One Day || book two.

4 ~ Too many calls

Cassie’s POV

The engagement party wasn’t for five days, I was leaving in two: a Thursday night. Then Friday night, Sarah had invited us all over to her place and then out for the night. It was like a hens night for Wardy’s engagement. It did and didn’t make sense.

But then it’s like: what do I wear? Because I’m only going to Sarah’s, but I haven’t seen her in three months, but she never cares how we look because she’ll still love us, but apparently we’re going out. So many decisions. 

“Hey precious.” Zayn called. I heard him shut the door, drop the keys and his shoes squeak across the linoleum flooring until he stopped in the doorway of the kitchen. I felt him peer over at me, sitting in the living room (joined rooms) “reading”. I wasn’t actually reading, I was just absentmindedly thinking about his stance and how if I turned to look at him, he’d probably be leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed and his jacket tied around his waist even though it was less than ten degrees Celsius outside.

I shut the book and put it on the table. I looked back at him, and sure enough, he was exactly as I’d pictured him. But somehow it was a whole lot better than I pictured though. I grinned and made my way over to him. “How was your day?” I asked as I hugged him.

He shrugged. “It was ok. I dropped Louis off at the airport after lunch and then went back just to say goodbye to my mum.”

“Were Stef and him on the same flight?” I looked up at him. I’m always short. Damn my shortness.

He nodded. “But I didn’t see her anywhere when I dropped him off. He said that she was making her own way there, which meant that she was going to be late.” He chuckled and held me tighter. “I have something to give you.” He then let go of me and took his backpack off his shoulders. He unzipped it and rummaged through. To me it looked kind of empty, but there was obviously a lot of stuff in there. “Here,” He handed me a neatly wrapped present, no thicker than a CD cover. “Merry late Christmas.” He grinned goofily, before leaning down to kiss me. I smiled into the kiss. 

On Christmas he’d given me a polaroid camera and a charm bracelet with two charms on it. One was a camera, sweet, simple and meaningful. The other was a book, with his initials on one cover and mine on the other. It had been nice and perfect.

“Merry late Christmas?” I asked, shaking the present slightly to try and hear what was inside.

Zayn nodded. “Open it?” He made it sound like I wasn’t going to. Without answering, I tore open the wrapping paper and looked at the cover. It was a CD. Just not the CD I was expecting. This one was better.

“A Christmas album?” I asked, almost speechless. He nodded. No wonder it was a late Christmas present.

I turned it over and looked at all the songs they’d covered for. All I want for Christmas - Mariah Carey, It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas - Perry Como & The Fontaine Sisters, Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow - Dean Martin, Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry, the list went on. It was many of the classics and that was what made it special. They didn’t try to change what was, but just continue it on.

“Thank you so much.” I said, finding my voice.

“That’s ok.” He replied, pulling me into a hug again. “I should also tell you that you have one of the first albums and that we’re releasing an acoustic one next month,” His smile seemed to grow even more and I couldn’t help but gape. “And you’ll never guess the date.” I could tell that this was a trick question, so I narrowed it down to two dates: the fourteenth - Valentines day, or the twentieth - Stef and Louis’ wedding day.