Chasing Winter

Chapter 10

**ZAYN'S P.O.V**

We part from our embrace and exit out of the Starbucks. My phone goes off in my pocket and it's a text from Liam:

Hey, you need to be back by 11:00 am for part 2 of the photoshoot.

Damn, I completely forgot about that.

"Winter, I have to go at eleven to a photoshoot that we didn't get to finish yesterday," I tell her, then I think of something and smile, "Want to come along?"

She smiles back at me and nods, "Sure, that sounds like fun!"

I check the time and it's 10:21 am.

"We should get going," I tell her and we hold hands and go back to the car.

I open the door for her to get inside and I get in afterwards. We drive to where the photoshoot is supposed to be and I see a limo already parked outside, telling me that the boys are already here. I check the time and it's 10:52 am, so we got here just in time. We get out of the car and our hands glue together on the way in. The boys are waiting at the door for me and glance over at Winter. Louis strolls over to Winter and casually drapes his arm around her shoulders as if they've been friends forever.

"Well hello there! You must be the famous Winter Zayn's told us so much about," Louis teases, winking at me.

She blushes and looks at me with a raised eyebrow, "Zayn, is this true?"

I nod and before I can speak, Louis pipes up again, "Oh, yeah, you have no idea. He tells us everything."

Winter's eyes widen and her head snaps to look at me again. I give her a smile and Louis a look that says "Shut the hell up or I'll hurt you later." He gets it and laughs, taking his arm off my girl. I look back at the boys and Liam is glaring at Winter with a certain flame in his eyes. I look back at her to see she's doing the same. Thankfully, the photographer comes and Liam has to turn to greet him. I squeeze her hand before I release it to meet the photographer and the boys.

The photographer takes us and I look over my shoulder to gesture to Winter to come along with us. She smiles and follows us into the studio. There's a large box of props across the room, just past the white sheet that drapes down to resemble a background. The photographer disappears around the corner once he's told us to stay put.

He comes back with suits and hands them to us, "Try them on and tell me if they're good," he says in a thick British accent.

We all nod and Harry starts stripping right there. I look over at Winter to find her turned around and her hands over her eyes. I laugh and I hear her giggling as the other boys start to change into their suits. When we're dressed I walk over to Winter and put a gentle hand on her shoulder and tell her we're done. She slowly comes out of hiding and looks up at me like a lost puppy. I give her a small kiss before going back to the boys and photographer. Several assistants have shown up and are murmuring in the corner. Most of them are female with the exception of maybe three males. They're dressed in all black and look very professional. When I walk over to the boys, the photographer starts to speak.

"Alright, what I want you guys to do is take a rose from one of my assistants over there and hold it to your lips and try to give me a sort of...," he moves his hands in a circular motion, trying to think of the word, "Sassy and sexy look. Can you do that?"

"I think I can pull it off," Harry says with a cocky smirk.

Niall laughs and Louis rolls his eyes.

The photographer smiles, "Wonderful, let's get started."

We go through the photo shoot slowly and carefully. The roses are surprisingly real and awfully fragile. Liam's keeps wilting in the wrong direction and he has to replace it several times before he can get one that stays up straight. We eventually finish around 4:25 pm and we change back into our regular clothes, Winter taking cover from our half naked bodies once again. This time when I go to tell her we're decent, I hear her stomach growl. I laugh and she spins around to look at me with a giggle.

"Someone sounds hungry," I say with a grin.

Winter blushes a little and she seems to shrink when she answers, "Yeah, a little."

I think of something brilliant, turning her to me, then making us both face the boys, "How about we all go to dinner together?" I say in a loud voice so they can hear me.

Niall smiles happily, "That sounds like fun, I'm in! How about you guys?"

Liam simply blinks before answering, his face emotionless, "Sure."

Louis and Harry both nod in agreement and I feel a smile grow on my face. Hopefully this'll break the ice between Liam and Winter.

"Are we going in your car?" Winter says in a small voice, tugging at my shirt.

She seems to be acting smaller than usual. She's normally so dominant and womanly, but right now she seems to be weak and child-like. I don't mind it, but I want to know the reason behind it.

I turn to Liam and I can see him force a small smile on his face, "We can go in the limo so it's not hard on you guys to get back home."

He already knows I'll be staying over Winter's house tonight. This boy knows me better than I know myself.

"That sounds good," Winter responds to Liam with a genuine smile.

I can tell she wants the thick tension that surrounds the both of them to disappear and she wants to be friends with him. Probably because she doesn't want any problems between the boys now that she's my girlfriend, but that's good. I wouldn't want any problems with my girlfriend's friends either.

We all head out of the studio and out the door into the twilight. Winter breathes in the air and she smiles. I love the way she appreciates everything about life even though she's lost almost everything. I love the way she smiled, it lit up the whole room and it made my life a little brighter.

I just loved her.