And why aren’t you staying here with your parents and sisters?” I asked, bewildered.

“I wanted to stay at the hotel with you, the boys and Luna. Also, mum is housing some of my other relatives here, it’s not a big deal.” He shrugged. Safaa came bouncing over and jumped up on his lap and he wrapped his arms around her waist. “My great aunt thinks you’re Perrie.” He let out a sigh and I scrunched my face together. I look and act nothing like Perrie.
“I know, you look nothing like Perrie, we aren’t engaged and you have totally different personalities. I explained to her that you weren’t her but I don’t know if I got it in her head. I’m sorry.”

I put my hand on his arm. “It’s okay, don’t apologise. I know it must be hard for you to hear her spoken about and having me being mistaken as her.” He just shrugged.

“Is Chelsea your girlfriend, Zayn?” Safaa asked shyly.

“No we’re just friends.” She pouted.

“I like her more than Perrie, she is very pretty.” Safaa voiced.

“I know she is. She’s lovely and she is very smart, she’s kind to the fans and paps as well.” He smiled at me shyly and I returned it, although I was probably beet red.

“Thank you,” I mumbled. His aunty muttered something about young love, causing her husband to chuckle before they excused themselves to speak with others. Liam and Louis were talking to Zayn’s other sisters, Niall and Luna were with his dad, and surprise, Harry was wooing the birthday girl.

“Enjoying yourself?” Zayn asked me.

“Yes, it’s lovely to ne here but I can’t believe you brought me all the way ere for a family affair. I feel out of place but everyone here is so kind and welcoming, I can see how you’ve been brought up.”

“They’re good people, aren’t they Saf?” he asked, bopping jer on his knees. She nodded furiously.

“Yep.”

“How’s school going? Mum told me you were getting good grades.”

“Ms Stephens gave me an A in art!” She exclaimed. “And I’m doing well in the rest of my subjects, but science and maths are confusing and stupid and I can’t sew to save my life.” She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Maths was my favourite subject until I could do fashion, then it moved into second place, I was also pretty good at science.”

“Chelsea is super smart. She skipped a year in high school and completed her degree faster than anyone else.”

“Wow! Could you help me with my homework?” She asked excitedly.

“After lunch sure.” I told her and she beamed widely at me before jumping off Zayn’s lap and skipping off somewhere. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me that I was going to be meeting your family!” I exclaimed hitting him on the arm. “I need to make a good first impression, they probably hate me!” I went to hit him again but he caught my arm before I could and wrapped it in his.

“Calm down, everyone loves you! Safaa especially, I can tell.”

“Your great aunt thinks I’m Perrie!”

“But you’re not so it doesn’t matter.”

“Still,” I whined.

“It’s fine Chelsea, don’t worry a-“

“-Lunch is served,” his mum, Trisha, called.

“Seriously, it’s nothing to worry about.” He said pulling me by my hand to the table where the delicious foods were all set out.

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“He did this a few days before the X-Factor auditions.” Doniya told me, pointing at one of the paintings on the room they assigned as Zayn’s in the house he bought them. The two older girls were taking me to snoop through everything he had left behind while Luna and Safaa were talking in her room.

“Wow, I was admiring some of the artwork in his flat today but he wouldn’t tell me who did them.”

“Yeah, that would be his. He’s always been the ‘humble one’ as mum likes to call him.” Doniya laughed.

“Has he shown you his graffiti room?” Waliyha asked excitedly.

“Graffiti room? No. He’s shown me around his place but a graffiti room wasn’t on the list.”

“It’s in the car park, there’s a separate room down there that’s his and has all his graffiti work in it, it’s really cool. I can’t believe he hasn’t taken you there yet.”

“I’d call him in to investigate why he hasn’t taken me there yet but I want to do a bit more snooping first.”

“Good idea,” Waliyha confirmed.

Over the next forty five minutes they showed me old pictures of them, medals and awards Zayn had acquired, clothing and possessions from his childhood and all the stories that went with them. It was so good to bond with his sisters, all the while learning about Zayn’s past and where he came from.

“So Zayn hasn’t told us how he met you or when but you seem pretty close. He just called last weekend to ask if he could bring some people he wanted us to meet.”

“Oh, funny story actually: my friend, Piper – who couldn’t be here today – is a big fan of the boys and I was just out shopping when…” And my story telling began. The girls seemed pretty surprised, as expected, when they found out just how long we had known each other for. They found the story pretty funny as a whole though.

“He seems pretty interested in you. We were talking a few days before you two met and he was going through rebound after rebound, but then he met you and he seems to be the best he ever has been. And you both say you’re ‘just friends’! That’s a surprise especially because he brought you here.” Doniya told me.

“He just invited me for lunch with the boys and low and behold we end up here, which was lovely but so unexpected, I could have used a warning.”

“Trust Zayn, that’s cute.” Waliyha cooed causing Doniya to chuckle. The door to Zayn’s room opened and I turned to see him worriedly looking around the room until his eyes caught mine. He basically stalked towards us and poked my sides causing me to jerk away from him until he wrapped his arm around my waist, drawing me back into him. Waliyha and Doniya shared a look before turning to us and grinning sweetly.

“Here you are, I was worried you had been kidnapped. What are you doing in here?” he asked.

“Well, we just had a look around. Doniya and Waliyha told me a few things and showed me some stuff.” I giggled as his eyes widened.

“What stuff?” he asked almost nervously.

“Just stuff,” I shrugged out of his grip and quickly slipped from his room giggling like a madwoman with him close on my tail. Luna and Niall were with Safaa and Zayn’s dad in the living room talking, Luna rolling her eyes but letting an amused expression settle across her face at the sight of us. I made it to the kitchen where Zayn’s mother and his Aunt I was talking to before were decorating his grandmother’s cake. I stopped to catch my breath as Zayn’s arms wrapped around my waist from behind before mercilessly tickling me. I squirmed around, trying to get free of his strong arms whilst trying to catch my breath.

“Z-Z-Zayn st-stop!” I cried out, his family watching on, entertained by our little show.

“Tell me what you know.” He demanded in a deep voice. Yumm – fuck he doesn’t give in does he, I can’t even breathe.

“C-con-confidential,” I giggled but struggled to regain my breath after. My sides were burning and I gave up struggling, slumping over in his arms causing his torturous actions to decrease.

“Zayn, leave the poor girl alone.” His mother scolded him causing him to cease his movements immediately as I regained my posture, only to slump into him for support while I caught my breath.

“Thanks Mrs Malik,” she nodded, smiling at us like she knew something we didn’t. She looked to be about to say something when an older woman came bustling over to us. I felt Zayn’s breath on my neck as he let out a sigh, causing me to shiver.

“Perrie darling, it’s so good to see you again.” Ah so this is the great aunty, I have been waiting for this moment.

“Aunt Asrar, this is my friend, Chelsea, Perrie and I aren’t together anymore.” Zayn’s grip tightened slightly out of frustration.

"Hush Zayn, I’m talking to Perrie not you!” I had to control myself from laughing and by the looks of it, so did Zayn’s mother and aunt, who had to cover their mouths and busy themselves with cake decorating. “He keeps talking about this Chelsea girl, men of today. How are you going though love?” This was golden.

“I’ve been well, thanks for asking, and yourself?”

“I’ve been great honey, the best years of my life…” and she began to trail on. Zayn’s aunt – who I presume is the daughter of Aunt Asrar – came to our rescue and guided her away to talk to some other relatives, much to her distaste. Zayn relaxed, spinning me around in his arms to face him.

“Jesus Zayn, stop talking about this Chelsea girl!” He groaned, resting his head on my shoulder as I threw my head back in laughter. The click of a camera caused Zayn’s head to snap up just in time to see Waliyha rushing out of the room giggling, Doniya following behind her more slowly, shaking her head. Zayn shrugged with a grin on his lips before slipping away from me to follow them. I sat down on one of the bar stools located in the kitchen.

“Do you need any help?” I asked Trisha. She shook her head.

“No darling, thanks for offering though.” I watched as she added intricate detail to the cake, making small talk occasionally. Soon enough it was finished and Trisha politely asked me to collect everyone and direct them back to the table set-up. After a few minutes, the only ones left were Zayn and his two sisters. The door to Doniya’s room was shut and I could hear their muffled voices.

“She isn’t going to be on offer forever. She is much better for you, so different from Perrie.”

“I know,” I could hear him sigh. “But, just is it – is it too soon, we have both come out of long term relationships. I don’t want her as a rebound or to be her rebound, I want her fully or just as a friend.”

“Well don’t let her be a rebound. Just wait it out for a bit, not too long though. A girl like her is rare and won’t come around again anytime soon.” I felt bad for eavesdropping so knocked on the door, opening it once a ‘come in’ was called. Zayn turned a shade of pink and I couldn’t help but wonder where they talking about me? The thought made my heart jump in my chest but I shook my head to clear those thoughts, it was so unlikely, he was famous for god’s sake. I told them that cake was about to be served right as the doorbell rang, causing Doniya to shoot from the room.

“Bloody boyfriends,” Waliyha mumbled, confirming my thoughts as she headed towards the party. Zayn smiled shyly at me before grabbing my hand and leading me after Waliyha. I have to admit, I’m really glad he brought me, even though I was unprepared for this surprise.

Notes

Oh my god, long time no see right!
Well it hasn't been too long but I really wanted to update sooner so I apologise if I kept you waiting like I did to myself!
This is part one of Chelsea meeting the family and their little over night stay, I have had this chapter in my head for months so it's such a relief to get it down on paper finally!
I really hope you like it!
And just to put it out there, I have no idea of Zayn's extended family so if it's wrong, don't hate me, it's 1am right now.
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I honestly cannot thank you enough for your response to this story. It means so much to me and the comments that take only a little time out of your day really make mine. Can we get my votes into the higher twenties please!
Love you guys heaps!
Please check out my new story - it's a Harry with a side of Liam one - I have been working on this for a while as well and it would be good if it could get some more reads!
Well, Until Next Update,
xxg