Zustin - A new start

Daddy has a friend?

Zayn's POV:

When Justin re-enters the car, he carefully places his daughter into the backseat, securing her in her car seat. "Noelle, this is Daddy's friend, Zayn," he says, his voice soft and warm. The way he says "Daddy" sends a shiver down my spine, an inexplicable feeling that I quickly try to shake off.

"Daddy has a friend?" Noelle asks, her little brow furrowed in confusion as she looks up at Justin. Her voice is soft and a bit garbled, but surprisingly clear enough for me to understand.

Justin chuckles, scratching the back of his neck in that endearing way I'm beginning to notice he does when he's nervous. "Yeah baby. Daddy's friend from school. He's gonna come home with us to help me with some work. Doesn't that sound fun?" He gently caresses her cheek as he speaks, his voice filled with love.

And that's when it hits me—a sudden, strange wave of nerves. My heart does this weird flip in my chest, and I can't quite explain why. Why am I feeling like this? I don't even know this guy that well, and yet, here I am, sitting in his car, watching him with his daughter, and feeling something. Attraction? Maybe. But it's more than that. I feel a strange pull toward him, something that goes beyond the physical.

This doesn't make sense. I've never felt anything like this toward another guy before. I'm not gay, at least I've never considered myself to be. But then, why does being around Justin make me so...unsettled? Nah fuck I'm probably just nervous, I'm not gay. Absolutely not.

Trying to push these thoughts aside, I force a smile and say, "Hi Noelle. It's really nice to meet you. You're a very cute little girl." My voice sounds a bit too formal, and I hope she doesn't notice.

"You're cute!" Noelle exclaims, her voice loud and filled with innocent joy as she giggles. My heart melts a little at the sound—she's absolutely adorable.

Justin chuckles as he leans over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Yes baby, he is cute," he agrees, smiling over at me before closing the door and making his way to the driver's seat.

Hearing him say that—acknowledging that he thinks I'm cute—sends another jolt through me. I hate how much I like it. Fuck.

Justin settles into the driver's seat and glances at me with a smile before starting the car. As we pull out of the parking lot, we make small talk, mostly about school, but it's Noelle who does most of the talking. I'm amazed at how much she can say at her age. Her words are a bit mumbled, but Justin seems to understand her perfectly, responding to her in that patient, loving way parents do.

He turns on the radio, and a children's song fills the car. Both Justin and Noelle start singing along, their voices blending together in a sweet, playful harmony. I can't help but notice how beautiful Justin's voice is, how it seems to fill the car with warmth. Every now and then, I glance over at him, and he catches me looking, smiling back at me. It makes me smile too, and I find myself relaxing a bit, though the strange feelings haven't gone away.

When we finally arrive at what I assume is Justin's house, I'm struck by how homey it looks. It's a small, charming one-story house with a well-kept garden out front. There's a swing, a small baby pool, and toys scattered around the yard. It's clear that this place is filled with love and life.

"Welcome to our place," Justin says as we all get out of the car. He hoists Noelle onto his hip, balancing her with one arm while grabbing their bags with the other. As we walk up to the front door, he digs into his pocket for the keys, unlocking the door with a practiced ease.

Stepping inside, I'm greeted by a warm, cozy hallway that leads into a spacious living room. The walls are decorated with Noelle's drawings, and there are pictures of her and Justin everywhere. Despite knowing they've only been here for a little over a month, it feels like they've lived here forever—it feels like a home.