Pause. Rewind. Play. (A Zayn Malik Fanfic)

Chapter 1: I Remember

I thought I burned all the pictures. I thought I erased everything from when we were together. Guess I was wrong because this picture is still here, in my trembling hand, still in one piece.

Zayn Malik. The one person i thought I erased from my life two years ago. The person who had been my friend since age 10 and have been friends up to age 16 when we decided to become more. Big mistake.

Before he tried out for X-Factor. The moment he told me he was going to audition, I just knew he would get in. No doubt about it, and I knew this was the real test for our relationship. A test that we both failed at. I lost a close friend, the boy I love, and a large portion of my heart.

I feel tears brim my eyes as I look at the picture longer. It's one of those pictures you take in photo-booths. I take close examination to each picture, remembering the past.

I remember sitting on his lap and his arms wrapped securely around my waist, even if you can't see it. We're both smiling big into the camera and my head is tucked into the crook of his neck comfortably.

The second one, my face is scrunched up, making me look like a rat. Zayn's mouth and eyes are popped open wide like he's shocked or screaming. I can't help, but giggle.

The third, I'm poking his cheek as he makes his eyebrows slant funny, facing the camera. His red baseball cap is on my head and I'm smiling slightly, my entire body facing him.

I bite my lip, moving down to the fourth one. Our foreheads are pressed together as our lips are just about to touch. My arms are loosely around his shoulder and his aren't seen, but I remember them around me. His hat is still on my head. I remember, Zayn used to love it when i wore his hats or shirts. We gaze into each other's eyes lovingly.

A tear flops onto the picture. I quickly wipe it away and wipe the tears gathering together in my eyes. Turning it over, I recognize my delicate handwriting. The words are written in purple ink.

Zayn M. & Ari C. May 4, 2010

I feel new tears coming up, but I gulp them down.

I remember going with him and his mom to X-Factor auditions early in the morning. I remember feeling so anxious while he walked up on to the X-Factor stage for the first time. I remember hearing all three judges say yes and i was absolutely the happiest person in the world for him. He may have looked completely casual about getting in, but the minute he got backstage, I attacked him in hugs and kisses. I don't think I've ever seen anyone that happy.

The next challenge was boot camp. That was around the time I moved from Bradford to the states. I knew that our relationship wouldn't last. He'll be famous with girls throwing themselves at him, and I'll be all the way in USA, just another forgotten girlfriend. I didn't dare tell him I was moving. I remember calling him to tell him.

---

"Ari? Are you alright?" I only said "Hey Zayn," and he already knew something was wrong.

"I'm breaking up with you," I choke out. I feel myself begin to tear up as I curl up into a ball on my bed. The phone is in front of me on speaker and I lick my lips, waiting for his reaction.

"What? Ari, is everything alright? Was it something I did?" His voice sounds desperate, and I have to bite down hard on my bottom lip to keep my voice from cracking.

"Something," I say vaguely. "I just want to be single, okay?"

"C-Can we just talk about this?" His voice cracks a bit at the last letter.

"What's there to talk about?" I snap.

"Ari, there's more to this, isn't there?" I hate how he can read me so clearly, even if we were only talking over the phone.