Bookshelf (A Zayn Malik Story)

Chapter 6 - Double Dates

I shoved my textbook into my bag as I headed home to get ready for tonight. Harry joined me walking across the street and together, we walked into my house and up to my room. 

"I can't believe we're actually doing this." I sighed, laying back on the bed, which was covered with clothes. 

"Well, we are. We just need to get through one night. Maybe tonight will help Zayn understand how much of a bitch Belle is." Harry replied. 

"Maybe." I said, pointing the remote to the stereo, which began blasting 'I Really Like You' by Carly Rae Jepsen. Dancing in beat to the music, Harry began styling his hair as I got mine blow-dried into perfect waves. 

***

Finally, we were ready. We stood side by side in front of a mirror, Harry in a white and light blue dress shirt and black pants, and I dressed in black skinny jeans, a pastel blue and pink tie-die sleeveless top with pasted blue wedges and a dream catcher necklace. I pushed my ray-bans up my nose and sighed, as Harry took my hand in his and smiled reassuringly at me. Halfheartedly, I smiled back, and we headed downstairs together. 

"Why are we doing this again?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. He asked me if we would and I couldn't say no, and, he's our friend as well. We should support him, whatever choice he makes. It's my problem I have feelings for him, I'll cope." I said, playing with my dream-catcher necklace. We reached the venue, a romantic, expensive-looking Italian cuisine place, and I felt extremely under-dressed all of a sudden.

"Hi, table for Malik, please." Harry said at the counter. 

"Right this way, thank you." the staff member said and led us to where Zayn was sitting with the most gorgeous brunette I'd ever seen. Then she stood up and the length of her dress almost gave me a heart attack. Harry averted his eyes from her mini dress as she smiled at us. 

"Hey, I'm Ailsa. Ailsa Cowell." I hugged her. 

"Belle." She said, brushing her black hair out of her blue eyes. I glanced down at her shoes and almost had a heart attack. She was wearing like eight inch heels. Okay maybe not, but like, you get the point. Harry and I sat down, opposite each other. Nervously, I cleared my throat as Belle looked Harry up and down. 

***

I looked at Zayn, as he stared lovingly at Belle. Choking down a sob, I stood up.

"Excuse me," I tried to smile and rushed to the powder room. Sitting down on a couch, I buried my face in my hands as the door swung open and Harry walked in. 

"Harry omg get out!" I said. 

"Let's get outta here. I'll tell them you're not feeling well. We'll leave." Harry wrapped his arms around me and I tried to breathe down the lump in my throat. I walked out to the car and Harry joined me in like a few minutes. We sat in silence for a few minutes, and then I buried my face in my hands and let it all out. Tears poured down my face and my heart felt like it was being torn apart. 

"Ails, it's gonna be okay." Harry said. "He's missing out by not realizing what a treasure he's letting go off. You're an ama-zing person, and never settle for less than you deserve. And you deserve better." 

"What have i ever done? I've never hurt anyone, what have i done to deserve this?" I asked. 

"When you want to launch an arrow, you pull it back before releasing it. The same way, life pulls you back, before it launches you ahead into something amazing." Harry said. We sat in the car for a few more minutes, harry's arms around me. 

"Let's go home." I said. 

***

Harry and I got off outside the bookstore and headed in together. I took a shower and changed into an over sized DKNY cotton stretch top and Forever 21 blue checkered pajama pants. I made coffee for Harry and I after i stuffed my feet into my bedroom slipper boots. Yes, world, female pajamas arent always tiny and pink. Very often, they're XXL.

"You make damn good coffee." Harry said, as i plopped down on the couch with a bag of marshmallows. 

"We didn't have dinner, you wanna order in?" I asked emotionless. 

"Sure," Harry replied. I called McDonald's and ordered like 60 nuggets and barbecue sauce with two 1.5 liter bottles of coke. 

"Maybe I just need to get back to my studies. I mean, this entire not studying thing didn't work out too well, did it?" I sighed. 

"Ails, you overwork yourself when you study. You need to take a break in between."

"Yeah, I still gotta study though. I only have a few weeks to finish this course. Then I have an exam to give and if I get into this program, then I'll have a few weeks off, away from Zayn. I'll be able to continue my life like he never happened. I need to study, come on. Let's go study?" I said. 

"Alright, I wanna give this exam too." Harry said. 

"Are you sure?" I said. 

"Yeah. A hundred percent." He smiled. 

***