She Moves In Her Own Way

Chapter 2

“Where in the world are we?” Zayn murmured as we approached a building that looked like it could collapse if a set of pigeons decided to fornicate on its roof.

I rolled my eyes as the thump of the bass met my ears. “Not scared are we?”

His lips parted into an “o” as he brought his hand up to his chest, faking that he was offended. “Why, I never!”

A laugh escaped me. “Maybe you should be,” I warned. “It’s a total dive and not exactly home of the nicest people.” A serious look came over his face as he decided to heed my warning.

I smile reached my lips as he instantly seemed to become defensive. “Oh c’mon, I was kidding! Beside everyone here loves me!” I replied, grabbing his hand and leading him through the rickety door frame. He looked questioningly at our intertwined hands for a second, and then a warm smile that met his deep eyes appeared.

As we entered the establishment, the familiar mixture of cigarettes, weed, mustiness, and whiskey filled my noise. I inhaled deeply.

Still holding Zayn’s hand (I couldn’t help but notice his grasp had considerably tightened since we walked in), I made my way threw the jostling bodies that jumped and danced in beat with the blaring music. We were about half way through the frenzy of people when a firm hand reached out and grabbed my waste. My hand slipped out of Zayn’s and I immediately was pulled off to the side by a dark figure. I turned my head just in time to Zayn’s face as he processed the situation, his eyes wide as he pushed to get through to me.

I laughed to myself and turned back to who was holding on to my waist. “I didn’t realize you were that anxious to see me, Jake,” I joked.

His gravelly voice could barely be heard over the music. “What can I say?” he chuckled, giving me a tight hug. “I miss you, Roxy!”

“Well you scared the shit out of the guy I’m here with, ha.”

Jake’s blonde eyebrow shot up, a smirk playing his face. “Oh, really? You’re here with a guy?”

“It’s not like that!” I defended, playfully shoving him. “And here he comes now.”

Zayn had managed to get through the wild crowd, his hair slightly lopsided with a look of worry overtaking his face. His jaw was clenched, bringing out his jaw line. Hot damn. 

“What’s your problem, mate? Just grabbing girls like that?” he shouted over the thumping bass. His eyes were lit up with fury.

“Zayn, it’s cool,” I laughed, rolling my eyes at his over protectiveness. We’d known each other for what? Not even hour? “This is Jake, he’s an old friend of mine.”

“And you must be Roxy’s friend!” Jake greeted warmly. That’s what I loved about Jake – he was just a nice person.

Zayn raise his eyebrow. “Roxy?” He turned to look at me.

Oh lord.

Jake’s blue eyes lit up. “Oh, you don’t know the story?”

“Let’s not go over this,” I pleaded, burying my face in my hands.

Zayn began to loosen up. “No, please do share… ‘Roxy’.” I could see an evil grin on his face through the dark lighting.

“Well, once upon a time Addy was just wee little lad,” Jake started, ruffling my red curls. “It was her first time here at the Korova. She must’ve been only twelve or thirteen. I, being the bad older influence that I am, managed to get her so stoned that she swore to God her name was Roxanne VonWinkle and that she was a secret FBI agent that lived in the back of Scooby Doo’s mystery van. Funniest shit ever. When anyone tried to convince her otherwise she made a pterodactyl screech and spit on them. Henceforth, she became known as Roxy.”

You could tell Zayn was trying to stifle a laugh. He face was turning a scarlet color and his eyes began to water as his mouth was slowly curving up despite his best efforts. His body was beginning to shake even.

“Let it out,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I’m getting a drink.” As I began to walk away I heard his laugh finally escape him, the rich sound filling the air and even overpowering the loud music. I even couldn’t help smiling a bit at how joyous he was.

*****

I returned shortly with a few beers.

“Man,” Jake said as I approached. “Did I miss a few of your birthdays? I recall you barely being old enough to legally smoke.”

I gave him a coy grin. “Well, Sammy said they were on the house,” I replied, motioning to the lanky gentleman bartending at the bar. If you could call it that, it was really just a few tall tables with plastic over the front. “And I’ve been coming here illegally for six years. Is he going to start getting after me now?” I reasoned.

Zayn laughed. “Addy, you’re quite the bad ass aren’t you?”

I smirked at him. “It comes naturally.”

I heard an uncomfortable grumble from Jake as he cleared his throat. “Maybe I’ll just leave you two love birds alone,” he whispered in my ear, barely audible. I grinned at him.

“Aw, is Jakey-Wakey jealous?” I teased in a baby voice. It was no secret he had a thing for me. Even Sammy at the bar knew it.

“No!” he protested.

“Oh?” I questioned. “Then you won’t mind if I do this?” I leaned over to Zayn, a small smirk playing on both of our lips. He knew what was coming.

He wrapped his muscular arms around my waist as our lips connected. For a fleeting moment, everything was forgotten as his lips moved against mine. Everything was okay. Everything was beautiful.

It just felt right.

I began to pull away, looking up to see Zayn blushing. I could make out his dark skin turning scarlet even in the dark lighting.

“Yeah. I’m totally cool with that,” a voice said stiffly, interrupting my thoughts. Damn, I’d forgotten Jake was there.

I turned to face him and laughed as I rolled my eyes. “Oh, Jake. Don’t be in denial.”

And I turned to look back up at Zayn. Something had just happened there between us. There was no denying it.

*****

“Well I hate to say this, but I’ve got to get going to work, love,” Zayn mumbled as we stood outside the Korova. He glanced at the building, thinking about leaning up against but then changing his mind when he saw the state it was in.

Love. I liked the way that sounded.

I nodded, kind of disappointed. “Yeah, I’ve got to get to that One Direction concert or Stella will brutally murder me in my sleep.”

Zayn’s eyes froze on me for a second. “What?”

“Yeah, that’s what I was escaping from when I went for a smoke.”

His facial expression dropped. “Oh.”

“You okay?”

He forced a smile. “Fantastic. I just, uh…you shouldn’t go.”

My eyebrow shot up.

“I mean, if you don’t want to do something, you shouldn’t have to,” he added quickly.

I nodded. That did make sense. I smiled in return, “You’re right. I’m going to head to the store then. If I don’t pick up a new lighter and cigarettes I’m going to die. And, you know, food’s good too.”

A real smile appeared on Zayn’s face, reaching his eyes. “Lovely.”