Fool For You (Sequel to Awakening) >> z.m ✔

Chapter Two

Why was Zayn here? My world was crashing around me. Zayn Malik, my ex, was here. At Berkeley. How did he even get in here? Why did he want to come here? I knew he liked to sing, but to the point where he went to a college for it? It was all so confusing.

"Mr.Malik, I would think you would be able to take the exam today?" The professor's voice echoes throughout the large room. Everyone turns to look at the new student just like in high school.

"Yeah, I think I'll be okay. We were studying the same things back at my local community college in Virginia," He tells her. Zayn was going to the community college? I thought he was taking a year off, but a lot could change in one year.

I could see a couple of girls, barbies as I liked to call them, looking at Zayn and batting their fake eyelashes. Zayn barely acknowledged them, but he had barely acknowledged anyone. Except me.

"Virginia? Rachel is from there," The teacher tells us. Zayn looks at me, his arms crossed and his muscles bulging. His brown eyes met mine, sad maybe. I noticed how much he had changed. His face had lost the baby fat, the blonde streak was gone. His eyes were darker, rings formed under them. He had more piercings, almost a full arm of tattoos now. Frown lines had formed around his eyes, he dressed differently.

"I know." He said quietly, continuing to stare. The professor raises one of her eyebrows, before averting her attention back to the stack of papers in front of her. Zayn's gaze finally left me and the retching, familiar feeling of wanting returned. Wanting him.

"OK class, now that you've met Zayn Malik, I think you're ready to take your exam," She starts passing out the stacks of paper row after row until every person has one. She walks to her desk and grabs one of those old fashioned timers and clicks the button at the top. "You may begin."

I start my exam, but Zayn is clearly imprinted on my mind. I try to remember everything I had learned over the past two semesters, filling down the A,B,C, and Ds into the bubbles.

People started filing out of the classroom about eighty minutes into the quiz. I bubbled in the last answer about ninety minutes into it and walked up to the professor, my hands clammy and my forehead sweaty. I turn it in, then turn around, the walls seeming to close in around me.

I steal one last glance at Zayn, his eyebrows knitted together and filling in the bubbles. He always looked handsome. He looks back up at me and gives me a famous smirk, making the frown lines disappear even if only for a second. 

"You can go now, Rachel," She says. I pull up my messenger bag so it's resting comfortably on my shoulder. I leave the room, where Gaby is waiting for me outside.

"Hey. How did the exam go?" She asks, putting her phone into her pocket. We stand off to the side entrance of the building, watching more people hurry out and head towards their next class. The wind blows Gaby's hair into her face and she tucks it behind her ear.

"The exam went fine," I muttered.

"Uh oh. What happened?"

"Zayn's back." I told her, my tone more than annoyed. Gaby gasped, before glancing behind me as if he might appear behind us. 

"As in Zayn Malik the one who broke your heart and cheated on you or another Zayn I don't know about?" She asked, continuing to look behind us for him. She's seen pictures of him but never actually met him. "What does he look like? Did he seriously just get into Berkeley like that?"

"Zayn Malik. One who broke my heart. And how should I know how he just got into Berkely like that? On. Such. Short. Notice." I say, shaking my head. How did he do it? Out of all the colleges in the world, he chooses Berkeley? And got in?

"Is that him?" Gaby asks. I turn around and there was Zayn already bombarded by a group of guys. He was laughing carelessly, his head thrown back, his eyes crinkling.

"Sadly, Yes." I whisper. Zayn notices me and brushes his friends off and walks over. The black bag he had back in senior year of high school was slung over his shoulder. 

Gaby leans over and whispers into my ear, "He is pretty  hot, you know." The corner of my mouth turns up and I playfully shove Gaby.

"Hey Rachel," Zayn says, approaching us. "Rachel's friend."

"Zayn. What are you doing here?" I ask through gritted teeth. I don't want to bother with "hello's" and "how are you's". Zayn didn't deserve that, not matter what he's been through. Zayn frowns and the frown lines return to his face.

"Can we talk after school? Maybe at the diner down the street like good old times?" He says, concern lacing through every word. Gaby looks between us, her head going back and forth like someone at a tennis match.

"There is no good old times anymore," I tell him, crossing my arms.

"Then why are you still wearing the damn locket everyone and I made for you?" He asks, his voice slightly rising. He snatches my wrist just for example, holding it up between us. His touch made me feel like I was shocked, but in a strangely good way. It brought back so many memories, but I continued to snatch my wrist back. He pulls slightly at his hair. "I'm sorry, but please. Today? The diner?"

"No way." I say, turning around and trying to walk away. I hear the heavy clicks of Zayn's shoes as they slap against the pavement, trying to catch up with me.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened back in Virginia. Why you felt the need to move away after I cheated on you. And I'm sorry about that!" He pleads. I look behind him, Gaby still looking at us in shock.

"I wanted to go to Berkeley anyways, but you were my main concept in life! Then you went and cheated on me with some slut! Was she there when your sister died? Was she there when we graduated together? Prom? The car theater?" Anger was pumping through my veins, my heart throbbing in my chest.

I continue to walk away and this time all I hear is Gaby trying to catch up with me. I turn my head just enough to see Zayn's face, which was sad and pleading. The frown lines were more prominent than before and he was running a hand through his hair.

"What was that about? You obviously haven't told me the whole story," Gaby says. 

"I'm sorry Gaby. But now is not a good time." I say. My voice came out a bit more annoyed than I wanted it to be and she backed off slightly. I didn't want her to go away, I just wanted someone to talk to. "So... uh... how was choir? Singing class? I don't know."

"Good. Do you just wanna head home for the rest of the day? You don't have any other exams do you?" She asks, patting my shoulder. I sigh. Once she said those words I knew it was the right decision.

"Yeah. Let's go, grab a movie and a tub of cookie dough ice cream." My voice was still a little forced and stressed, but what do you expect from a girl in a dire situation like this? Being with Gaby would help, but it wouldn't make the problem go away.

My phone rings and I glance down at it. 

"At least consider it. Diner at four thirty. Please"

It was unknown number, but I knew it was Zayn. How did he get my number? I got a new phone! I deleted the text, and put my phone back into my pocket. Yes, the problem wouldn't completely go away, but they could for a short while.