Cool Kids » Z.M. AU [discontinued]

24. Freedom, Hope, and Messy Slopes

Watching Zayn like this was like watching a little kid blow out their candles on their birthday. It was cute the way he smiled like a complete idiot, all dopey and adorable and crooked, making my stomach swell with the infatuation I normally felt whenever I was around him.

Zayn wiggled his fingers in front of his face like he'd never seen a human hand in his entire life, studied his newly freed hand like a scientist discovering a new species. I chuckled at him, shaking my head fondly because he was such an idiot, but I loved that about him. I loved that he was silly sometimes.

"You don't know how good this feels," he told me excitedly, looking as happy as could be. It made me feel warm inside, nice and cozy, but then again I felt like that a lot when I was with him so that it was nothing new. "I feel like I've been released from my shackles."

Which was also known as the cast he'd been wearing for the past few weeks that he'd just gotten taken off. He kept telling me how he felt like he was being set free, how he felt like a prisoner finally being released from jail, but that only made me laugh out loud. Surely wearing a cast wasn't all that bad. But I'd never had to wear one before so what would I know?

"A plus for dramatic effect," I playfully cheered him on, clapping like he'd just won an award. Maybe getting his cast removed was like winning for him in a way.

Zayn scoffed before grabbing my hand—with his recently cast-free one—and tangling our fingers together. I had to admit, it was nice knowing that the thing wasn't in the way anymore. "See?" He smiled softly at me, his eyes crinkling so slightly at the corners. "Isn't it nice not having to be so careful around me anymore? No more Paranoid Patty—I'm buzzin'."

"I'm buzzin'," I mocked his British accent like I always did. That much was just bound to happen by this point; it was a habit that stuck with me from the beginning. "I was looking out for you, you idiot."

"And thank you for that," he bent down to press a sweet and simple, quick kiss on my forehead. We'd reached his car by then and I could practically feel the excitement rolling off of him like heat waves in the middle of a hot summer day. He was so ecstatic to finally be able to drive normally again, to be able to actually drive in general without the distraction of stupid plaster covering his arm in the way. He was so happy that I felt the need to celebrate, felt like there should be champagne and balloons and fireworks shooting across the sky. But of course that was a little too extreme for something as simple as this so I kept it as a fantasy and nothing else.

"Yeah, and where would you be without me exactly?" I teased him, sending a smirk his way. I assumed that he was going to tag along with the fun as well, maybe come back with stupid, witty remark, but instead he just nodded, squeezing my hand before saying, "I honestly don't know." And if that didn't make my heart beat wildly in my chest with the need to be tamed, I couldn't wait to see what would.

It wasn't long until we were both getting into his car, and once we'd gotten our seat belts on—because, y'know, safety first and all that—we were off, Zayn putting the car into drive and cruising down the street. The day was nice, warm and sunny like it typically was. But it felt even better, even brighter once I remembered our conversation from a few days ago. The world felt like a better place now that Zayn and I had professed our love for each other, and I couldn't have been happier.

We hadn't said those three important words since then, but there was really no need to broadcast it every single minute. Because we both knew what we said and we both meant it and neither of us were planning on taking it back soon, either; we were in a good place right now. An excellent place and I wouldn't ask for anything different.