Live While We're Young

Chapter 5

This chapter is dedicated to heyyyyitsmaddie98, the maddie #1 to my #2 :)

Chapter 5

The vehicle slammed on its breaks suddenly, yanking Zayn and Charlotte apart off the bench. The driver yelled an apology from the front seat as they tumbled to the ground. Zayn righted himself before reaching to pull Charlotte up, who was laughing hysterically. He looked at her curiously.

“What’s so funny?”

Charlotte was clutching her stomach, rolling back and forth with her eyes closed. Zayn dropped his hand.

“I don’t even know. I’m so tired, your face is funny,” she shrieked.

“Okay. I think you need some rest. Let’s save the...sightseeing...for another time,” he caught himself before giving away the secret destination. Charlotte was too tired to analyze his words. If she had, maybe she would’ve wondered what he meant by ‘another time’. But she just slowly dragged herself back up onto the seat and laid down.

When she sleepily opened her eyes, brightness assaulted her. She blinked and rubbed her face in her hands. Observing her surroundings, she realized she was no longer in the limo. She was back in the airport, presumably at her terminal. Zayn was nowhere to be found. She yawned and stood to stretch. Spinning around, she saw Zayn in the distance. He smiled apologetically and raised his right hand, which was holding a to-go cup. He couldn’t really wave while carrying hot coffee.

When he came closer, she could see that the thing in his hand had a Starbucks logo. She internally ‘awhed’ and smiled back.

“I figured you deserved some comfort food-er-drink 4,000 miles from home.”

“That’s really thoughtful, thank you. And thanks for all that you’ve done for me in the last eight hours. It’s a bit much for a stranger, don’t you think?”

“Nah. I did almost get you trampled. But you do owe me for the 500,000 new followers you gained on twitter.”

“I don’t know exactly how to pay you back for that, but-”

“I was only joking!”

“Oh. I knew that.” Charlotte took the drink from him and sat down. He sat in the seat next to her.

“These chairs aren’t as comfortable as the limo, are they?”

“Not even close. Terribly uncomfortable to sleep on. By the way, how did I get here? I mean, from the limo.”

“Well, long story short, you’re a very heavy sleeper,” Zayn laughed to himself.

“I am. And I sleep a lot. I think most of the time I’ve spent with you, I’ve been sleeping.”

“That sounds about right. No worries though, you’re cute when you’re asleep. And the things you say...” he trailed off.

“I do NOT talk in my sleep!” she retorted indignantly. Then, “Do I?”

“I’m just messin’ wid ya!” he softly punched her shoulder, to which she feigned great injury.

“People joke that I have narcolepsy, because I fall asleep at the most random times. Even if I’ve just woken up!”

“That’s pretty accurate,” Zayn chuckled as he sipped his drink. He made a face. “Ugh. You Americans and your coffee.”

Charlotte poked her tongue out at him and took a drink from her cup. She coughed and made a face. “You British people and your coffee! What is this?”

“I dunno. It’s just whatever the lady recommended.”

“Was she a tired looking teenage girl?”