Juliana |Z.M| |A.U| (Completed)

20.

Ed Sheeran: Shirtsleeve

"When your salted tears don't dry, I'll wipe my shirtsleeve under your eyes."

20.

After the long stroll through the beach they decided that it was now time to head home. They walked along the paved street, this time holding hands, entwined fingers and all... it was all new to her; very different, a good different though.

Never had she ever felt so content with her life, although she knew that once she was back to the orphanage, it was all back to square one. It was as if she had been living two lives: one inside the four walls of the orphanage and one beyond it.

Ben hadn't laid a finger on her for almost a month, which was huge, but she knew he couldn't keep it to himself for long. But some things were still the same; the constant prodding, the verbal assault was still there. Yet the worst were the nightmares. It wasn't something that happened every day, but they were still persistent. They were different every time; some were Ben, some past memories, some her fears. They say that when you hit a dog with burning timber, it gets scared when lightning strikes; that was her life now.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Zayn asked without pausing the walk.

"Making notes, starting with the book of the week and making the report on Jack's book review."

"Sheesh... got a lot on your plate." He commented, "By any chance, would you be able to bring your stuff along and do it elsewhere?"

"Depends on where 'elsewhere' is." she said, making air-quotes.

"I was wondering if you'd come home this weekend." He muttered, nervously scratching the back of his neck.

She didn't speak for a while, contemplating the right thing to do. She'd happily take it, she'd pounce on every moment she got to spend out of the orphanage and live the life she was starting to grow very, very fond of, but why?

"Why do you want me to come?"

"I just remembered how Safaa wanted to see you. And I'd like to take every chance I get to spend time with you." His answer was genuine, "We can just hang out for a while and you can do your work. We've got plenty of room there. I know about your after seven curfew so I'll drop you sooner."

How can someone be so considerate, so understanding and yet so adorable at the same time? This guy is not human I tell you.

She wasn't capable of pushing that smile away any more. "Okay, when are we leaving?"

"I uhh... I was supposed to leave today, but I told mum I was bringing you, so we've got to leave early tomorrow."

"How early?"

"7am. We can do breakfast there."

"Cool."

"Cool." He repeated.

+ + + + + + + + + +

She was sitting crossed legged with books sprawled all over his bed.

It had been quite the eventful day. After breakfast, Zayn and Julie had gone for a walk around the park with Safaa. Wahliya was a typical teenager, staying locked in her room doing god knows what. They then had lunch and talked with his family for a while. Julie even met his father, aka the director of Sussex University and by noon she had started to do her homework.

It'd been about two hours that she'd started. When she first started, Zayn left her on her own, but after about an hour and half he came back and just sat on the chair across the room, promising not to disturb her. She was trying really hard to ignore the subtle flirty glances coming over from those golden-brown eyes, but she was only human.