LOST II

Chapter 54: "Sharing a Burger"

Post your reactions as you read, lostés! ^.^ Enjoy . . . the first Zalma dat--

"Zayn: OUTING! It's an outing."

*sigh* Right. Enjoy their first outing -_-

First draft: September 3, 2021

Salma chewed on her lips nervously when Zayn closed the door. She tried to relax her posture. This was nothing new, she kept reminding herself. She had been alone with him before. And yet, her teeth sunk even deeper in the soft tissue of her lip as he took a seat behind the wheel. Salma glanced at him sideways. He was fixing his seatbelt. Releasing a slow breath, Salma followed his example just to do something, anything, that would distract her from the overwhelming thumping of her heart.

"Ready to go?" Zayn asked.

Salma turn to him to reply, only to get a jolt shake her insides.

Crap! He was too close.

Her muscles stiffened in a quick, conscious attempt to not move away on impulse. She nodded quickly, humming her response since her teeth refused to stop mincing her lower lip.

"Perfect." Zayn smiled, starting the ignition.

Salma glanced at him again. He seemed at ease. His hands were steady, and posture relaxed. There was this happy twinkle in his eyes but other than that, he seemed completely in control. Salma clenched her jaws.

Then what the heck is wrong with you?!

Salma inhaled a deep breath, scolding herself to get a grip. Maybe if she just had to get into his car spontaneously, it would not have been so hard. Knowing about their plans after class since the previous day had had her driving herself mad by overthinking. How would it go? Where would they go? Would they be okay? Will it work? Would he actually walk her pace? What would they do?

Salma shook herself out of that anxiety-inducing train of questions.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going, or . . ." Salma asked, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye as they left the campus behind. She had not asked him anything about the planned date. She did not want him to read her anxiety as excitement and start getting unrealistic expectations.

"Or?" Zayn frowned, smiling.

"Or is it supposed to be, you know, part of the whole thing?" Salma explained. "A surprise of sorts."

"You like surprises?" Zayn asked.

"No," Salma said without thinking.

What the hell, Salma? What if he's planned things and you've ruined them?

"I, well, I don't mind, really," she tried to do damage control. "Everyone likes a good surprise. It's just that in a situationship where everything is unfamiliar, I get a little anxious."

Zayn smiled.

"But you like an elaborately planned outing with many surprises?" he asked.

Salma's heart sank. What did he plan?

"Do I seem the type?" she asked.

"I didn't think so, but now, I don't know," Zayn replied. "I thought I'd take you to Cody's --"

"Oh, we're headed to Cody's?!" Salma cried out loud.

"Yeah . . ." Zayn replied, looking a little unsure.

"Perfect!" Salma smiled in relief. "That's the bestest place to go to. Thank you!"

"You like the idea?" Zayn asked.