Bradford Bad Boy and the Garden State Good Girl (Zayn Malik Fan Fiction)

Chapter One

                  I walked into Deedee’s coffee house like I do every morning before school. I walked up to the counter and asked the barista for my usual: an ice coffee, four sugars with milk, not cream, and a strawberry scone. I paid the cashier and sat down at a comfortable table in the corner of the room with two chairs. I pulled my favorite book out of my school bag and sat it on the chair next to me.  I started eating my scone and sipping my coffee while becoming divulged in my book. After about 5 minutes or so I looked up from my book while flipping the page. Then I saw him.

                  The most beautiful, no handsome, boy I’ve ever seen sitting across the room. He had a black quiff, and light brown, almost hazel eyes. He was wearing a cozy looking sweater and a pair of light grey jeans. He was sitting at a table identical to mine. He was focused on a sketchbook working on his latest sketch, I assumed. Maybe of someone in that room, I let my mind wander. Maybe he was drawing the flawless girl texting by the window, the elderly couple sitting at the bench right outside of the coffee shop, the college kid at his laptop taking advantage of the free wifi offered here. He looked up from his sketchpad and looked around the room. Our eyes met and he smiled as he took a sip of his drink. I smiled back and was getting ready to wave when my phone rang.

                  It was my best friend Amy calling.

“Hey Marilyn, where are you? It’s 7:30 class is about to start”

“Oh shit! I totally lost track of time! Can you cover for me with Mr. Caraballo?”

“Sure, I’ll try but I can’t make any promises. Just hurry your ass up and get over here.”

                  I quickly got up from my chair and grabbed my school bag I stuffed my book into it and swiftly put it over my shoulder. I grabbed my drink and my empty plate. I put the empty plate on top of the trashcan and threw my iced coffee away. I scurried out of there and sped walk to my school. I stopped at the attendance office where my friend Tammy worked first period, she was a student assistant.

“Running late again Marilyn?”

“Yeah. Can you do me a huge favor and give me an excused pass for class?”

“Marilyn, I could lose my scholarship here if the dean found out. I can’t keep doing this for you!”

“I know. I know. I promise this is the last time! I’ll do Mrs. Padrigone’s homework for you tonight. Please, if I get another unexcused tardy to Mr. Caraballo’s class he’ll kick me out for sure!”

“fine. But I want it by tomorrow morning”

“Done.”

Tammy stamped my pass and gave it to me.

“thanks doll, you’re a life saver” i said as I walked away.

I made my way to Mr. Caraballo’s class. I love math but I can’t stand his class.  His always played with his stupid comb over and tried flirting with the girls even though he was at least, 3 times our age. Every time a girl walked in with a skirt a little shorter than usual, or a shirt a little too tight he smiled a crooked smile showing his yellow teeth. He was a total pervert, it was disgusting. I pulled my shirt down so that some of my cleavage showed and pulled up my skirt a little higher than I usually wore it. I knew if I showed more skin he’d go easy on me. I adjusted my posture and walked into class.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here? Thank you Miss Acosta for gracing us with your presence.” He said as I walked in.

I took a deep breath and pretended to flirt with him. I batted my eyelashes and said “I’m sorry Mr. Caraballo. I just… I couldn’t decide between this yellow shirt or my purple shirt. I think the other shows more cleavage but I really like the color of this shirt. Don’t you agree?”

He smiled his crooked yellow smile and looked at my chest. “Ah very well then, just make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“I won’t I promise” I said in my girliest voice holding back my puke.

I walked away swaying my hips and he got back to speaking about logarithms. I took a seat next to my best friend Amy.

“That was disgusting. Oh my god, he’s such a creep!” Amy said.

“Yeah, I know. I had to hold back my barf” I said.

Amy laughed and started telling me about this British boy band that she heard about last night. After a while I started drowning her out and thought about the boy at the coffee shop. The day dragged on and as soon as the last bell rang I got up from Biology class and walked to my locker. 

                  I met up with Amy, one of the few true friends I have, and we both walked to out lockers together. She told me about how her crush, Eric, and how he invited her to his party this weekend. She was going, of course,  and was trying to decide between her short, form fitting, little black dress or a short black pleather shirt and a trendy top with fishnets and her favorite heels. I just nodded in agreement with everything she said.

                  My mind was so fixated on the boy from this morning. He looked older maybe 18 or 19 and here I am a shot awkward freshman. Why would he even like me? I mean he did smile at me, that’s a good sign. Maybe he was just being friendly. My thoughts were interrupted by Amy.

“Okay, seriously Marilyn what’s up? I’ve been babbling about Eminem for the past 2 minutes trying to get your attention and you haven’t said a single word”

“sorry, I’m just a little distraught, I guess.”

“Why? What’s up? Something going on at home?”

“Naw, nothing like that.  I’ve been thinking about some guy all day, is all.”

“Don’t tell me that you’re still thinking about that loser DeAndre?” she said as she rolled her eyes.

“Fuck no! I could give less of a shit about that asshole anymore.”

“So who?” she said interrogatively.

“There was this guy at Deedee’s this morning he was so… gorgeous. Like I swear to god, he was flawless.”

“What he look like?” she said curiously. She hasn’t heard about me talk about another guy since me and DeAndre broke up.

As I described him to her she started to look more and more interested. And then I told her about his hair. She cut me off midsentence.

“Holy shit. I think you saw Zayn Malik!”

“Who?” I said confused

“You know, from that boy band I told you about this morning. One direction!”

“Oh, right. Amy I highly doubt that boys that popular would be walking around the street like nothing. Nonetheless here in Jersey, even less likely at a small little coffee house like Deedee’s.” I said annoyed.

“I guess you’re right…” she said let down.

“and besides he looked sort of Arabic. And I doubt a boy band would have a member that smoked cigarettes. At least, I think that’s what I saw next to his sketchbook, a pack of cigarettes.” I trailed off.

Her eyes lit up as I spoke “Wait! Arabic looking? Smoked cigarettes? That’s Zayn, I’m telling you!” she pulled out her phone and showed me a picture of the five most adorable boys I’ve ever seen. Amy pointed at one in particular. And looked just like the one at the coffee shop.

“Yeah, I guess they sort of look alike. But I was sitting across the room from him and he barely looked up at me. And it’s not like I sat there and stared at him.” I lied.

“I guess, but whatever I’m telling you that’s him! Anyway I got to go. Eric wanted to meet up with me after school. He needs help on his homework.” She said putting air quotations around homework and walked away.  “Wish me luck!” she said her back still turned at me.

“Luck!” I responded as she caught up with her friend Marshall. God, she was such a social butterfly I thought to myself as I took some books out of my backpack and put others into my backpack.