Soft Spot (Zayn Malik)

IX

Chapter IX: By Eiffel

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~Zayn's POV~

It's been five months since I left Rosewood and I still haven't adjusted to the idea of being alone, here in Paris. Usually, I liked being alone. I was never the people person, you'd consider me a semi-antisocial, actually. So being one of the popular guys in school is actually surprising to me. You'd think I'd like the idea of having this humongous flat of my own, but in actuality, I don't. The thought of being independent bothered me. I've always had Gaston by my side to fix whatever trouble I caused and Nonnie, my grandmother, was always around to lecture me when I did something wrong. Not to mention the fact that Mum and Dad were always around to buy me whatever I want, but now, I'd have to work for everything.

I didn't want to leave Rosewood, I was forced to. Mum got tired of my childish behaviors and my annoying habit of leaving everything to Gaston. She said it's time for me to grow up and think about the life choices that I'm making. She bought me a studio apartment in this well known city in France. Not that I mind though, I learned French when I was little, it's just that I really prefer Bradford and Rosewood. Malvern, even. Anywhere in England is so much better in France, where I knew no one, except for my Dad's French workers.

See, I was sent to Paris because Dad thought it was a great idea to name the company after my name, since law stuff in Rosewood has been pretty tough, and no one else can handle it. Mum could, but she's been busy with the medical field as well. It's not my fault that they decided to own a big company though, even when they knew that they'd both be very busy. I actually often hear them say that they wished I'd start to act more like my 23 year-old sister, Doniya, who can probably handle the company a lot better than me. Sadly, she's been busy with wedding preparations with her fiance, Joshua.

I sighed in annoyance and decided to get a drag of cigarette from the pack in my packet. Smoking has been helping me shrug the stressing thoughts away, though I try not to get myself hooked on it. I still have to finish two years of high school and I'm not ready to let myself crumble like that because of cigarette addiction.

I lit up the stick and inhaled the addictive substance, closing my eyes shut as the smoke burned my lungs. It was an unbelievably pleasant feeling for me. I've also gotten a couple of tattoos and I've taken the blonde strand out of my hair, now letting it just be a dark brown, my natural hair color. I've also been a lot skinnier, I guess. I haven't really been eating a lot. I usually had something microwavable to eat when I get out of school and work. Other times, I just go out to the diner just across my street and get myself a classic burger and fries or something simple like that. I've gotten scruffier too. Shaving wasn't in my option anymore, only when I actually had a time. And when I did, it was spent laying on my bed, smoking and listening to heavy music and getting lost into thoughts. Most of the time, thoughts about Arvina.

Speaking of Arvina, I wonder how she is? Gaston told me that she didn't seem bothered by the fact that I just left with no warning five months ago. I felt bad that I just left her like that when I specially told her that I took her on a date so I could properly say goodbye. It was just hard to say goodbye, I guess. Especially when I kept on telling myself that I'm going to see her again. The thought of not seeing her perfectly gorgeous long, brown hair and her addictive chocolate eyes bothered me.

I glanced at the countless pictures that hung on my wall as I puffed rings of smoke out. Above an old picture of Niall and I when we were five, was the picture of Arvina. It was the picture that I took when she was peacefully sleeping and I decided to stick the note on her forehead. The pictures on the wall made me happy, but her picture always makes me smile the most. Whether it was because she looked stupid or it was because of the rushing thoughts of her and I in the cabin, it was peaceful and happy and truly unforgettable.