Falling For You

Chapter 1

*12 years ago*

*Liam is 6 and Zayn is 5*

*Liam's pov*

Liam is seated on the floor, playing with two of his action figures, when his mum suddenly knocks at the door, pushing it open.

"Hey, buddy." She says, coming to sit down on the floor next to the small boy.

"Hi, mama." Liam says, continuing to play.

"A new family just moved in across the street, why don't you come with me to say hi." She says, and Liam looks up from his toys.

"Ok." Liam says, following his mom out of the room and down to the living room. His dad and sisters are standing in the living room, waiting for them.

"Do we have to go, Mommy?" Liam's sisters whine as they walk across the street to meet their new neighbours.

"Yes, my loves, it's polite." Liam sighs but stays quiet. He doesn't like meeting new people. He'd much rather be at home playing by himself. But he always does what his mum says.

His mother knocks on his neighbour's front door, and it is opened a moment later by a tall, scary-looking man. Liam hides a little behind his mother's leg as his parents introduce themselves.

The man steps aside and Liam follows his mother across the threshold and into the living room. A woman is seated on the couch with a boy who seems to be around Liam's age.

Liam stares at him from behind his mother's leg. He has fluffy black hair and gold-coloured eyes. Liam remembers his mother naming that colour.

Amber.

He's pretty. Liam thinks. Then, his mother pushes him forward slightly, towards the boy, who looks over at him.

"Hi, I'm Liam." Liam whispers, waving a little.

"I'm Zayn." The boy says back as his mother pushes him to stand up off of the couch.

"You boys can leave." The scary-looking man says, and Zayn nods.

"Yes sir." He motions for Liam to follow him as he moves down the hall and into a room. "This is my room." Zayn says softly, as Liam looks around.

The walls are painted a light blue, and the bedsheets are dark grey. Liam turns around and Zayn is sitting in the corner with a journal of some kind in his lap. Liam goes over and sits down in front of him.

"What are you doing?" He asks, and Zayn turns the book around so it's facing Liam.

"I'm drawing." Zayn says, turning the book around and continuing.

"You're really good." Liam says, scooting over so that he's looking over Zayn's shoulder at the drawing of Batman on the page in Zayn's lap.

"Thanks." Zayn says, smiling. "My dad doesn't like it when I draw." Zayn mutters, and Liam sits back.

"Why not?" He asks, and Zayn sighs.

"He says that boys don't do art." Zayn says, and Liam ponders that for a minute.

"But you're really good at it." Liam says, still not understanding. Just then, the scary man, Zayn's father, pushes the door open, and Zayn instantly sits up straighter.

"You better not be showing him your 'art'." He says, putting air quotes with his fingers around the word 'art'.

"No sir." Zayn says, his eyes dropping to his lap, looking ashamed.

"Put that damn book away." The man says, stepping closer. "I don't want your dumb habits influencing him. We're trying to make a good impression on the neighbours."

Zayn nods and closes the book, putting it back under his pillow on his bed as his father leaves the room, slamming the door. Zayn sits down on his bed and stares at the floor.

Liam gets up and moves to sit down on the bed next to Zayn. "I think your art is really cool." Liam says. "You can always show me your art."

Zayn looks up. "Really?" He asks, and Liam sticks out his hand, his pinky out.

"Promise." Zayn links his little finger to Liam and smiles.