Forbidden Desires {Ziall AU}

Chapter 27: is it new years yet?

Hello lovely people!
I hope you all had a good Christmas and will have an even better new year. Conveniently, the timing for this chapter lined up to new years eve, so I thought it fitting to do the moment the clock ticks over. It's almost been a year since I started writing this fic and other small one-shots (all on my account) and I can say that I've been so touched by the comments that some of you leave on not just this work but my others as well. I hope that everything is going well for you all and I can't thank you enough.
Without further ado, enjoy!

PS, We're nearing the climax of the fic, I hope y'all are ready

The obscenely large house towers over us when I swing the back door closed. Liam locks the car, and something tells me we won't be coming back for it tonight. Bodies are spilling out onto the lawn. Some are heaving up their drinks, others are in pairs or trios against the faded paneling. The laser lights shine through the front windows, painting the manicured grass shades of rainbow.

Opening the front door paves the way for all different kinds of assaults to the senses. The thumping EDM playlist rocks the house to its core, the makeshift dancefloor jumping to the beat. Condensation sticks to the walls, fuelling a case of raging humidity. The mingling stench of weed curls through the air around us, tangling with the distinct liquor. I end up in the kitchen, clinking a plastic cup with Liam's before downing the tequila in one go. The sweet taste glides down my throat, pushing a buzz through my veins. When I look up my eyes lock with a pair of blue ones. A sneaky smile slithers up his face before he's engulfed by the crowd and whisked away.

We agreed to spend the party separate so as to not arouse suspicion. Except, we're sneaking away for the countdown. Now that I know my father is onto us, there's no telling who could be his spy. The night fades into various games of beer pong, empty bottles littering the countertops, and people surfing in the pool. There's not a moment where I forget that Niall is somewhere in the house as buzzed as I am. I wonder where he is, and who he's with. How many drinks has he had? What is he drinking? I suppose I'll find out.

At 11:32 pm Aliyah plops down beside me with a flushed face, "So, where's your little lovebird?"

I smile, plucking my phone out of my back pocket. A message flashes on my screen, one that sends a smirk to my face.

Niall: come find me

"He's hiding," I smirk, leaving her with a small wave. Her smile rests on the back of my neck, and something warm blooms inside me.

Zayn: challenged accepted

I search from room to room, interrupting some very fiery couples who are less than happy to see me. Upstairs, I've searched every bedroom, bathroom, and closet I can find. He's not here. The bubbling hope in my chest dims until there's barely a flicker of light to keep it going.

I open the door to the last room begrudgingly, but to my delight, an excited body collides with mine, "oh, fuck." I laugh, tumbling to the ground.

He lands on top of me, giggling along. A sweet kiss gets placed on my lips through the alcohol-induced haze, a taste blossoming through his lips.

"Mmm," I pull away, taking in his flushed face and bloodshot eyes, "you taste sweet."

"Champagne kisses, baby," he smirks, tangling his hands around me.

I close my eyes, tilting my head back and settling my arms around him.

His lips meet my neck, trailing little pecks up to my jaw, "missed you."

Fireworks explode inside me, "missed you too."

He sighs, tilting his head to mine, "wish we didn't have to hide."

"I know," I murmur, a pang of hurt flowing through me, "someday, yeah?"

He nods, and I press another kiss to his lips.

Someday. It's one simple word, but it means everything I can't say. We'll make it out. We'll find somewhere we can be free. We'll be together through all of it.

We end up settled into the empty bathtub of the ensuite with his back to my chest. He's fiddling with the braided bracelet on my wrist, picking at the strings. The bathtub is extraordinarily big, but somehow matches the scale of the rest of the grand house.

I suck a kiss on the back of his neck, and he arches into my hands. He digs his nails into where my arms are wrapped around his waist, "What's your New Year's resolution darling?"

He laughs, shrugging while opening his neck further to my touch, "Not sure, don't really have one."

"C'mon, you gotta do something," I say.

He turns around in my arms to straddle me, "well, what's yours?"

I press my lips together to suppress my laugh.

"See!" he giggles, a little manically, "you don't even have one!"

"Okay, okay, shut up," I chuckle.

As he's opening his mouth again the distinct sound of fireworks bursts through the distance. It's followed by the deafening cheer of too many people downstairs. I can imagine all the people kissing the closest body to them like I would have done a year ago.

I lean close to him, "Happy New Year baby."

"Happy New Year," he beams, shifting his gaze to my lips.

I'm not sure who leans in, but his champagne-coated lips are on mine. He curls his hands at my neck, kissing me deeply. It's slow, but somehow perfect.

I pull away first, "what do you say we get out of here?"

"You read my mind," he beams, stumbling out of the tub.

We stumble through the full house wrapped in each other, and something in my head tells me that I should be more careful, that we should go out alone. But I can't seem to make myself voice it.

Little did I know how much those single moments would cost me.