Fall

Part Three

'Whats gonna make you fall in love?'

They sped along the freeway on Zayn's motorbike. Ariana loved how the wind rushed through her dark hair, the way it whipped around her tanned legs and filled her lungs with air. In these moments she could forget herself and become whoever she desired. She just felt so free from the real world.

Zayn lived in a beat-up apartment with his mother, Patricia, but she was too out of it on drugs and alcohol to notice them come in. His father wasn't around, and his brother Harry, chief of El Pasoligro, the most feared gang in San Francisco, hadn't been home in two weeks. No one dared to ask why, fearing the worst.

'We should leave' exclaimed Ariana when they reached his room. 'Just pack up and go.'

Zayn chuckled and turned on his radio whilst lighting a cigarette. 'Go where?'

Ariana sat cross-legged on his bed, deep in thought. It was a mess, as usual, with unwashed clothes strewn across it, and Zayn hauled his T-shirt over his head with one hand and tossed it on top of the crumpled mound. She knew he had it a lot worse than she did. Whilst her family was poor, and the women unkind, at least she knew when she came home from work each night she wouldn't find her father overdosed in a chair, vomit covering his front and his tongue bit in half. The first time Zayn had found his mum like that, he was eight. Sadly, that wasn't the last time he found her like it either.

'Anywhere' she sighed. 'Anywhere's better than this place, I'm so tired of San Francisco.'

'You're tired of your end of it.' Zayn opened the window and leaned out. A group of young boys were fighting in the dusty street below and the sound washed in a dry shower of curses and exploratory flares of violence. 'We just got a bad deal, didn't we? You're so close to everything you've ever dreamed about Ariana, we could reach those dreams together.'

'Hollywood?'

'Maybe, you're pretty enough. Damn it, you're beautiful.'

'I don't know Zayn, that's not what they say.'

'Why do you care so much about what your family thinks? They're too stuck up to care about anyone apart from themselves' Zayn's voice tightened. He knew that the Grandes looked down on him. They and their idiotic Spanish friends treated him like shit just because he was poor, from a bad background, and his parents weren't exactly model citizens.

'Move in with me and forget them, we could live wherever you wanted' he said bitterly.

'Zayn...You know its not that easy.'

Zayn tossed his cigarette out of the window and joined her on the small bed.

'I wish you knew just how special you are to me, you're my world' he said, whilst gathering her into his arms. Perhaps she was right they should just pack up their belongings and leave, go somewhere no one would be able to find them. But Patricia needed him, he wasn't about to quit on her just like his father had many years ago for some girl half his mothers age.

Was this love? It must be. She didn't want to lose Zayn, he was all she had. Yet, as soon as she felt his hands begin to wander, she was already preparing how to turn him down. Why did she feel like this? Was there something wrong with her? None of the girls she knew had a problem with sex.

'You drive me so crazy' he murmured. His fingers trailed down the front of her dress and onto her curves. He didn't know how much longer he would be able to wait. It would be her first time and she wanted it to be right, with someone special. He understood this but the waiting was driving him crazy. Ariana let herself be kissed and reclined uncomfortably, putting her head back when Zayn buried his face in her neck.

Every so often she experienced a brief, sharp dart of desire, but just like a match in water, it fizzed and died. Maybe she was incapable of it, some people are. The moment Zayn's intentions became too fervent, a sense of claustrophobia overcame her and she had to get away. But other girls talked about being prepared to do anything, anywhere for their boyfriends, so why was it so different for her?

'Zayn, please, don't...'

He wasn't listening as he moved down her body attempting to kiss her skin. She didn't want to offend him, knowing that she kept leading him on only to reject him. What was he doing with someone like her?

'No, Zayn.'

'Just relax, I promise I won't hurt you babe' he responded, his voice muffled. She felt his touch trail the inside of her thigh and roughly pushed at him as she realized what was on his mind.

'I told you, I'm not ready' she yelled whilst sitting up, pulling down the hem of her dress, her face flushed.

'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have...' he said, trying to bite back his frustration by putting his arms around her. 'You know I'll wait, however long it takes. I'd never force you... I promise.'

Ariana felt guilty, she was being unfair on him when he was being so patient and understanding with her. What was she holding out for? She knew she had to do it eventually so it might as well be with a man she knew adored her instead of someone who saw her as nothing and treated her like dirt.

'Do you trust me Ari?' Zayn asked, pulling her closer towards him so they were stood face to face.

'Of course I do' she replied.

'I love you.'

She gazed into his eyes. 'I love you too' she said, without knowing what the words meant.

AN:

For anyone wondering, Justin will be in the story at some point just not yet, a few things need to happen before he appears!

~Lauren