London Calling

“Jonathan Bryan Toews!” Jen yelled into her iPhone as she stomped her barefoot on the cold floor, “Stop laughing at me!”

A few more deep chuckles came from his side of the phone before he regained control of himself, “Sorry. Continue where you left off before the ‘giant ass spider’ interrupted you.”

She put the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she swept the spider into the dustpan before putting it in the trash, “As I was saying, we had dinner yesterday and he seems really nice.”

“What’s this dude’s name again?” Jonathan asked as she heard shuffling on his side of the phone. She got a tissue from a box on the granite counter and whipped at her nose as she used the other to rub her temple to soothe the aching.

“Zayn Malik...Jonathan! Don’t you dare Google him!”

“Why not?” Jonathan asked, “I’m your brother. I am obligated to see if this guy has some type of record since I am not there to intimidate him myself.”

“Because I am 20 years old and I can take care of myself!” she let out a loud sneeze and roughly sniffed to maintain her runny nose and groaned.

“The spider and your cold would indicate otherwise,” Jonathan said referring to how she had screamed and jumped on the tile floor in the kitchen for a good ten minutes before he had finally convinced her to get a shoe and kill it.

Jen breathed a mental sigh of relief that her brother didn't call her out on just how unwell she had taken care of herself a few years back. She was grateful her brother hadn't brought it up and seemed to know better. “Shut up, God, you are so annoying. Why did I call you again?”

“You were telling me how you had made a friend. Also, you were bored and apparently dying from sickness.”

“Yes and you are supposed to be happy for me, not threatening his life. Flying over here to make me some soup would be awesome too.” she told him deadpanned.

Jonathan audibly sighed from the other side of the line, “I am happy for you Jen. I’m glad you finally have someone you are learning to trust people other than my friends and teammates. Now I have to go to practice. Feel better soon.”

“Okay, talk to you soon. Have a good practice and game tomorrow.”

“Thanks, bye.”

“Bye.” Jen pushed the end button on her touch screen before putting the phone back into her pocket. She sighed and made her way out of the kitchen to lie on her couch in the living room. She retrieved the remote from the small glass coffee table in front of her and channel searched for a movie to watch to get her mind off her throbbing brain.

Soon the TV was turned off and deemed boring and Jen sat Indian style on her black leather couch with her Mac in her lap. She was mulling over the details of her latest novel. Previously, she had been fine with the idea of the main male character being a loving brother to the main female character but lately she wasn’t so sure. Now she was thinking the male character would be better served as the love interest of the main female. After revising her outline, she began to rewrite the story. She had a solid chapter before her headache got the best of her and she had to lay down on the couch in agony. She despised colds; they made you boring and unproductive.

*****

The white painted door opened to reveal a very pale Jen and Zayn was immediately concerned. Her eyes were red seemingly from being scratched and she looked a little green. Zayn scratched his head through the black beanie that was on top of his hair. “Hey,” he smiled, “I thought I’d ask you if you wanted to see some sights since it’s the weekend.” She hurriedly buried her face into her elbow as she sneezed once more before going into a coughing fit. She groaned and leaned against the door jam. “Or maybe back to bed would be more appropriate.”

“I don’t want to go back to bed, that’s so boring,” she whined and then sneezed again.

“I don’t believe your cold is going to let you have a choice love.” He stepped into her flat and gently pushed her in the direction of what he hoped was her bedroom after she closed the door. “Go lie down. I’ll make you some soup.”

“I don’t want to get you sick.”

“I have quite the immune system, so I will be fine. Go to bed,” he insisted. She turned on her heel and went to seek out her bed. He went into the kitchen and found a can of soup that he heated in a pot on the stove. He opened her fridge and found some Ginger Ale. He poured it into a cup of ice. When the chicken noodle soup was ready, he took a bowl of it and the Ginger Ale into her bed room. She moved some pillows behind her so she could eat. Zayn gave her the bowl and set the glass on her wooden bedside table. She patted the bed next to her after she had taken a bite of soup. He climbed into the bed next to her and sat there quietly while she ate her soup. When she was full, she put the bowl on the bedside table and took a sip of the Ginger Ale. “All right love, time for some shut eye.”

“I don’t want to!” she exclaimed while crossing her arms.

He chuckled at her stubbornness. “Why don’t I put a movie in and we can watch that until you fall asleep?” he suggested.

“As long as you watch it with me,” she told him. He nodded and played the last DVD in her player over again which turned out to be Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. They watched the movie while occasionally laughing at Captain Jack’s antics. Soon enough Jen was sleeping on Zayn’s chest. He carefully slid them both down to lie in the pink thermal sheets of the bed instead of leaning against the head board. He carefully removed Jen’s brown hair from her face and wrapped an arm around her waist. He felt his eyelids droop and a few minutes later he was asleep with his chin on top of Jen’s head.

Zayn groaned as he heard his phone ring from its place on the floor. He elected to ignore it and tightened his grip on Jen and buried his face into her hair, smiling as he smelt her green apple shampoo. His phone quieted after a minute and he smiled as he started to go back to sleep only to hear his ringtone sound once more. He felt the soft skin of Jen’s hand feel around his face before softly patting his cheek, “Answer your phone,” she muttered.

“No,” he groaned. He let out an aggravated sigh when his phone went off for a third time and he was forced to lean over his side of the bed and pick his iPhone off the floor. He slid the green arrow across the screen before answering with a gruff, “Hello?”

“Where the hell are you mate? We have to record in an hour!” an Irish voice burst through the phone as Zayn held it away from his ear.

“Niall what are you talking about? It’s Sunday,” Zayn said as he rubbed at his tired eyes.

“Zayn, it is nine o’clock on Monday mornin’ and you need to meet us at the studio at ten,” Niall told him deadpanned.

Zayn pulled his phone away from his ear again as he looked at the illuminated screen. Sure enough his phone said it was nine a.m. Zayn sighed and responded to his blond Irish friend, “I’ll be there shortly,” and promptly hung up. Zayn sat up and stretched. “Don’t you have class today?” he asked her.

“It’s at ten.”

“You might want to get up then. It’s nine. I’ll drop you off before I go to the studio.”

“I kind of love you,” she mumbled as she burrowed deeper under the covers.

“You won’t in a minute,” he responded before he picked her up bridal style and carried her to the bathroom. He set her down on the tile floor and she looked up at him sleepily.

“Nope, I still love you. That made my life easier than walking here. There is fruit in the frig and bagels on the counter if you want breakfast.”

He nodded and left the bathroom to let her get ready. She came out of her room after changing into a dress that had a long sleeve black shirt that went into a red and black skirt that touched just above her knees. On her feet was Nike Jordan Dunk heels that made Zayn laugh. “Those have to be the best heels I have ever seen.”

She smiled excitedly, “I know! David got them for me for Christmas.” She took a piece of the pineapple from the Zayn’s bowl and then got a granola bar out of the cupboard.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked.

She nodded and picked up her laptop case and followed him out the door, locking it behind her. They sat in comfortable silence in his car while they listened to whatever played on the radio. When they arrived at the front of the university, Zayn shut off the car and opened her door for her. She thanked him with a hug. “I’m going to miss you today,” she told him.

“I’ll be back to pick you up. What time should that be?”

“I am probably going to stay at school and write for a couple hours so is 5 okay with you?”

“Of course, we should be done for the day around then.”

She smiled, “Great. Thank you Zayn.”

“Sure thing love,” he grinned as he kissed her on the cheek before walking around to get into the car. Before he could shut the door, he heard someone speak to Jen and it made the smile drop right off his face.

“Oh my God! Did Zayn Malik just kiss you?”