Chapter Text
I guess you could say it started in the first week of their last high school year, Senior year.
But the truth is, it didn’t.
You could say it started on that burning summer morning, that the sun was shining and laughter filled the school building as people greeted their friends ready in time for class. That Zayn was ready to have a fresh start to the new year and that when he locked his eyes onto him, in that crowded school hallway, time slowed.
Because the truth is, that wasn’t how their story started.
This is really how it rolled about….
Zayn woke up on Monday morning with his phone alarm blaring from under his pillow, the feeling of his shirt sticking to the back of his shirt slick with sweat, and the sounds of his sisters fighting over something Zayn would probably think is dumb, in the distance.
Mornings in the Malik household were known for being loud and chaotic — and despite the start of the new school year, this morning was no different.
He snoozes his alarm, which turns out to be a rookie mistake because not even 5 minutes later his door is being thrown open.
"Zayn, mum said you better wake up right now!” His younger sister Waliyah says. Dragging her vowels out in the way all annoying teens do. And Zayn can’t find more in him then to just throw an annoyed groan in her rough direction.
But apparently this isn’t enough because she finds the need to walk all the way across his room and open his curtains.
The raging sunlight shines into his room loud, and dramatic.
“Leave” Zayn drags out, the word is frazzled around the edges.
And when he turns to move his head up and look at her, the door is already being slammed again. He rolls his eyes in response.
He finds himself about 15 mins later emerging out of the bathroom, looking like a new man. He didn’t have time to shave, but lately he's been thinking he looks better with the accessory of a litter stubble, he just hopes his teachers won't give him shit for it . With a towel around his waist, he races back into his bedroom to find something to wear, as Louis could be outside any minute now.
His clothes get thrown around his room in merciless manner as he scavenges to try to find something clean to wear in the monstrous forgotten piles scattered all around. He ends up deciding on a pair of semi loose black ripped jeans, a plain white top, and his signature black leather jacket. He pairs this all with a pair of beat up converse and a black fitted cap.
He takes the stairs two at a time, almost falling twice, his one shoe in each hand as the upstairs of his house follows a strict ‘no shoe policy' with the newly placed carpets. His sock clad feet slip on the hard wood floors a little as he reaches the bottom of the stairs and slides into the kitchen.
“Zayn, make sure you eat something before school, okay sonshine?” His mum says. She’s sat at the island, reading the latest news on her laptop. His sisters are sitting next to her munching on their plates of eggs and toast.
His stomach grows at the sight, and he contemplates if there's enough time to get some eggs and scramble them for himself. But that question is answered for him when he feels his phone vibrating in his butt pocket, indicating Louis is probably already outside.
“I'll get something from the drive though don’t worry.” He replies by grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl and taking a large bite, being met with a loud crunch and an overwhelming sweet taste.
He crouches down and ties his shoes in a messy haste, just the sound of a car beeping from outside rings out.
“Okay love yous, bye” The words come out muffled from the apple in his mouth as he swings his backpack on, almost falling over in the process.
He hears his mum call out a “Love you too.” and swear he can hear one of his sisters faking a gagging sound but he's already out the door.
He spots the familiar view of the beat up car that’s taken them everywhere since Louis got his license about two years ago. Well Louis wont admit that’s it beaten, he prefers the term “well loved”, and to be fair he had gotten it for a good deal from his cousin, if Zayn had the license he’d probably be saying the same.
He gets into the passenger seat trying not to slam the door too hard because he honestly thinks the car would not be able to handle it.
And shoves his bag down where his feet are, Louis got Green Day playing low from where his phone is plugged into the car.
“Hey, emo.”
“I’ve said it before and ill say it again, just ‘cause I wear black it-” Zayn turns his head towards Lou, one eyebrow raised already. He met with the sight of his best friend with a wide smile plastered across his face.
“Okay, what did you do?” He makes sure the words come out slow and calculated.
“Me?” Now Louis is the one raising his eyebrow. He turns his face back into the the front of the car, and pulls out into the road.
“Yes you, you’ve got that look on you face”
Zayn’s known Louis and ungodly amount of time, enough time to have picked up on his mannerisms, like the way he overexplains when he's lying or avoids eye contact when he’s avoiding confrontation. Zayn is pretty sure he knows Louis more than Louis knows himself. And right now Louis is smiling a bit too wide, almost like he is up to something, something Zayn probably won't be a fan of.
“Well just ready for our last year, that's all” Louis replies, still smirking.
“Last year of hell, more like.” Zayn leans his head against the window, but it feel like it burning due to the sun's heat.
As exciting as it is... Zayn is going to miss this. It’s sad to think that their morning routine will come to an end soon. Lou’s gotten what may as well be at least a million scholarship for soccer, and even Zayn will admit he is incredibly talented. Zayn’s heard his ramble about moving to the UK to pursue soccer since they were little kids, being forced to stay up and watch games at sleepover and watching highlights for millions of players he couldn’t give a toss about, but it made Louis happy so well… It made him happy.
And as much as he was happy for his best friend, he was also torn within himself. He doesn't really know what he wants to do beyond those four walls for his high school. He knows he likes art, and english, but he’s endured enough speechs from his Dad and career adviser from school to know he need to start figuring it out soon or he’s fucked.
He shooks out for his thoughts, literally, when Louis thugs on his shoulder.
“Quit mopping Zee.” And he looks over Louis still smiling, but less creepy now, more… genuine.
He lets go of him, putting both hands onto the wheel as they pull into the drive through of their local cafe.
“It’s going to be a good year,”Lou adds, inching the car towards the speakers. “I can feel it.” He whispers the last part, like it’s more to himself then to Zayn.
But nevertheless Zayn decides to be optimistic, ‘you attract what you chase’ and all that stuff his older sisters are always on about.
This will be a good year…
Hopefully.
Buckley high seems just like Zayn had left it over summer break.
But it’s not.
You see there had been a school fire that happened to its neighbouring school.
Jeff Durk High.
The schools weren’t merely rivals in the sports world and in this town they got associated with eachother alot.
Zayn knew a lot of kids that went to Durk mostly because they went to each other's parties. Or from the fact that everyone from his middle school either went to Druk or Buckley, and as you know, he and Louis got accepted into the ladder.
So when news came around about part of the school burning down, just a couple days after it was closed to students for break, the council's decision was clear. Send a good amount to Buckley and spot the rest around town.
Easy right?
Yeah, for the most part.
Buckley has a significantly less population of students, so there were a lot of free spaces to fill. But on the downside, let just say there some students Zayn wasn’t exactly excited to see if they transferred.
So as he walked into school, the hallway being a little bit louder didn’t surprise him, nor did the students holding planners — with lost look in their eyes — seemingly trying to find out where their homeroom class was.
But what did surprise him was that familiar face, deep within the crowd.
Zayn held onto his half drunken iced coffee — the one Louis called ‘sickley sweet’ as he handed it to him but also the same one Louis had paid for that morning — as he made his way down the hall towards his locker. All while Louis talks his ear off about a recent soccer game he watched, Zayn paying no mind to it — but nodding along anyways.
They approach their selective lockers, weaving through people as they go. And when they reach them, their Niall is sitting down in front of them, cap backwards, earbuds in.
And yes their Niall.
Zayn thinks everyone deserves a Niall.
Lou and Z basically adopted him back in sophomore year, he was — and still is — a people magnet, so despite joining and moving into the town when most groups were already formed, he fit right in. Zayn still remembers that day Niall got sat next to him in Tringanotry, he kinda always hated Ms. Branch but secretly thanks her for that very smart seating placement.
“Well if it aint me two favorite lads!” Niall exclaims getting up.
Did he mention Niall’s irish.
“How’s she cutting?” He adds, taking out one earbud.
Did he mention Niall’s very irish?
Louis and the blonde haired lad get sunken into an easy convo, Zayn taking the time to get the most important books from his locker.
And then he hears it…
“YO PAYNE, YOU COME TO FINALLY JOIN THE WINNING TEAM, AY?, IT-”
Zayn looks up so fast he’s sure his neck is going to hurt later.
Mostly because he needs to see it.
Yeah, he had his suspicions this could happen. I mean the town is very small and all but like, for real?
He needed to see it with his own eyes.
And yet as he looks up, there he is.
The One and Only Liam Payne.
It wasn’t like he hadn’t heard about Liam since everything.
I mean it was kind of hard not to.
Like Louis, Liam had been scouted for multiple schools, his face all over the latest high school basketball news, college coaches already talking about his potential in the NBA, and rumors about what team will draft him when he finally turns 19.
And even after everything between them, all of it, Zayn couldn’t help but feel proud of him. The same way he’s proud of Lou. I mean hell the boy was making it, making a name for himself. But that didn’t make it hurt any less as he watched him walk over.
His hair was made up beautifully, but still messy, like he didn’t bother with it too much.
Like being perfect came easy to him.
His eyes were still as big and brown as Zayn had remembered. And still as captivating. Thick dark eyebrows hover above them, and furrowed slightly as he smiled.
And for fuck’s sake that smile. The one Zayn had probably seen a billion time but was sure still he would never get over, the one plastered on various instagram pages for up coming stars, the one he had grown to know long ago, the one that — even after all this time — still managed to make his heart skip a beat.
He wore a plain black shirt with a thick silver chain hanging from his neck, a pair of black jeans and white hightops.
Because of fucking course he still wore his hightops.
Maybe he had gotten it wrong.
Maybe he was the same Liam.
Maybe Zayn was the one who changed…
“Zee?” The sound of Louis' voice brings him out of his thoughts.
“Mhm” Zayn says while turning back to face his friends, being met with Niall's usual grin. But when he looks at Louis his gaze is met upon the look of a worried face, eyebrows slightly furrowed and mouth frowning just a tad.
Louis opens his mouth but before Zayn can hear any sound coming out, the sound of the morning bell rings around the hall, indicating that if they don't get to Homeroom in the next minute they are bound to be late.
“Well, I'll see you lads later, ay?” Niall beams, while grabbing onto both of their shoulders, and seemingly not waiting for a response as he turns to walk to his Homeroom class.
Zayn looks back into his locker to get the last of his books, and while he's zipping up his bag Louis clears his throat.
“You okay, man?” He says.
Zayn shuts his locker, a lot harder than intended based on the way Louis jumps back slightly in surprise.
“Fine.” Zayn mumbles in reply. He starts walking into the direction of their class before Louis can question him any further.
Because Zayn is fine.
Middle school was about 3 years ago, for fuck’s sake.
And Zayn doesn't hold grudges.
Liam has definitely forgotten about what happened, so he should be too.
Right?.