Under the Willow Tree (Zayn Malik Fan Fiction) *on hold*

Chapter 04: Les Miserables

"Well, that's a bummer." Nana said looking down at the damaged canoe. I feel so horrible, yet I honestly have no idea what we could have hit, there was absolutely nothing around us. She sighs, "Oh well, I'm happy you girls are okay. Thank god you're such good swimmers."

"Maybe we could fix it..." I suggest. 

"That'd be a fun project, you do you think Carmen?" agrees Nana.

"Sounds cool, but I can't right now... I have a date with Will at three this afternoon." she answers.

Nana and I both raise an eyebrow. "You do know it's only eight o'clock, Car. You have another seven hours... I think you could help me fix our canoe."

She shrugs, "Well, I have to take a shower, get ready, do my makeup, fix my hair... What if he comes early?" I look at her still not convinced that she can't take a small bit of time to help me fix our canoe. 

"Anyway, I need to get ready for my date." She turns, hops up the three patio steps and into the house.

I roll my eyes, "Argh, girls these days."

Nana laughs. "I guess you'll be fixing the canoe another day." she says.

"I guess so... I'm gonna go get a coffee down at Marsh. Would you like a biscuit or something?" Marsh cafe has the best pumpkin biscuits. I remember how my mom would always buy me one when she came to visit me during the summer. Even though Nana claims to hate them because they are full of sugar, I know she truly adores them because I found her stash of pumpkin biscuits when I was younger. I never said anything, though she's fully aware that I know of her love for them. 

"That's alright, dear, I don't need anything. I have tons of banana bread left over." 

"Alright! I'll just get dried up and I'll head out to town."

I run upstairs to join Carmen who's already in the shower. Like always, she forgot to turn the fan on. I watch as steam seeps through the cracks of the bathroom door shaking my head with a smile. I grab a towel to dry my hair the best I can. I change into dry clothes, slip into my flip flops and grab To Kill a Mockingbird. I feel like having a quiet after noon with a good book and a coffee from Marsh. 

Walking down the streets of Darling feels so familiar, yet so different. It was nice to be back but I feel like a total stranger. Who would have thought six years would make such a difference? I look around and everyone seems older, others seem so new.  

I walk into the cafe, the air is nice and cool compared to the scorching heat outside. I order a medium vanilla coca-mocha coffee and a pumpkin biscuit. I go to sit myself down at the counter lining the large window but the strap of my left sandal pops out, causing me to stumble and spill my coffee all over a guy's book.

"I'm so sorry! I - " As I look up, my eyes meet with a similar pair of brown ones. 

"It's alright don't worry," he says taking my hand to help me up from the floor. His hand is so soft... "It was an old book, I've already read it like three times." he smiles. "I'm Zayn by the way."

"I'm Megan." I answer shyly. "I'm so sorry... my sandal... it broke and I - "

"Don't worry." he reassures once more. "I have to go, but seriously, the book means nothing to me, I'm not upset." he smiles once more before turning and walking out the door, leaving me completely speechless. I look around to see two or three people staring at me. I hurry to clean up the mess, I grab my book, Zayn's book and my biscuit and rush out of the cafe. 

Walking down the street barefooted, I look down at the soaked book in my hand, Les Miserables... Well that's a big one to have read three times, I thought.

Zayn's book... 

Out of anyone in Darling, I ruined ZAYN's book. I'm such a fool! Ever since Becky's party I've been thinking of this boy and I ruined a perfect opportunity to possibly speak to him by soaking his book with my coffee. I can imagine that moment if I hadn't spilled my drink all over him, I would have sat down and possibly conversed with him about our books or even our choice of coffee and we could have gotten to know each other. I'm so embarrassed!

Now that I think back, he didn't seem half as flustered as I was. He was very calm, charming even, completely unaffected. Obviously, I'm the one who made a fool out of myself, but he didn't even react to the hot coffee all over him and his book. Most people would have flipped. 

I guess it's a good thing that he didn't react, though I wish he would have stayed to talk or something. I can imagine that I'm now the last person he'd want to speak to. I'd really like to talk to him though. There's something about him that puzzles me, he's so quiet and mysterious...

I love it.

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I hope you all like it so far! thanks for reading / voting / commenting <3 

- Oli xx