badlands // zayn malik

chapter five

never forget otra zayn 2k15

→ you say that you're no good for me,
'cause i'm always tugging at your sleeve.
and i swear i hate you when you leave,
but i like it anyway.
- ghost, halsey

&&

V. Serena

"How was your day?" Devon asks. I can hear a soft little thump come from her end of the call. I could just picture her slumping down on her bed, lying down comfortably to listen to what I had to say.

"It was okay, I've just been riding my bike through the city." I hold my phone up to my ear with my left hand while I use my right to steer the bike out of the way of pedestrians. I take my gaze up from the street to the sky. The blue skies have never looked clearer as the blinding sun glares harshly into my eyes. "The weather's really nice out. How was yours?"

"It's been amazing so far, Serena!" I could hear the giddiness in her voice, which causes me to smile. "Kayla and I went out to lunch and she finally asked me to be her girlfriend!"

"Oh my God! Devon!" I scream excitedly through the phone. She's been seeing Kayla for months now, and I was starting to wonder when they were going to get serious. "I'm so happy for you! Kayla - she seems really great."

Devon laughs in response, "Yeah, she really is."

The line goes silent for a moment, but she is quick to change the subject, "So...anything up with Spencer? How is he?"

"I haven't talked to him in a few days." I admit, frowning. I know that Devon's been sailing the Serena and Spencer ship for quite some time. I told him that I would be busier than usual, with another rigorous election coming up. My father was extremely intent on being keeping his position as city mayor. "Enough about him, though, I've been meaning to tell you about something.

"The most bizarre thing happened yesterday. I met this guy - he stupidly bumped into my bike and completely ruined the roses I was going to give to Mr & Mrs Torres - and he had no idea who I was."

"Serena, that's not really that surprising. I know a lot of guys who don't even know that your Dad is the mayor. Heck, some people don't even know we have a mayor."

"I-I don't know, Devon. It was just...weird. He didn't seem to recognise me at all. I mean, he said he wasn't from around here, so I kind of don't expect him to, but- woah, I think I see him right now."

I squint to get a better focus on him, making sure that my mind wasn't playing tricks on me. And, of course, there he was, walking through the cobbled streets of Market Square, a collection of narrow lanes in Roseburgh filled with quaint, independent stores.

Scanning his figure up and down, I was overcome with an odd sense of feeling like there was something different about him. Maybe it was just the way he dressed. Yesterday, he was only wearing a sweater and some sweatpants he probably casually threw on. Today, he looked a little more put together - in a white Henley shirt, ripped jeans and leather boots. For the first time, I see that his arms are filled with tattoos, sporting a never-ending number of intricate pieces of ink.

My eyes land on the big, black, bulky briefcase that he was gripping onto, adding to the apparent sense of mysteriousness surrounding him today. I couldn't help but wonder what in the world he was keeping in that thing.

"Hello? Earth to Serena?" Devon speaks up from the other end of the line, pulling me back to reality.

"I'm sorry, Devon, what were you saying?" I place my concentration back on the phone call, but I make sure to keep my gaze fixated on Zayn.