Escapade » z.m

15. Wish She Would Keep Me As Her Driver I'd At Least Make Some Money

He closed the Library door loudly, clutching his book tight.

All the blood the heart needs to pump into the body was now only rushing to his cheeks.

Zayn could bet the students walking by could have seen his ears smudged crimson too, if it wasn't for his beanie.

He bit down on his bottom lip.

Mrs Helbing's— the Librarian's—words echoed in his mind.

"Why, is he your boyfriend?" Every's eyes could have bulged out of their sockets, really.

"No—no Mrs. Helbing." She had stuttered out.

"The way he's staring, he might as well be." She said sharply.

Every had turned to him, her eyes wider. "What are you doing?" She had mouthed.

He had blinked away, of course. He wasn't doing it on purpose. Not at all.

He wasn't even staring, he was thinking something.

Every had come to him, looking slightly annoyed. She pushed the book in his hands, "I'll lose my job the next time she sees me with you."

He had opened his mouth to speak. No point, though. Words had escaped him long ago.

"She has seen me giving you this book. You can keep it as long as until she doesn't notice the payment document now. And that hasn't happened in years so..." she stifled her laugh, making an irritated face again. "So bye now Zayn."

He had nodded curtly and had rushed out of the Library immediately. Not risking a second glance at Mrs. Helbing.

Paving the way to enter his hostel hurriedly, he crossed the Map of UK.

Now that the Librarian had mentioned, his mind, that fickle little thing that wandered everywhere but to things that mattered, now zoomed into overdrive.

He imagined himself sitting on a round table across Every. The table clothed with white sheet, candles atop it.

Slow music was drawling in the background, as they both sipped red wine, staring into each other's eyes.

Somehow, he had found the nerve to look in them.

The phone vibrated in his jeans' pocket and he came out of his reverie.

He stuck out his tongue, wiggling the phone out. "Control your stupid mind, Zayn." He picked up the phone, squeezing his eyes shut. "Imagining stupid things unnecessarily."

"Yes, Zayn speaking." He said into the phone.

"Well, if I called you, you are the only one I expect should be speaking."

Zayn sighed. "Good evening to you too, Gemma."

"Yeah yeah yeah, good evening, good evening, it's all good." She spoke. "Are you with my sister?"

Zayn opened his mouth and the images of their candle light dinner flashed before him. He hissed impatiently. "I was. I am not now."

"Oh, great! Then meet me outside the campus, I'm waiting!"

"What?" exclaimed Zayn.

"Meet me outside the campus gates, I think I was pretty clear the first time."

Zayn thought for a while. "Okay." He agreed, huffing nevertheless.

¢¢¢¢

The more he moved through these alleys, the familiar he became with this new place. Locating different paths was becoming now easier and everything didn't seem so detached.