Back to The Beginning

“Take that note down a third and it’ll sound better,” Zayn advised, cracking open an eye and glancing over at me.

I flipped him off, glaring at him from my newly gained spot on the floor. “I thought you were asleep, asshole.”

“You wish.”

“Honestly, I do.”

It was his turn to flip me off. “You weren’t supposed to agree.”

“I know,” I laughed, sitting back on my stool and fixing the mic setup. “Now I should probably get back to work.”

“You probably should, but you’re lazy and I know you don’t want to.”

I rolled my eyes and returned my attention to my producers and the other people in the room as I got back to work on recording. They wanted an album done by the time the new season of X Factor wrapped up, and I was only two songs through(out of ten) and the show was already almost done with auditions.

Three hours later, Z and I slipped out through the back and got in the waiting car, where he reached over and took my hand. “Your birthday is tomorrow.”

“I can’t wait to be a legal adult and have to vote.”

“You don’t have to vote.”

“I’m aware.”

He laughed, deep and rich, and again I was struck by how much he had recovered from his breakup with Gigi a few months ago. He’d been broken, but these days he was happy, radiant almost, and back to the goofy him he had been in his teens.

“We should go out and celebrate,” he suggested, brushing hair out of his face.

I shrugged. “If you want to.”

“Then it’s settled, we’re going out tomorrow.”

“Always up for a party, aren’t you?” I laughed, messing his hair up again.

He shot me a glare as he replied. “Of course!”

I shook my head as the car dropped us off at our shared flat and we walked inside. “How did I know?”

My friend rolled his eyes and headed to the kitchen. “I’m hungry.”

I followed and began shuffling through the cabinets before pulling out some ramen. “Rich men’s food?” I asked, holding it up.

“Perfect!” he exclaimed, and I laughed as I made each of us a bowl.

“You’re a mess,” I declared, stirring the noodles and then jumping up on the counter while they cooked.

“You love it.” He took my hands.

“Eh, I guess so.”

We both laughed, taking our now-cooked noodles and moving to the couch, where the jokes and puns and laughter continued for hours.

*****************************************************************************

Zayn took my hand as I stepped out of the car, despite the driver having already offered me his. My feet found slightly shaky places on the ground, and he wrapped his arm around me to help me steady myself. I smiled in appreciation.

The two of us headed into the mob of paparazzi guarding the door, me falling back to let him lead. He made sure to hold me close enough to him to keep me steady and the two of us together, but not so close that I was directly on top of him.

Closer to the door, the mob parted as we made our way inside, the bouncer smiling at Zayn’s membership card as we passed him.

Comfortably inside the small and quite exclusive club, we made our way over to where the rest of One Direction stood. I had invited Adley, James, and Taylor, but the three of them had passed, saying that they “preferred a more low-key life.”

Liam reached over and hugged me. “Happy 18th!”

“Thanks Li,” I laughed, hugging him back.

“How’s your first day of adulthood?” a Doncaster accent came from my right shoulder, and its
body wrapped me in a bear hug.

“Louis!” I hugged my friend. “It’s been great.”

“Good to hear,” came a voice from my tallest friend, who laughed, his usual patterned shirt seeming like it filled the club with color.

“Get over here, Hazza,” I commanded him, and he laughed, coming over and picking me up in a hug. As he held me, I didn’t miss a slight flash of some emotion over Zayn’s face. Part of me wanted it to be jealousy, but another part knew it wouldn't be. The two of us weren’t like that.

Harry sat me down, and Niall picked me right back up again. “Happy birthday Kay,” he whispered in my ear before sitting me down.

“Thanks Niall,” I replied, smoothing out my dress.

Zayn pushed his way back to me and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him than he normally did. “Aren’t we here to party?”

I tilted my head into him and whispered in his ear. “What is up with you?”

He acted like he hadn’t heard me, but his lip bite betrayed him. As the six of us splintered off, Harry and Louis to go dance(with, unfortunately, two different girls), Niall and Liam to go get a drink, and Zayn and I to just sit at a table and watch it all.

He reached over and took my hand, intertwining our fingers, and I rested my head on his shoulder. “You’re acting different tonight,” I muttered, playing with his fingers.

Z looked at me and brushed a strand of hair out of my face. “I’m not acting any different,” he assured me.

“Then what changed?”

“You noticed.”

I bit my lip and opened my phone, seeing that pictures of Zayn and I were everywhere.
He rubbed circles on the back of my hand like he always did to calm me down. “Hey, lighten up. It’s your birthday.”

I sighed. “I know.”

He kissed my cheek, and then bit his lip again, turning away and shaking his head. Confused by his behavior, I stood and smoothed out my dress. “I’m gonna go find Lou and Haz.”

He simply nodded, and I wandered off into the crowd, making my way to my two now slightly drunk friends as social media was set ablaze by my night.

larryislife: zayn and kayla are at a club together on her birthday, is there something we should know? #zayla

zaylaforever: MY PARENTS ARE AT @maddoxofficial being cute and couple-y and WHEN DO WE GET THE DATING ANNOUNCEMENT PEOPLE?

1dkilledmysociallife: he’s holding her waist. he’s protecting her. she’s letting him. she’s happy about it. I SWEAR THEY’RE DATING!!

Notes