Mona Lisa | Stores

It was the very next day when Nurah decided that she would explore more of Florence. She wasn't gonna let her fears get in the way from traveling the beautiful city—but she was a little afraid of getting lost, but if she did hopefully she would bump into that sexy stranger she met yesterday. The fact that she never got his name really flustered her. She thought about that guy and wondered if they were gonna run into each other again. But she knew that a guy like him wouldn't go for a girl like her.

There was this music store that she seen when she was walking back from the grocery store yesterday—that was before she got lost—and thought that she should check it out. She hoped that they had vinyls, because she did have a 20th century special edition phonograph that she could play music on—yeah, she had an actual phonograph and she loved that thing to death—saying that she always wanted to listen to slow Italian music in her apartment as the cool early August wind blew from the windows. Nurah wanted to feel like she was in paradise.

"Found ya," Nurah smiled to herself as she looked up to see the music store. The words in Italian matched the ones on her phone, so she walked in.

There was many rows of CDs and she didn't know where to start. Her eyes skimmed over the cosy yet exquisite place. An ornate carpeted floor was now underneath her shoes as she walked further in. Posters of slim and pale pretty women with bold clothes on their petite bodies were scattered around the store. Also with different types of music legends that were painted wonderfully, very detailed she must add.

Her fingertips skimmed over the CDs that had unique covers to them. She had came to a realization over the past month, and that was the fact that the Italian culture was way different than the American and London culture. Even though she was adjusting to this country she found herself getting more interested in what Italy had to offer to her. Nurah always wanted to come here ever since she was little, so being here was a dream come true. She was tired of living life wondering what opportunity may come to her, so this was the perfect change.

When the front doorbell of the store went off, indicting that someone had walked in, she looked up to have her heart plummeting to the ground. It was that sexy stranger she had bumped into yesterday.

"Shit," not like she was trying to avoid him on purpose or anything but she really didn't want to converse with that guy. Nurah didn't know if that guy was too fond of her, especially after the fact that she did bump into him because of her clumsy self not paying attention. Besides he wasn't here for her—of course that's what she assumed.

"Tryin' to avoid me knucklehead?" That damn familiar accent seemed like it was right behind her, and it was little did she know.

Her body froze when she sensed a presence moving to the right of her. Mouth went dry and a lump formed in her throat after realizing that he was actually standing next to her at close range. She could fell his eyes burning holes into her skull. And that made her look over and see that it was him.

"Oh okay, I see how you are," Zayn nodded giving her the 'okay' gesture with his fingers, thumb and pointer touching while his long digits were up. "First you knock all of my shit down then I help you to your flat, and this is how you repay me? Such a shame, wow."

"I wasn't—um, tryin' to avoid you," she babbled nervously while she began to walk down the aisle, pretending to be searching for some CDs but in all honesty she just needed to create some distance between them.

"Mh, I hope not," he hummed, practically following right behind her. "I didn't get your name yesterday knucklehead."

She turned to look at him, stopping her walking, "It's Nurah, thank you very much."

"Spunky," he chuckled, head going down temporarily as he licked his lips soon looking back up at her. "I'm Zayn by the way."

"It's nice to meet you," she spoke sticking out her hand for him to shake.

"Couldn't say the same knucklehead," he smirked before taking her hand and kissing the back of her skin.

Even though she was practically screaming in the inside, she found herself frowning a bit, "I just told you ma' name, can you stop callin' me that?"

"Nope," Zayn chuckled finally releasing her hand.

"You're ridiculous," Nurah rolled her eyes before she started walking down the aisles again, and he followed right beside her too.

"Look, I'm just rufflin' your feathers, no need to get uptight babydoll," Zayn hummed skimming over the CDs.

She decided not to respond to that, even if he called her something that wasn't besides that stupid nickname he's already accustomed to calling her. The word 'babydoll' rolling off his tongue caused butterflies to swarm in her stomach, and she almost hated that feeling.

"I helped decorate this place to have you know," Zayn told her, trying his best to divert the conversation to something else.

"Really?" She has asked curiously, stopping in her tracks once again.

"Yeah, my friend owns this store," he explained, looking around his accomplishments. "Took me 'bout a couple of months and it was a big challenge, but I completed every single one of them."

"So, you're like a painter?" She asked with her eyes lighting up.

"More like an artist, but yeah," Zayn corrected her, earning for her to roll her eyes at him but he found it cute.

"At least you're something besides arrogant," she mumbles looking away from.

He placed his hand on his chest, "Ouch, that really hurts."

She giggles at his goofiness, "Good, it was suppose to."

"So, what are you looking for la signorina?" Zayn asked her smoothly, suddenly his Italian accent coming out towards the end of his question.

Nurah looked down, not really wanting to tell him, "Um, something."

"Can you be more specific with that?" He asks quirking a brow at her.

She sighed, ready for him to laugh at her, "A vinyl for my phonograph."

His eyes widened with disbelief, "You have a phonograph?"

"Go ahead, laugh all you want," she mumbles shaking her head.

"M'not gonna laugh, I always wanted to have one," Zayn took her off guard with the excitement dripping off his voice.

"Oh really?" She questioned raising at brow at him this time.

"Yeah, like honestly, no lie," he told her with hands up in surrender.

She looked into his eyes for a quick moment, not seeing a lie in those orbs of his, she nodded, "Interesting."

"The vinyls are in the back, wan' me to show you where they are?" He offered nicely.

She nodded, smiling softly, "That would be lovely."

"Right this way," he hummed before he gestured for her to follow him.

Then he had took her to the back of the store where they disappeared between the tall shelves of vinyls. She felt like she was in heaven right now. This was going to be her favorite place from now on.

"We have a lot of various types of Italian music. Even though we need to get some more, there is plenty to chose from," Zayn explained as he looked over at her, seeing that she was cheesing so hard. Her smile..my god, he was swooning so much right now that he felt his knees ready to unbuckle from underneath him.

"Where's the classics at?" She asked him curiously.

"Right here," he motioned to the right of her, making her walk over as he did the same. "We have many more but these are like the good ones."

"I want that one," she pointed to the one on the bottom shelf. "Sorry but, the cover is pretty."

Zayn chuckled before squatting down and getting the vinyl from the bottom shelf. He stood back up and handed it to her, "Here you go, is this all you want?"

Nurah examined the cover liking it a lot. Soon turning her body to face Zayn as she batted her pretty eyelashes at him, "Do you have any recommendations of what I should listen to?"

Fuck, he had thickly swallowed the lump that was in his throat. She was very gorgeous up close he can admit, and it seems like the air in the store was running out because he could feel himself getting a little lightheaded. But he kept his composer in front of this beautiful women before saying, "I was told that Tomaso Albinoni has the best classical music from the sixteenth century. Most of the more traditional ones weren't able to be saved, but we do have his works," he then picked one up and showed it to her.

"I'm gonna take your word on this Zayn, I hope you don't disappoint me," she hums poking the side of his chest with her finger teasingly.

"U-Ugh yeah, um, 'course not," Zayn stammered out nervously. It didn't make sense how incredibly sexy she was being without having to try, as if it was so natural to her and he liked that a lot. She had him acting like that nervous teenager he was years ago when a pretty girl talked to him. And it was crazy that she was making him feel this way, they barely even knew each other.

"I guess this will be it, where should I pay?" She asked holding the items to her chest.

It's gonna be on the house, you don't have to pay," Zayn told her with ease.

Nurah raised a brow at him, suspicious of him being so generous all of a sudden, "You sure? What will your friend think?"

"Trust me he won't mind the slightest bit. I'll even give you the complimentary bag too," he offered, soon guiding her out the aisles and towards the front counter.

"Okay," she agreed following him. Nurah placed the items on the counter as he hopped over it. "But listen up here, I swear to god if the police is at my door for stealing then—,"

"Hush, you don't have to worry," Zayn chuckled scanning the items, doing something with the cashier-thingy before he placed the vinyls in a cute decorative bag. "Here you go," handing the bag to her.

"Thank you, I really appreciate this by the way," she took the bag, fingers brushing in the slightest way possible, resulting for her to blush.

"You're welcome. Um..is that goin' to be it?" Zayn asked rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous manner.

"Yeah, well um..I'll catch you around?" It came out sounding like more of a question whether than a hopeful declaration. Of course she wanted to run into him again. He excited her.

"Yeah," Zayn nodded biting his bottom lip.

"Okay, see ya," she gave him a shy wave before she went ahead and left the store with the biggest smile on her face.

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- BookOfBandz