Let's Pretend It's Love

Emma couldn’t help but wonder if it was all an accident or done on purpose as she watched five of the Omega boys prance around in greaser costumes. The party was in full swing and she was standing off to the side, a cup of Sprite in her hand as she watched everyone else have a good time. She knew Elise was probably off in another corner of the party doing the same but she couldn’t really bring herself to actively participate.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she slipped out of her tall black heels. She kicked them under the nearest table and took a sip of her drink. Now she couldn’t see as well over the crowd but her burning legs felt better.

“I saw that,” a voice full of laughter called from behind her. Jumping slightly, Emma held her drink away from her so the splash wouldn’t land on her clothes. Turning, she narrowed her eyes at the perpetrator but her gaze softened when she noticed Zayn.

“Oh, Zayn, hi,” she greeted softly as he stepped up to stand next to her. Her breath hitched in her throat at the closeness. Since the incident on the football pitch she’d seen him almost every other day at the library or in passing while going to practice but she still wasn’t used to him.

“Emma,” he replied in an equally soft tone. “Not having fun?”

The blonde shrugged and reached to push some hair behind her ear only to realize that Rhianne had pulled it up to complete her look. Embarrassed, her hand fell to her side as she took a sip of her drink instead.

“I’ve got to keep an eye on my sisters,” she said finally as she pushed up onto her tiptoes to take a quick look around for Ivy. She couldn’t see her roommate so she could only hope that she was with Elise and not with some boy.

“Sobriety sister?” Zayn asked as he studied Emma. “That’s a shame.”

“Hoping to get me sloshed, Malik?” Emma shot back before she could even process what she was saying. As the words settled into her mind she recoiled a little and tried to hide her own shock. That was something football pitch Emma would say, not everyday Emma.

Zayn chuckled. “That would involve me being one of my brothers.” She could feel his gaze as he paused for a beat, seemingly contemplating what he was going to say next. “Would you like that?”

“Would I like a guy that wants to get me drunk?” Emma wondered, her head tilting to the side in confusion. “Or would I rather you be one of your brothers?”

Emma felt like someone cranked the thermostat as an amused smile appeared on Zayn’s pouty lips. Her cheeks flushed crimson and she turned away, thankful for the dim lighting in the student center. She didn’t know what was happening, she only knew that she’d never really felt so flustered and fidgety around a guy before.

“What do you think?” Zayn asked, his breath hot on her cheek. She jumped a little, startled by their close proximity and Zayn laughed softly.

He’s laughing at me, Emma thought, panic flooding her system. He’s laughing at me and totally making fun of me and he’s going to tell all the boys and I’m going to be laughed off the pitch and the girls are going to join in and I’ll have no one.

Distracted by her internal freak out, Emma missed the smile on Zayn’s face. The smile that said he found her obvious inexperience adorable and endearing. He reached out to touch her face, catching on to the fact that she was freaking out but she turned before he could.

“I’m sorry,” Emma said, a forced smile painted on her pretty features. “I’ve got to go check on Ivy and the others.”

Zayn opened his mouth to say something but he closed it and nodded instead. He didn’t want to spook her even more. Emma turned on her heel and placed her cup on a nearby table before setting off in search of Rhianne or Ivy. She weaved through the groups of Omegas and Zetas dancing to the monster mash and glanced around, searching for one of her sisters.

She finally spotted Rhianne after what felt like hours of searching. The girl was dancing in a corner with Liam and they looked so adorable Emma almost didn’t want to bother them. But the fear of being labeled as some kind of loser won out and she timidly walked up to the dancing couple.

“Rhi,” she spoke softly, reaching out to tap her sorority sister on the shoulder.

When the girl turned to face her concern was etched onto her features. “Em? Is everything alright? Is it Ivy?”

“Er, no,” Emma said, shaking her head lightly. She glanced at Liam and offered him an apologetic smile before turning back to Rhianne. “Can we talk?”

Rhianne bit her lip and glanced between Emma and Liam, slightly torn. Liam nodded after a moment, making the decision for her. “Meet up with me after,” he said simply before placing a soft kiss to her forehead.

“Okay,” Rhianne said once Liam had walked away. She offered the other girl her arm and Emma hooked hers through it. “Let’s go.”

The pair walked arm-in-arm from the party until they reached the outdoors. They both shivered against the cold October temperature as Emma guided them to a nearby bench. Silence fell over them, the only noises coming from the music inside the student center and the dull thrum of voices underneath that.

“So,” Emma started after a few moments. “I just embarrassed myself in front of Zayn…”

Rhianne frowned. “How did you do that?”

“I don’t know,” Emma sighed. “We were just talking and I kept blushing and he made me jump and I think he was flirting with me but I don’t know because I don’t even know how to flirt I don’t think and he laughed at me and he’s probably going to tell –“

Rhianne cut off her friend with a raise of her hand. “Whoa, Em, calm down,” she chuckled softly. “I’m sure he wasn’t laughing at you. He probably just thought you were amusing. And I’m sure he was flirting, you’re gorgeous. Don’t overthink it.”

“But how do I know? Like how do I know he was flirting?”

“He was.”

Both girls turned toward the voice. For the second time in just a few hours Zayn managed to catch Emma off guard. Blush colored her cheeks as she quickly looked away. Rhianne laughed softly and patted her arm.

“Relax,” she whispered to Emma as she stood up. “I’m going to find Liam.”

With Rhianne gone the blonde girl felt naked and exposed. Her eyes darted around the open quad, searching for someone else she might know, secretly hoping one of her other sisters would be walking by, even if it wasn’t one of her favorite four.

“Can I walk you back to the house?” Zayn asked after a long moment of silence.

Emma sat quietly for a moment, staring into open space as she contemplated. What would football Emma do? she asked herself.

“Um, yes,” she agreed awkwardly as she stood up.

Zayn smiled and the pair set off in silence. They walked side by side, both moving occasionally to avoid a drunken straggler heading to their dorm. Halfway to the Zeta house Emma broke the silence.

“So how much of my conversation did you hear?” She asked, unsure if she really wanted to know the answer. She’d embarrassed herself in front of Zayn more times in one evening than she hoped to in a lifetime.

“Just the part I replied to,” the boy chuckled. “I was expecting you to say you weren’t talking about me though.”

“What?” Emma laughed to hide her complete shock. “Who else would I be talking about? You’re the only person other than Rhianne that I really talked to at that party.”

Zayn shrugged and as they walked under one of the few lights on the path Emma thought she could see a faint blush on his cheeks. She was almost certain she imagined it. She took his silence as an answer that she certainly did.

“You don’t give yourself nearly enough credit,” Zayn said once they reached the steps of the Zeta house. The pair was facing each other, illuminated only by the faint light coming through the windows of the house. “You’re great, Emma. Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking otherwise.”

The blonde paused, confused. She started to open her mouth to say as much when Zayn’s lips covered hers in a soft, chaste kiss.

“Goodnight beautiful,” he whispered as he pulled away. He didn’t wait for a reaction before turning and heading in the direction of the Omega house, leaving a stunned and blissed out Emma in his wake.

She stood there for awhile, freezing in the cold with her fingers pressed lightly to her lips and shock running through her veins. And it was only once she got inside the Zeta house that she realized something kind of important: she forgot her shoes.