Learn How to Play the Game

I grinned at Zayn as he stood on my balcony a cigarette hanging out his mouth whilst he watched me dance around to Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus in a pair of shorts and a crop top with my hair piled on the top of my head. I looked ridiculous.

“Please stop, this is all too offensive to my eyes.” He shook his head taking the cigarette out his mouth and I laughed.

“Or what?” I cocked my eyebrow at him playfully, “will you break up with me?”

He laughed before grabbing me around the waist and tickling me until I was crying with laughter, he still had his arms around my waist tickling me as I opened the door to Louis.

“I was just seeing if you guys wanted to hang out but you seem busy.” Louis looked confused and I looked over my shoulder at Zayn.

“Sorry Lou, we have plans today.” He shrugged, “we’re off to explore.”

“Dressed like that?” Louis pointed at my outfit and I shook my head grinning.

“I was just about to change before Zayn attacked me.” I rolled my eyes, “maybe we can hang out tonight?”

“Yea,” he nodded, “we should.”

“Alright.” I smiled as Louis waved goodbye

I closed the door and looked at Zayn who shrugged.

“He is not buying what we are selling.” I told him as I walked past grabbing my clothes off the bed.

“Nope.” Zayn bit his lip, “he is not.”

I walked into the bathroom and changed into my grey jeans and a black and white baseball style top. I walked out grabbing my ray bans and shoving them on the top of my head as I slipped my black pumps on.

“I’m going low key today.” I told Zayn as he watched me.

“Why?” he asked

“You need to as well, if this is going to work we need people to think we don’t want to be spotted.” I told him, “we need to look like we are trying to lay low.”

“But we want to be spotted.” Zayn looked confused and I laughed.

“You are so cute.” I pinched his cheek, “now take off that jacket.”

He rolled his eyes slipping out of his jacket and I tossed him a plaid shirt.

“Put your glasses on.” I instructed and he obeyed, “alright let’s get going.”

“You’re bossy.” He noted as he walked past and I laughed.

“Harry didn’t talk to you about me did he?” I grinned and he chuckled.

“He did actually, all the time.” He mused as we walked out of the lift, “you were all he would talk about.”

I hummed as Zayn linked our hands together whilst we walked through the side door ducking our heads down as if we didn’t want to be seen together. He led me down a street casually wrapping an arm around my shoulder and pressing his lips to my temple.

“Where shall we go?” Zayn pondered.

“I rekon we go to Central Park.” I grinned, “I’ve found people take a lot of pictures there.”

“Really now?” He chuckled, “you and Harry never think about cameras do you?”

“We didn’t.” I looked at him pointedly as I used the past tense, “no. We just wanted to be with each other.”

“You got him in a lot of trouble you know?” A small smile played on his lips and I narrowed my eyes at him.

“This better not be the only topic of conversation today.” I pursed my lips together and he laughed, “anyway Harry lands himself in enough trouble on his own.”

“He does.” Zayn nodded, “how are you feeling towards him anyway?”

“The same as I felt yesterday.” I told him, “oh look! I want an ice cream.”

“Seriously?” he asked and I nodded.

We walked over to the queue and started waiting. Zayn wrapped his arms around my waist and I rested my head on his chest.

“This is romantic.” I grinned looking up and him and he grinned.

“I do try.” He laughed and I rolled my eyes at him.

“If this is your idea of romance Malik then you need to take some tips from your bandmate.” I laughed and he chuckled.

“Camera at 12.” He mumbled leaning forward and kissing my forehead.

I grinned up at him and he pulled a face with made me burst out laughing.

“These pictures are going to suck so bad.” I mumbled before ordering an ice cream.

“I’ll have one of these.” He grabbed a strawberry lollipop and I laughed.

“Serious?” I asked and he nodded.

“What’s wrong with that?” he asked and I shrugged.

“Nothing.” I took the ice cream out of the guy’s hand and Zayn paid despite my protests.

“I can’t be out on a date with you and not pay.” He told me and I shook my head licking my ice cream as he laced her hands together again.

“So what is a normal first date with Zayn Malik like then?” I asked and he shrugged, “aw have you gone all shy?”

“No.” he rolled his eyes at me before biting his lip, “I don’t know, it depends on the girl. Every girl is different so should be treated that way.”

“Nice.” I smiled.

“What about you? What first dates do you like?” he asked and I shrugged, “aw have you gone all shy?”

I laughed as he attempted to copy my messed up accent that sounded like a bizarre mash up of Louis’ and Harry’s with a London twang.

“No, I am not shy.” I bit my lip, “I’ve only been on a few first dates really.”

“What was the best?” he asked and I glared at him causing him to laugh, “Haz really did a deal on you huh? He romanced you good and proper.”

“He did indeed.” I nodded sighing, “I told him he set the bar pretty fucking high for every other guy.”

“I’m sorry B.” he bumped his shoulder against mine.

“No worries.” I sighed, “it’s not your fault he broke my heart.”

“I think you’ve broken his.” Zayn said stopping to look at me.

“I know.” I looked at the floor, “I think I have as well.”

He took my ice cream out my hand licked it himself, I looked up and took his lollipop and put it in my mouth grinning.

“Let’s go to the Disney store.” Zayn suggested and I grinned.

“Best thing you have said all day Malik.” I sucked on the lollipop and smiled as Zayn finished the ice cream, “we’re a good team huh?”

“We are.” He nodded throwing his arm over my shoulder and resting his head on top of mine.



“Not French.” I told Zayn as we walked to the elevator.

“Why not?” he asked curiously.

“Look we are already lying to him, I can’t go making fun of our memories.” I sighed referring to our first date, “he’s your best friend and I don’t want him to hate us when he finds out.”

“Okay.” Zayn nodded, “what do you fancy?”

“Let’s get Italian.” I smiled up at him, “a cute Italian restaurant.”

“Sounds great.” He laced our fingers as we walked out the door ducking our heads as we walked past the paparazzi who were going crazy as Zayn opened the door for me and stepped aside letting me in first.

“How gentlemanly.” I smiled as he closed the door and gave the name of a restaurant to the driver.

“I try.” He shrugged.

“Did you write down the name of the place we are meeting the guys later?” I asked and he nodded, “perfect.”

“There are pictures of us around already.” He told me and I raised an eyebrow.

“Already?” I asked and he nodded, “what are they saying?”

“That we looked cosy.” He chuckled, “someone even said we look cute together.”

“Really?” I laughed and he grinned.

We reached the restaurant and walked in past the customers sneakily taking pictures on their phones. We sat down, ordered and Zayn held my hand across the table in full view of everyone. We laughed at each other and spoke about how well the tour was going. We tried to avoid talking about Harry and Perrie, we didn’t need anyone over hearing those kinds of conversations. I was so stuffed and Zayn was debating getting a dessert which made me want to be sick, this of course made him laugh at me.

“Let’s just sit.” I groaned.

“Do you not even have room for alcohol?” he asked and I giggled.

“Always have room for alcohol.” I told him and he laughed, “maybe I’m part irish?”

“Maybe,” he laughed, “it would explain a lot.”

I laughed as he asked for the bill. We paid and made our way out the restaurant after asking where the bar we were meant to be going was, it turned out to only be around the corner so we decided to walk. We made it to the bar after dodging through some pretty persistent paparazzi.

“Hey beautiful!” Louis hugged me and I giggled.

“Are you drunk already Lou?” I asked as he whisked me away from Zayn who sat next to Liam and fell into a deep conversation.

“Drinks!” he grinned walking me up to the bar where Harry was stood.

“Hey Blair.” He smiled softly and I bit my lip as Louis ran away from us back to Niall.

“Hey.” I leant on the bar next to him, “you alright?”

“Yea,” he nodded, “how was your…date?”

“Harry,” I sighed, “can we talk?”

“We are.” He bit his lip.

“I don’t think we should talk about other halves.” I told him and he pressed his lips together.

“That’s pretty hard when you’re seeing my best friend.” He gave me a look that made my heart pound in my chest.

“Harry-“ I started

“Save it Blair.” He held his hand up, “just don’t.”

He shook his head and walked away holding his drink. I watched him leave, Zayn caught my eye and I gave him a weak smile.

“Double Jack and coke please.” I ordered, “light on the coke though yea? Thanks.”

I waited for my drink to arrive drumming my fingers against the bar. There was an explosion of laughter behind me that I knew belonged to my group of friends but I didn’t bother turning around. I took my drink, paid and walked outside pulling a cigarette out my bag lighting it and grabbing my phone to text Jenny.

I think I really fucked up this time.

Is this about the pictures of you getting cosy with mysterious zayn?

Harry hates me

Not surprised. Please tell me it’s not true.

It’s complicated. I don’t know where my head is at.

You probably need to figure that out soon bub, the answer isn’t at the end of that cigarette packet either.

How did you know I was smoking?

I know you Blair.

I read her words and sighed. Did she? Did she really know me? How could she when I was so unsure of myself at the moment. I knocked back my drink and pursed my lips together as I looked out over the New York skyline.

“Not a patch on London right?” I knew it was Harry, I didn’t even need to look.

“Nowhere is.” I shrugged, “nowhere else is home.”

“Home isn’t London Blair.” He was standing right behind me and I could smell his cologne waft past me, “you know that just as well as I do. Home is where the people you love are.”

I knew he was referring to all the times we had referred to each other as home. How he used to be all I needed to feel okay and as I looked over the skyline that I had just be looking at as I felt awful I realized that even with him so close to me I still didn’t feel okay. I felt anything but okay and that in itself made me want to break down crying. Everything had changed.

“Holmes Chapel for you right?” I smiled softly despite the conversation I was having internally, I wanted him to stay.

“Here too.” He chuckled, “here isn’t so bad right now.”

“Don’t blame Zayn yea?” I looked over and he hummed, “if you’re going to blame anyone blame me. I can’t bear to see you get annoyed at your best friend because of me.”

“The fact you think I would be annoyed would insinuate that you believe I still have feelings for you.” He looked over the skyline before turning and walking away.

I watched him leave and shook my head. Harry Styles was a mind fuck. Had he not told me the other day he wasn’t sure if he could only be friends with me? That in itself insinuates he still has feelings for me. I pulled another cigarette out and lit it. I nibbled at my lip as blew smoke out the other side of my mouth. How did I feel about Harry Styles? If I really thought about it, what did I want? Zayn knew what he wanted, he wanted Perrie back. Louis wants Eleanor forever. Liam wants Danielle. Niall wants to find the girl that he’s always dreamed of. Harry wants, I paused, what did Harry want? It used to be me. Harry used to want me and much like how I didn’t know what I wanted it occurred to me that perhaps Harry was unsure as well. Harry and I were so used to wanting each other what did we want if we didn’t want each other.

“I got you another drink.” Zayn handed me the glass, “Perrie text me.”

I looked up and raised an eyebrow.

“That was quick.” I knocked back the drink in one.

“She just said hello.” He sat down next to me and took the cigarette out my hand, “I might still need your acting skills for a while yet. I know Pez, she’s not convinced yet.”

I nodded and Zayn looked at me curiously.

“You alright B?” he asked and I bit my lip.

“No.” I sighed, “I’m not.”

Zayn and I were playing a game. I thought Harry was a mind fuck but really I wasn’t much better.