Play the Game (A Zayn Malik/Leigh-Anne Pinnock - Zeigh- fanfic)

Chapter 14

It was finally the night of the ball and the whole place was alight with excitement. The event was already underway, with people bobbing around on the dancefloor and others chatting away by the drinks table.

When Perrie finally arrived, she realised that, for the first time, she didn’t have anyone to make an entrance with – she had to finish up some ball arrangements before hurrying home to get ready. So, she had told Jade to go ahead, not wanting to make the other girl late. But, by the looks of it, Jade wasn’t even there yet. So, Perrie had to go in on her own. It scared her more than she was willing to admit.

Standing at the door, she took a deep breath and tried to convince herself that she was absolutely fine with entering on her own. But she knew that wasn’t remotely true. Fortunately, before she could panic, her eyes locked with a pair that she knew all too well.

Jesy was stood with Niall in the middle of the hall. Upon noticing Perrie, she smirked playfully and strutted confidently towards the blonde, her boyfriend in tow. Perrie couldn’t fight the smile tugging at her lips. She really had missed Jesy. Nobody else could see right through her tough exterior and into her insecurities. Except possibly Louis.

Perrie quickly shook all thoughts of the boy out of her mind and smiled gratefully at the girl with the bobbing auburn locks that had just reached her.

“Don't you look fabulous!” Jesy drawled. Perrie’s smile grew.

“Thank you! You're looking pretty good yourself,” she returned. Jesy raised an eyebrow humorously.

“Um…Niall? Is Perrie Edwards actually complimenting me? Should I be taking cover?” she joked. The two blondes laughed.

“You look great, Perrie,” Niall complimented with an honest smile. Perrie smiled back.

“Oi!” Jesy smacked her boyfriend lightly on his stomach. “No flattery. We don't need you blowing up her head even more!”

“Then why did you flatter her?” Niall challenged.

“Because, from me, Perrie doesn’t know if I mean it or not!” she winked at Perrie, who simply rolled her eyes.

“Whatever. Now can we go in or what?” Perrie asked impatiently.

“Yes, your Highness.” Jesy curtsied theatrically, before grinning and linking arms with Perrie then leading her into the ball.

* * * 

“Mam!” Jade cried. “Hurry up! the ball started an hour ago!”

“I’m coming, dear!”

Jade huffed and let her heels fall from her hand to the floor by the couch, then plopped down on the sofa. She was nervous enough as it was, without the additional pressure of arriving late. She fished out her phone from her jacket pocket and checked her messages. There was just one from Perrie asking when she was arriving. Jade quickly typed a reply just as her mother, Norma, joined her in the living room.

“Finally!” she grumbled, only half-joking. Norma rolled her eyes knowingly at her.

“Why aren’t you going with that fella from last year?” Norma asked, pulling on her jacket.

“Dunno,” Jade shrugged. “Didn’t ask me. We don't really talk anymore.”

“Oh, well that’s a shame. What about Perrie?”

Jade shrugged again.

“She had committee business.”

“Ah. Makes sense. She’s such a hard worker, that girl,” Norma said fondly. Jade hummed in agreement, putting on her heels and carefully standing up as she slipped on her coat over her dress.