Finding The Courage (a Ziam Mayne AU)

Chapter Two "Change of Plan"

Liam's POV

"Is it just me or has Zayn been acting weird lately?", I asked Harry as we were walking towards the supermarket.

We lived in a flat together, him and I. Although I'd for some time thought he might move in with Louis - or Louis with us or something. I didn't quite get their relationship.

Anyways, we both hated grocery shopping with a passion, so we'd agreed on doing it together when it was necessary. And necessary usually meant an empty fridge and having had Nando's once too often in a row.

"You think?" Harry made a smart face, that didn't really suit him. "Yeah, kind of. Now that you mention it."

"Did something happen?"

He shrugged. "I don't think so. Have you asked him?"

I gave him a look. "Of course I have. He says he's fine."

"Well, maybe he is fine and you're just being overly protective. After all he's always been the most secretive of our group.

That was true. Still, I wasn't really convinced. Something was up. But on the other hand, if he had a secret I'd be the first one he'd tell. We had not been friends for too long - one and a half years, give or take - but we've always been able to tell each other anything.

"Maybe you're right."

"If course I am." He winked at me and pulled two bandanas in different colours from the shelves. "Now to the really important things: which colour suits me better?"

I burst out laughing, as he held first the red one, then the yellow one next to his face, pouting and posing weirdly. I really didn't like saying this, but he just was the embodiment of a gay cliché.
I shoved him lightly against the shelf behind him. "Don't you have enough of those?"

He looked at me, a shocked expression on his face. "How dare you?!"

I laughed and turned away from him. "Alright, Miss Universe, buy them both, they're beautiful. Can we get on with this then?"

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In the evening, I got ready to go out. I'd changed my plans slightly after Niall had called, asking if we'd join him. He had met this girl he really liked and needed an excuse to go out with her without actually going out with her. So I'd told my date to meet us at a club that had opened a few weeks ago, a cousin of mine worked there and could secure us fast entrance.

"So, who's ready to party?", Harry shouted from the kitchen, running into my bedroom, bumping his hip against mine. He looked at us in the mirror and rearranged the cadmium-yellow bandana in his wild curls.

I shoved him aside and went back to sort out my hair. "Go put your shoes on, I'll be there in a bit."

I fetched my jacket and my keys from the kitchen table and followed him out the door.

I parked a bit farther away from the club, so we wouldn't have to put up with the masses of people in the streets there.

Leanne, the girl who's number I'd gotten in the cafeteria, was standing next to a lamppost and waved at us when she saw us.

As we approached her, she ran towards us, wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed me on the cheek. "Evening, love."

I didn't like girls that were this clingy. And didn't understand. I mean, she had literally just met me that day and was already calling me 'love'.

Niall sat on a bench in front of the club next to a gorgeous girl in a pink dress, his black jacket draped around her shoulders. They spotted us and got up. She was even a little bit shorter than him, which was practically a miracle.

"This is Chrissy.", Niall said, overly excited with a large grin on his face.

The girl nodded as we introduced ourselves. Her wavy, brown hair framed her freckled face perfectly and her blue eyes seemed to glow in the dark. She smiled moderately at me. God, she was beautiful!

I gave Niall an admiring look and threw my arm around his shoulder. "Now, where did you meet her?", I whispered.

He smiled. "Zayn introduced us few days ago."

"She is gorgeous!"

"Hey! Hands off.", he said jokingly and drove his elbow in my side.

I held my hands up in the air. "No worries."

We parted, Leanne took my hand and Niall linked arms with Chrissy. Then we waited for my cousin to let us in.