The Bradford Bunhead: A One Direction Fan Fiction

An Old Friend

Aria's POV

I walked down the cobblestone streets of London. I had stayed late at the dance academy practicing again. I had not bothered to take my pointe shoes off and just slipped my uggs on over them. My trench coat whipped in the wind. I was cold in just my tights and black leotard-dress.

I was practicing a combination for the younger students. The piano player had left, so I had my iPod dock in my bag to play while I danced. Finally, the janitor had made me go home.

I had slept at a friend's house and it was early morning. I did not want to go home just yet. I veered to the right into a concert hall. Someone would be playing there tonight, I had no idea who, but I figured they would not be there yet. So i quietly walked through the back door to the stage. I had a passcard, becuase two days ago, my ballet school had danced there, and I was in charge of coming in to direct the set up for the recital. I never gave back the card.

I had been taking classes at London City College. I was getting my degree in journalism and I hoped to get a job working in the fashion industry here in London. I was a dancer, and now, I had gotten a job working as a teacher of ballet at a dance school here in London. It was June, and most students had gone home, but I got an apartment and decided to stay and work.

I took off my trench coat and my black spaghetti strap leo exposed my shoulders, giving me a chill. I spun around on my toe and the skirt of the leo spread out and swirled with me. I sat down and took off my pointe shoes. I looked down at my taped toes and short nails. Dancer's feet were so ugly. I quickly got out my hard shoes out of my bag. I liked Irish dance more than ballet. The school I worked at did not teach Irish dance, but I still liked to do it regularly. It kept me on my toes, pardon the pun.

I used to Irish dance as a child, and I still had my pair of shoes. I liked the way the fiberglass bottoms sounded on this stage in particular. I slipped on my white knit poodle socks and buckled up my hard shoes. I did a few toestands to practice. I plugged my iPod dock into an outlet and scrolled to Tony Nother Open Treble Jigs. I cranked the volume all the way up and clicked play.

I moved to center stage and mentally did the counts. Then, I began to dance freely across the stage. I moved quickly and expertly across the stage and listened as my shoes clicked and clacked against the stage floor. It was music to my ears. It calmed me down and I finally felt awake and happy.

Zayn's POV

God knows why, but management had made us come in super early this morning. They said something about interviews or another rehearsal or something. All I knew was that I was half asleep when Niall piped up between bites of food.

"Do ya hear that boys?"

"No, Niall, we don't. Let me sleep." Liam said.

"No there's music playing. And something else. Sounds like someone's dancing out there."

"Well, let's go check it out. It's an adventure." Louis said with a sarcastic tone in his voice.

Louis and Niall led the way, Harry followed reluctantly, and I dragged Liam up from the couch and made him follow with me. We walked down the hall of backstage and into the wings.

"Woah, who is that?" Louis said. I had not gotten a look yet.

"She's a really good dancer." Niall said. Liam rubbed his eyes and got a look. "Wow." He said.

"And, she's really pretty." Harry said, craning his neck. "Let me at her." Harry began to walk onto the stage. I pushed my way past the boys to get a look at the mystery girl. The girl did a toestand and clicked her heels flawlessly. I looked at the back of her head. I would know that bunhead anywhere.

I walked onto the stage close behind Harry and pulled him back. "She's mine." I said to him with angry eyes.

"What? I called dibs!" He argued. Instead of listening, I turned and walked farther on the stage. She did more rallies across the stage.

"I'd know those toestands anywhere, bunhead." I screamed over the music. I always called her that. She almost always had her hair up in a bun when I saw her. She stopped mid-dance and turned around. She saw me, and smiled with pure joy.

"ZAYN!" She ran over to me and jumped in my arms. I picked her up and spun her around. I set her down and she gave me another hug before backing up. "Oh my god! I haven't seen you in years! Whenever I was home, you weren't, Bradford Bad Boy."

"I don't say that anymore!"

"Whatever, I always called you that."

"Yea, you did. So what are you doing here?"

"I'm at the ballet academy working as a teacher. I'm teaching in between university classes. I came here a few nights ago so I had the key. It kills me if I don't have a break from ballet every once in a while." She motioned to her hard shoes.

"Oh, you never like ballet as much, did you? So what, are you living down here?"

"Yea, actually I'm going home to Bradford this weekend. I was actually going to go hang out with Doniya. Go shopping and all." She said.

"Oh, that's cool. I was gonna go visit my mum and dad this weekend. I could drive down with you. I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Oh, gosh, that would be amazing. Are you playing tonight.?"

"Yea, we are, do you want to come?"

"Sure, I'd love to. Listen, I've got to go get some sleep before dance class this afternoon, but I'll see you later?"

"Yea, definitely. Come by early before the show."

"Alright. Goodbye, Bradford Bad Boy."

"Goodybe, bunhead." I answered back.

She walked away and gathered her things. She waved before walking out the door. I watched the door close behind her before turning back to the boys.

"Who was that, Bradford Bad Boy?" Harry said in a teasing tone.

"She can call me that, not you, but that was Aria. She used to live on my street in Bradford, and our parents were good friends. She's my age, but she was always real good friends with Doniya. They were close."

"Were you together?" Niall asked.

"No, but I had a huge crush on her. I haven't seen her since before I tried out for X-Factor. She was really cool to hang out with,"

"Sounds like someone never got over that crush of his." Louis said. I did not respond. Instead, I walked back to the dressing room.

Wow, I could not believe she was really here. Aria Isabella Comerici. The girl I used to secretly call the Bradford Bad Babe. Wow, I was really bad at picking out nicknames.