Halfway Across The World (A Zayn Malik Fanfiction)

Chapter Seventeen

"Can we get out of the house? I hate being cooped up in here every day since I've been here!" Waliyha complains to Yaser.

"I was thinking of going to that lake near the zoo to go canoeing."

Zayn rolls his eyes, making me want to roll mine at his unwillingness. We haven't spoken since the Leila incident a few days ago unless you count the orders for food and beverages.

"I'm okay with that as long as we can leave the house." Waliyha sighs, fanning herself. The atmosphere in Pakistan is crazy hot, and I feel bad that she is sweating so much.

"How 'bout you, Zayn?" Yaser asks.

"Yeah, whatever." he stands up. "I'm gonna go shower."

"I call sitting by Mariam on the canoe," Waliyha says excited.

Currently, I'm sitting in my bedroom, eavesdropping on the family. Why would she want to sit by me unless forced to by Yaser.

Yaser chuckles.

"What?" Zayn turns.

"What? Isn't canoeing a partner thing? You can be with Dad," she consoles.

"No, I mean, she's coming?" he questions in a nervous way.

"Why does it matter? She's a part of this family, too." Waliyha defends.

"No, she isn't." he mutters, quietly.

Suddenly, I'm feeling embarrassed.

"Stop being a pissy brat," Waliyha angrily demands, leaving the room.

"What's the issue?" Yaser asks Zayn.

"What do you mean?"

"Why aren't you getting along with Mariam?"

"We don't have anything in common. We aren't even related, yet everyone in this fucking family is treating her like it."

"Zayn, speak with respect, she's just like family to me."

"You defend that girl more than your own son," he says quietly.

Was it bad that I was feeling like I was ruining Zayn's life? Because that's the way I felt.

"I'm going to Mariam, inviting her to come if she pleases. I expect good behavior from you."

Zayn rolls his eyes for the thousandth time today.

---

"Have you ever been canoeing?" she asks, curiously.

"No, actually," I reply honestly.

"It'll be fun because I haven't either," Waliyha smiles.

I return the smile as Yaser pays the money for the canoes. I glance over to the many Pakistanis enjoying the occasional nice weather. Pakistan nights are usually cool but humid, which is perfect.

"Pick a canoe," the bearded man tells us.

"Red one for us," Waliyha looks over to me for approval. I nod my head.

"I want yellow." Zayn says.

--

"Push!" Waliyha orders.

"I'm pushing!" I say while laughing. "It's heavy!"

We just continue to laugh until we hear the sound of two teenage boys.

"Hey, look it's an American girl with a Pakistani girl." one boy says.

"And they're both hot." the other laughs.

I didn't want Waliyha to meet Pakistani boys like this... Misbehaving idiots. It was only a few idiots that badly represent Pakistani guys.

"Do you know those guys?" Waliyha stops giggling.

"No, and I'm sorry." I apologize in advance.

"For what?"

"Them. They're idiots. They want to start a scene." I shook my head.

"We don't have to ignore them, that's just letting them win."

"Win what?" I confusingly ask.

"Win the satisfaction of us being submissive to them.. It doesn't have to be that way if we just take control." she explains.

"I like that idea," I reply smiling as wide as her.

--

Zayn's POV

"What do you think they're talking about?" I ask, trying to process what they could possibly be laughing at.

"I don't know." Dad replies.

"They barely know each other," I wondered. "Do you think they're laughing about me?"

"I don't know, and frankly, I don't care, as long as they're getting along. I'm having large bowel movements, please take me to shore, and then you can get back into the water." Dad complains.

"Ew, Dad. I don't wanna hear about your shit movements..."

I let him onto shore. I turn my canoe the opposite way, catching two boys talking to Waliyha and Mariam. What?

I paddle as fast as I can over to them. Apparently, it wasn't fast enough. They're already close to Mariam's side and my heart begins to beat faster.

"Hey!" I call. "Move away from the girls," I demand.

"American boy think he can boss us around?" one says.

"Zayn, paddle away, we can handle this," Waliyha says assuringly.

"Waliyha, you don't know what the hell you're doing." I call out, approaching the group.

"Just listen to your sister," the other boy says.

"Don't try and be the hero this once, Zayn," Waliyha rolls her eyes.

The boy paddles closer and closer to Waliyha and Mariam, "Come with us, it'll be fun," the boy lures.

Waliyha takes her paddle and uses it to push him off the canoe.

He yells, but inevitably falls into the lake.

Mariam begins to laugh. The first real laugh I've heard from her since I've been here.

The other paddles over to the friend to help him up.

"Bitch!" the one in the lake shouts.

Waliyha continues to howl with laughter.

"See, Zayn? We don't need a Prince Charming to protect us." Waliyha sneers in a cocky way.

"Shut up, Waliyha," I roll my eyes.

She gives a high five to Mariam, and Mariam is almost tearing up because of how much she's laughing.