Tuning Heartstrings

“I want you to come with me.”

A silence hung in the air, and Billie's brow furrowed together as her mind attempted to calculate his words thoroughly, as if they were some ancient foreign tongue that had been dead for centuries.

I want you to come with me. I want you to come with me?

Hold up.

He wants me to go with him?

“Oi, James!”

Zayn's voice brought her back from her small brooding session, the brunette shaking her head as if to rattle the thoughts away from her mind. “Um, what?”

The boy grew annoyed at how vapid she was in that moment. Was she just particularly more air-headed than usual, or was she simply doing this on purpose to drive him up the wall?

“You,” he pointed to her slowly as he enunciated the words clearly, “go,” he allowed his fingers to walk across an imaginary horizontal expanse, “with me.” Zayn then tapped his chest slowly.

Her lips formed a thin, firm line and she could feel an attitude begin to swell up inside her. “I'll have you know that I'm quite aware of what your previous statement meant. I was just baffled that you were asking for my company. We're not exactly the best of friends, you know.”

“Well, you certainly could have fooled me.” He sighed, looking down the hall towards the elevators and motioning towards them with a nod of the head. “Anyways, c'mon. We gotta go.”

“Hold up, hold up,” Billie leaned against her door frame and stared at him curiously. “Where are we going?—Or better yet, who ever said that I would go?”

Rolling his eyes, Zayn stuffed his hands in his pockets impatiently. “Mrs. Fields wants to see how you and your burn are doing. She's been worried about you for the past few days and has been nagging be about bringing you round the shop.”

“Just let her know that I'm fine and that I'm thankful that she cares.”

“I've already tried that approach, trust me – it doesn't work.” Pinching the bridge of his nose, Zayn had reached his limit. “Listen, I get the last thing you want to do is go with me – I feel the same way, but just do it for Mrs. Fields, would you?”

Their eyes met and a soft static surged between them until Billie let out the air that was left in her lungs in defeat. “Just let me grab my stuff.”

He nodded his head in response and was already making his way towards the elevator shaft to call up the lift. The brunette retreated into her apartment, grabbed a small purse, and filled it with her necessary belongings before heading out the door and right after her neighbor. After making their way out onto the street, they hailed a passing cab and were on their way towards that quaint little coffee shop.

The car was unusually quiet, the only thing making a sound being the radio as it played a station that the cabbie favored. Both young adults shifted uncomfortably in the backseat, the silence of the drive becoming slightly maddening. When did it ever take this long to get to Mrs. Fields'?

Clearing his throat, Zayn mentally prepared himself for the Pandora's Box he could possibly be opening. “So,” he started awkwardly, “what brings an American across the pond?”

Hearing a conversation attempt to start up, Billie turned to face him, eyeing him up almost cautiously as she responded, “School. My university back home was offering an exchange program for the year so I thought I'd apply. I didn't actually expect to get picked though.”

“And why's that?”

“I don't come from a big city. It's actually quite the opposite.” She explained, brushing some hair behind her ear as she began to fondly remember her life back in the States. “I'm from a tiny town called Bird City in Kansas. The population there is barely five hundred so it's a very modest and pretty friendly place to live since everyone knows everyone.

“Anyways, since it's a small town, grades were usually combined so you'd have people in one class ranging from six to ten-year-olds and then some from twelve to sixteen. It was pretty weird; and while the classes weren't horrible, they didn't really help any one student in particular excel since the teacher was always going over different material. I had good grades, but I didn't think they'd get me accepted into the program.”

Zayn was sincerely interested in hearing how she'd lived before arriving in Bradford. It was new and different – something he hadn't seen or heard about in quite a long time. He'd lived in Bradford his entire life before becoming Zayn of One Direction. Before then, it was all he'd ever known, and while Bradford wasn't exactly as bustling as London was, it was obviously quite larger than Billie's own hometown.

“What do you want to be?” He found himself asking, soon realizing that his engrossment in the subject was becoming apparent.

Billie was a little put off by his questions and genuine curiosity for her life, but nonetheless she answered as to not ruin the mood. “A teacher,” she shrugged, “there was one back home who was always really helpful and really cared about our education. She made me appreciate teachers and I love English so I thought I might try to be one and mold the minds of future generations.” Billie attempted her hand at humor at the end and wondered if she was getting a bit too into their conversation.

“God help them,” he snickered.

Just at that moment, the car slowly crept to a halt beside the curb. Zayn paid the fare and they both disembarked the vehicle, the casual atmosphere that had built up dissipating when they stepped out almost immediately. It was like their prior conversation had never even happened, but both Billie and Zayn were replaying it as they walked in silence down the cobblestone path.

Having such a sincere and civil conversation between them was just far too strange to seem real...

The wafting scent of ground coffee beans and the delicate aroma of a few baked goods soon hit them like a brick wall. In a few more steps, they reached Mrs. Fields' after a lengthy and peculiar journey, and entered her little store quietly, the usual bell dinging off as the door closed behind them.

Footsteps grew closer and Mrs. Fields could then be seen sauntering out from the back of the store, her once indifferent expression lighting up almost instantly at the sight of Zayn and Billie together.

“You're both here!” She grinned excitedly, walking around the counter and engulfing both of the young adults in a warm hug. “It's so good to see you again, dearie. I have to say I've been worrying quite a lot over your burn. Is it well?”

Mrs. Fields' bubbly personality rubbed off on the brunette quickly, a smile covering her features as she replied with an enthusiastic nod, “Yes, it's already healed and my arm is fine. Thank you for worrying, Mrs. Fields, but I'm much better now.”

The woman's eyes crinkled in delight at the news, cupping Billie's face affectionately like a doting mother would to her own child. “Oh, I'm so glad to hear that.” She looked around her shop before motioning towards an empty table. “What are we doing? Sit, sit! What would you like to drink, dear?”

“Um, hot chocolate sounds good if you have any?”

Mrs. Fields turned to Zayn next. “I take it you'll take yours black?” Zayn nodded lazily and slumped down into a chair opposite of Billie.

In no time at all, the owner of the shop returned with three cups in hand and placed them down onto the table carefully as to not have a repeat of last time. When the first sip of drinks was taken, the conversation was brought back to life.

“Dearie, forgive me, but I'm just now realizing that I never learned your name.”

“It's Billie,” she replied with a smile.

“Billie,” Mrs. Fields seemed to test out the name by speaking it aloud, “what a beautiful name for a beautiful young lady.”

“You're too kind, Mrs. Fields.”

“Yeah, really,” Zayn murmured.

Zayn's remark, much to his displeasure, wasn't muttered as quietly as he had suspected, and when Mrs. Fields heard his rather rude commentary, she wasn't having any of it. Reaching over, she smacked him lightly upside the head, the boy jumping in surprise and rubbing the now throbbing area gently while she scolded him.

“Zayn Javaad Malik, you apologize right this second. That was terribly rude of you!”

Grumbling, Zayn looked over at the brunette who was waiting for his reply with a smug expression. “Sorry,” he muttered.

“That's not much of an apology, Zayn. You be a proper gentleman and apologize correctly and tell her how beautiful she is.” Mrs. Fields demanded.

His eyes seemed to bug out at what she had added to her order. Not only did he now have to apologize, but he had to lie as well? Nevertheless, he prepared himself for what words would spew out of his mouth. “I'm sorry, Billie. I didn't mean it. You're actually quite lovely.”

In a failed attempt to hide her grin, she leaned forward. “I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Could you please repeat that?”

His eyes narrowed and for a second Billie could have swore that she was telepathic; she could almost make out his deep voice calling her a bitch and how she had most definitely heard everything he had just said. He looked to Mrs. Fields, almost as if asking if he really had to. Mrs. Fields would surely catch on that the girl was just trying to annoy him, right?

“Well, go on, boy.” She motioned for him to repeat himself. “There's nothing wrong with complimenting her again.”

Through gritted teeth, Zayn grumbled, “I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything, Billie. You're beautiful.”

Knowing she probably wouldn't get away with a fake claim of hearing loss again, she decided to settle and nodded her head. “Oh, why thank you, Zayn.”

Mrs. Fields couldn't help but smile at the exchange. She was quite aware that Billie was only trying to get a rise out of the poor boy, but she found it slightly endearing. Not only that, but with how Zayn had been getting out of hand with his drinking and clubbing, she thought that it was nice that he was having a conversation with a real person and not some random girl who only wanted into an old celebrity's pants.

Billie seemed genuine, and although she could tell that the brunette definitely had some fire in her, she figured that that was what Zayn needed most. He needed a challenge, someone to get him up and off his bum and into the world again. He needed to reignite the old spark that his personality had before One Direction had become no more, and for some reason, Mrs. Fields was sure that Billie was just the right person to do that. There was just too much of a connection between the two of them – and even though that “connection” was far from seeming civil, she was sure that the pair could befriend one another given the chance.

“I heard from Zayn that everyone in the urgent care was mistaking you both for a man and his bird,” Mrs. Fields giggled. “He was quite upset, but I believe he was more embarrassed than anything. You two actually do look very well suited to one another if I do say so myself.”

Both of them looked to each other and reacted in their own individual way – Billie's eye twitched while Zayn sputtered on his coffee in disgust, the both of them coming to the same conclusion. “No way.”

Their unified denial seemed to choke up Mrs. Fields in a fit of laughter, “See? Maybe you both should just get together now and get it over with.”

“Sorry, Mrs. Fields, but I don't think that's going to happen,” Billie started, “ever.”

Calming herself down some, she took a sip of her drink and nodded her head to dismiss the matter. “Ah well, whatever suits your fancy, dearie.”

“Well, Mrs. Fields, I think I'll take my leave now.” Zayn spoke, finishing off his coffee and placing the empty mug on the table. “Thanks for the coffee.”

“Already, Zayn? You've barely just gotten here.”

“Sorry, but I've got places to go, people to see,” he replied.

Sighing, Mrs. Fields shook her head in disappointment. “I'm sorry you couldn't have spent more time here, Billie. It was good to see you again though, and I do hope you'll come back to visit me and have some coffee sometime soon. Zayn, make sure you get her home safely.”

“You want me to escort her home?”

“Well, you're leaving now. You have to make sure that she gets home alright, don't you?”

“She's an adult,” his voice trailed off.

“Zayn,” Mrs. Fields eyed him sternly.

“...Alright,” he cracked, shaking his head in frustration.

“Wonderful,” she smiled and gave him a kiss upon the cheek. “You two take good care now.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Fields. I'll be sure to come back soon.”

Billie and Mrs. Fields exchanged a hug, the older woman placing a kiss upon her cheek as well before wishing them goodbye. The pair headed back up the cobblestone pathway they had taken before, the same sort of silence accompanying them just as it had before, and when they reached the streets again, another taxi was hailed down.

Billie slid in first, waiting for Zayn to join her while he fiddled about with his wallet on the sidewalk. “Aren't you getting in?” She questioned expectantly, getting a bit impatient with waiting for him.

He smirked down at her. “You'd like that, wouldn't you?” He retorted, tossing quite a few notes onto the seat beside her. “That should be enough to get you back to the apartments, and if Mrs. Fields asks, I even went as far as to walk you to your door.”

Billie rolled her eyes, but accepted the notes anyways. “I guess I can agree to that. You did compliment me on my beauty quite a bit.”

“Well, you know, I figure that you mustn't get that a lot so I felt bad.”

She sent him a dirty glare that screamed at him to just fuck off and Zayn just chuckled at the way her face scrunched up around her nose and at the way her brown eyes were narrowed so sharply. He slammed the car door shut and bent over slightly to gaze at her still annoyed expression through the window, his hand rising up a bit and waving goodbye with a victorious, smug expression etched upon his features.

“Bye!” He grinned.

Billie needed no words to express her thoughts and final goodbye as she raised her own hand and promptly flipped him the bird.

Zayn busted out laughing and stood upright, beginning to walk away while the car then propelled itself down the busy street. As he calmed himself, he couldn't stop smiling. He hadn't laughed like that in a good while.

At least that damn bird was good for something.

Maybe — and just barely maybe at that — that American wouldn't be such a pain in the arse to deal with after all.

And although he could definitely stand to go a few days without his neighbor, Zayn Malik found himself still feeling rather eager for his future encounters with Billie James.