Night Changes: One Direction

Zayn

My heart pounded the entire cab ride to the restaurant, I could hear my mother in my mind lecturing me about my dress selection. I fingered the hem of the red dress, wondering if she was right. The closer we got to the restaurant the more I started to panic internally, but I tried to remain composure.

"We have arrived," the driver announced as we pulled to a stop around the corner from the restaurant. I reached into my purse to pay the driver for the ride, "No, he covered it for you." I rolled my eyes but smiled.

"Thank you, have a wonderful evening," I stepped out of the cab, still shaking my head, Zayn always had a way of surprising me, and even though he knew that I hated when he spent money on me, he still insisted on paying for dates.

I walked around the corner watching my feet as I walked across the pavement. I took a moment to collect myself as I walked, taking a deep breath twice before looking up as I turned up the walkway toward the restaurant entrance. Every nervous ounce in my body drifted away as I saw Zayn standing next to the entrance door, holding pink flowers, which he was staring at intensely. Perhaps he was nervous too?

Our eyes met as I got closer to him, already smelling his Gucci by Gucci cologne before I even was standing next to him. "Babe!" Zayn said smiling as he held the flowers out toward me. "If I knew ya had red on I woulda boughten red flowers to match!"

"It was a last minute outfit change for the night," I laughed taking the flowers in hand just before he pulled me into a tight hug. The flowers smelled wonderful, like walk in the park in the Spring. "My mother wasn't exactly enthusiastic about the dress."

"You look beautiful, babe" Zayn said kissing my forehead as he grabbed my hand turning me around to face the front of the restaurant. "Brasserie Vashappenin! My favorite!"

"It looks fantastic!" I said, and expensive, I thought, but I knew Zayn would tell me to ignore the price, that he does what he wants.

"Oh it is! C'mon I have something special planned." He grabbed my hand again, leading me around the side of the building, I had to admit I was confused. He opened a side door, entering down a long hallway that opened up into the kitchen. I felt somewhat uncomfortable, have to admit was thinking that perhaps we might get in trouble for using an employee entrance.

"Zayn?" I said as he walked ahead of me, leading me through the kitchen as the cooks and workers didn't bat an eye.

"C'mon love, I want you to meet someone." Zayn held open the kitchen door leading to the dining area, where we were met with a man standing with two menus. "This is Harvey! He's known me for ages, it feels like."

"Nice to meet you," I said as he extended his hand for a shake. Zayn's smile was brighter than the sun, he was obviously very excited for this dinner date.

"Nice to meet you as well, Zayn has picked out an extraordinary table for this evening," Harvey smiled as he led us to a table toward the back of the restaurant. "Here we are, Zayn has already selected a wine for the evening, I'll send someone over with bread." He handed us the menus and headed off in the other direction.

"Order whatever you want to eat," Zayn said pointing to the menu. I read through the menu but I had to admit it was a pretty large menu and I didn't really know what to have. "What are you gonna have, love?"

"I really don't know!" I laughed scanning over the entrees again.

"Would you like me to order you something?" he smiled, knowing how indecisive I can be.

"You do know what I like," I smiled as a waiter approached us with a basket of bread. 

"Are you having the usual Mr. Malik?" the waiter asked as he sat the bread on the table and poured the wine into our glasses.

"Yes, that would be lovely mate," he smiled handing off the menus as the waiter walked away.

"A toast?" Zayn laughed raising his glass toward me.

"To what?" I laughed raising my glass toward his.

"To the evening, to the night, to the meal, to love?" he said before clinking our glasses together before taking a sip.

"I suppose that will do," I laughed taking a sip of the sweet red wine.

"What do ya think?" Zayn motioned to the atmosphere with a smile.

"Fantastic," I smiled.

"The boys and I came here when we we in town once and I have to admit I have been back more than any of the rest of them," he said taking another sip of wine.

"It seems they know you by name."

"Well they are very proper here, very good food, very proper service," he smiled. "Here we are!"

The waiter returned setting down a plate of spaghetti in front of Zayn and a plate of ravioli in front of me. "Everything look alright?"

"Yeah, very well. Thank ya," Zayn smiled knowing he was about to dig in. The waiter added more wine to our glasses before heading off. "Cheese ravioli," he pointed to my plate.

I have to admit I was semi nervous before taking a bite, only to realize that it was perhaps the most delicious meal I had ever consumed. "Wow!"

"Good eh?" he laughed, before taking another large bite of spaghetti. "Here try a bite!" Zayn spun spaghetti around the fork before leaning toward me. It felt somewhat strange having a grown man feed me spaghetti in the middle of a restaurant but the sauce on that pasta was the best I have ever had.

"Oh, you have little sauce," Zayn laughed pointing toward his own face to represent mine. He grabbed his napkin before reaching toward my face, I leaned forward slightly as he wiped next to my lips. "Got it!"

"Why thank you," I laughed. "This is a massive portion!" I looked down at the still half full plate though my stomach felt completely full.

"I know, they load it up!" he laughed, taking a last bite of his pasta before admitting he was full.

We sat enjoying the wine we still had in silence. The silence was comfortable, as if we both knew that we didn't have to fill the space with pointless small talk, we simply enjoyed each others company. Zayn reached across the table, placing his hand on top of mine, sending tingles from my finger tips to my elbow. Like an electric shock but not in a bad way. Staring into his eyes was the most comfortable feeling in the world, I felt as if time had frozen for just us. It was nice to be able to see Zayn, even knowing that he had to jump on a plane for America in the morning. This was everything I had dreamed for the months prior.

"Hey!" I heard a booming voice scream through the quiet restaurant, startling not only me but also Zayn.

"What the," Zayn said turning around to see the man coming towards us. It took me a moment to realize that the man was my uncle. I tried to remain calm, though inside I was freaking out.

"What do you think you are doing?" he yelled. "Dressing like that against your mother's wishes, spending the night wining and dining with this bloke?"

"Who is this guy?" Zayn said as my uncle continued to yell.

"Who do you think you are?" Uncle said pulling Zayn to his feet by his blazer.

"Hey now, calm down mate," Zayn said raising his hands to show he meant no trouble.

I was truly in shock with what was happening before me, the night was definitely ruined.

"What?" Zayn said sitting back in the chair trying to ignore what was happening around him.

"C'mon we're going home!" my uncle screamed looking back at Zayn before picking up a glass of water and dumping on top of Zayn's head. "You feel pretty now, pretty boy!" he screamed, dumping the plate of spaghetti on top of his head. My jaw dropped, I couldn't believe this was happening.

I jumped up from my seat as my uncle screamed for me to follow him out of the restaurant. "I'm sorry," I said as I watched Zayn push noodles and extra water out of his hair. He looked at me with disappointment as I ran out of the restaurant to catch up with my uncle.

I should have known that this evening was just a dream, disappearing when I woke up. Exiting the restaurant I could feel tears dripping down my face. The night was ruined and Zayn would probably never speak to me again. I felt as if I was going crazy, just as fast as the night changes.