A New Beginning: Chapter One: Peyton's News

Chapter Two: When I First Met Zayn

~17 Months Earlier~ 

It's June 4th. It was close to the end of sophomore year, and my French class was getting read to board the plane to go to Paris. I couldn't believe I was getting to go to Paris. "Class, please stay together. I want everyone to get on the plane as calm as possible, so we don't lose anybody." My french teacher instructed. Our whole class of twenty eight people were sitting in a circle, gathering everything we brought. "Okay, everybody grab a ticket and i'll give you a minute to match tickets up to see who you'll be sitting with on the plane." I grabbed mine.. A7..Hmm. I couldn't find my partner so I just boarded the plane. I got there first, and I got the window seat. I lay my head against the window and look at the dark city of New York and stare at all the flashing, bright lights. I close my eyes and begin to remember the last time my older brother told me he loved me, before he was killed in a car accident. I feel someone approach me and take a seat and I open my eyes to hear Zayn sigh as he takes a seat beside me. He smiles and says, "Bonjour!" I brush a string of hair away from my face and say, "Hahaha, bonjour!" "Zayn. And you're Peyton, right?" He says to me. "Haha, yeah, that's me!" Great, so I get to sit next to Zayn. You see, I'm a quiet girl. I like being by myself, with music. I'm into the art of makeup and fashion and I tend to be a lazy person. I have my imperfections, but I make those into my own inspiration. I have friends, but I choose a rather drama-free life. Zayn Malik, on the other hand, is on the football (soccer) team, and he can make varsity jackets the new shit. He's always careful about his style and look, and I hear he smokes. He isn't into girls like me. He dates the pretty girls with smokey eyeshadow and heavy mascara with red lips. I prefer wearing a medium apply of eye liner, a bit mascara, and an occasionally, generous amount of red or peach lipstick, if I'm feeling artsy. Zayn looks over at me and smiles and gives me his signature gesture of a thumbs up. I force an awkward smile and put my ear buds in my ears. Oh my gosh, please don't let this situation get anymore awkward. I click shuffle and the first song that plays is, "Both of Us" by Taylor Swift and B.o.b. I look over at Zayn and we make quick eye contact and he inserts his ear buds in. I lay my head against the window and stare at the city below, now. It looks so beautiful, almost like it's in a picture frame. I smile at the lovely grace and close my eyes and enjoy my music. I drift into a sleep of a weird dream, when all of a sudden I am disturbed about two hours later of a loud screeching noise that is extremely obnoxious. I wake up and sleepily rub my eyes, gently, and take out one of my ear buds to get a better listen. The loud, weird, noise won't stop and I look over at  Zayn, who is fully awake. That noise is coming from his ear buds and it's so loud that I can easily identify the song. It's "Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne. Zayn occasionally mouths the words along or silently dances weirdly, and I can't help but smile. "Hey! Hey! You! You! I don't like your girlfriend! No way! No way! I think you need a new one!" Zayn mouths along. He does some weird air fist pumps and I've just about had enough. I tap on his shoulder and he jumps a little, because i've startled him. He takes one ear bud out and says, "Sorry, what?" with a confused but embarrassed look. I laugh a little and say, "Um...your music is very interesting...along with your dance moves.." I say with a smile. He starts to laugh, shyly and says "Oh gosh. I thought nobody was looking. I thought everybody was asleep." He laughs, nervously. I think it's so cute when he's all shy and shows his softer side. He's so sensitive. I can tell. "Oh, I'm pretty sure mostly everybody was asleep, until your music played throughout the whole plane." I joke to Zayn. His smile fades a little and he forces a little laugh. "Haha. Oh. Sorry." He says, shyly. I think i've embarrassed him a little too much... "Haha, oh no problem, I love the music, and especially your dance moves, babe!" I laugh. Then frown, immediately. Oh my gosh. Please tell me I did not just call Zayn Malik a babe. "Babe?!" Zayn questions me with a smile. "Oh...um...wow...sorry. It kinda just came out." I blurt all in one breath. He starts to laugh in a flirty way. "Its okay babe! No need for apologizing. Sorry for waking you up." Holy fudge nuggets. Did he just call me a babe? ....