One Night Stand

‘It’s not what you think!’ Zayn pounds on the other side of the bathroom door.

‘Sure! That’s what they all say.’ I hiss back pulling on my clothes in a rush. ‘I guess I was just dumb for thinking that we could ever be anything more than this.’

‘Just hear me out.’ he pleads leaning against the wood.

I swing the door open causing him to stumble beside me. I hurry right out the front door and down the iron steps. Zayn rushes outside in nothing more than a pair of gray sweatpants showing off every last one of his tattoos.

‘Adara, wait!’

‘What Zayn?’ I turn on the heel of my shoes to stare at him.

‘That girl in the apartment, she’s my sister.’ He jogs down the final steps coming to a stop in front of me. ‘She’s just visiting and as you can tell her manners are shit.’

‘Your sister?’ I breathe, suddenly feeling guilty.

‘Yes, my sister. You’re the only person I’m seeing.’ He nods grabbing a hold of my hand, ‘just you.’

‘Well I feel pretty stupid right about now.’ I cover my head with his bare chest.

‘My younger sister just saw me in bed with a naked girl, who’s the one who should be more embarrassed here?’

‘The naked girl.’ I laugh shaking my head, ‘I’m sorry for that production you just saw.’

‘Next time I’ll lock the door.’ He promises as he pulls me back towards the stairs, ‘are you still eating breakfast with me?’

‘Why not?’ I agree following him back into the apartment.

‘I’m sorry,’ the girl rushes up from the sofa, ‘I should’ve knocked. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.’

‘It’s fine.’ Zayn assures her, ‘Adara, this is my younger sister Doniya. Don, this is Adara.’

‘Nice to meet you, officially.’ I say awkwardly and she giggles in return.

‘Same here. Again, I’m sorry for walking in.’

‘It’s okay.’ I reply watching as Zayn slowly leaves my hands.

‘I am going to get dressed so we can go. Be right back.’ He says leaving a small kiss on my cheek before heading to his room.

I sit down on the sofa with Doniya and wait for Zayn’s return. I look around his apartment, which was small but inviting. He had several posters on the wall musicians and artists. A pack of cigarettes rested on the coffee table in front of me.

‘It’s funny.’ Doniya speaks up after a few moments of silence.

‘What’s funny?’

‘I’ve never met one of Zayn’s girls.’ She tells me and I couldn’t help but feel a pinch of jealousy coursing through my body.

‘Girls sounds like a lot.’ I stiff out an uncomfortable laugh, knowing Zayn had already told me he’s slept with too many girls to remember.

‘I’m just saying how he usually makes them hide in the back while any of the family’s around but he actually introduced you.’

‘Well he sort of didn’t have a choice. I mean I did storm through the apartment.’

‘But he brought you back and he kissed you right in front of me. I’ve never seen him kiss anyone.’

‘Oh.’ I say not knowing just how to respond, ‘I care about him a lot.’

‘I’m thinking the feeling is mutual.’ She smiles, ‘plus you’re pretty so it’s a win.’

‘Haha thanks?’

‘Alright you ready to go Adara?’

‘Yes.’ I say taking Zayn’s hand in mine securely.

‘Doniya, wanna get breakfast with us?’ Zayn asks and from the looks of it, Doniya was caught my surprise.

‘Sure.’ She agrees leading the way out of the apartment.

‘She didn’t say anything too embarrassing?’ Zayn stops me as he locks the apartment’s door.

‘No she didn’t but now I just have to know something embarrassing.’ I taunt as he grips my waist and leads me to the car.

‘Do you either of you mind?’ Zayn asks as he pulls a fresh cigarette from its pack.

‘No.’ Doniya and I say at the same time and Zayn lights his cigarette up.

‘So,’ he says after blowing a puff of smoke from his perfect lips, ‘where do you want to go?’

‘It doesn’t matter.’ I reply admiring his sleeve of tattoos.

We ended up going to this small café and sit at a table outside of the building.

‘How did you two meet?’ Doniya wonders looking from Zayn and I.

‘At that club down the street from the apartment.’ He answers quietly with a smile, ‘I can’t seem to get rid of her yet.’

‘But Adara why my brother?’

‘She has this bad boy fetish.’ Zayn smirks arrogantly and he couldn’t be more attractive.

‘Shut up,’ Doniya swats his arm, ‘let her talk.’

‘I don’t know, he’s different than I originally thought. I don’t think either of us thought that we would be still talking to this day but I’ve loved every second of it. He’s witty, funny, not bad to look at, and he’s artistic so how can I go wrong?’

‘And she loves the tattoos.’ Zayn chimes in examining his inked skin.

‘I love his tattoos.’ I agree biting into the bagel in front of me.

After breakfast Zayn drops off Doniya at a friend’s house before driving to my house. He parks the car in the driveway and kills the engine.

‘I liked your sister.’ I smile, ‘she’s a lot like you.’

‘Yeah she practically lives with me half of the time.’

‘How come?’

‘The home situation isn’t the best. Mom’s always working so she’s pretty lonely.’

‘Where are your other sisters?’

‘Doing their own thing I guess. Doniya and I have always been close. Where are yours?’

‘We don’t talk much.’

‘Why not?’

‘We’ve been fighting for my dad’s attention for as long as I can remember. We fought so much that we started to resent each other.’

‘I’m sorry…’

‘Me too.’

‘Did last night feel different to you?’ Zayn asks suddenly.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Never mind, it’s stupid.’ He shakes his head, ‘I sound like a pussy.’

‘No, what?’ I look over at him, ‘tell me.’

‘Fine,’ he groans, ‘I don’t know why but I felt like last night was better than usual. It didn’t feel like meaningless sex but like it was something more.’

‘I felt the same way.’ I admit meeting his eyes.

‘Really?’

‘Yeah what does it mean?’

Zayn opens his mouth to reply when he closes it and shuts down. His sensitive walls return to their hard exterior.

‘I really need to go.’

‘Right now?’

‘Yes, right now. It was fun.’

‘Did you really just say, “it was fun”? You have got to be kidding me.’

‘Yeah. Nothing special. Bye Adara.’

‘Screw you.’ I get out of his jeep and slam the door before going into the house.