I often wonder why the things that I want are so hard to find but

I often fail to see the things that I need are right here by my side.

Something in the air is giving me bad ideas

Something in the air is giving me crazy thoughts, like

...Why don't you stay at mine tonight? 

-"Sidekick" || Walk the Moon

_______

What about that lunch date? I miss you.

It's a Wednesday afternoon, and Anais is making her way from the library. She's got a few hours to kill before Astronomy, and so she decides to spend it getting lunch at this place Louis once recommended, The Duke's Arms, a few blocks from the Bobst.

"Maybe you should try somewhere that's not Nero," Soo had laughed the night before-She'd voiced that she was scared of running into Lucky Blue Smith everywhere and this had been her best friend's solution. "Switch things up a bit."

So here she was, traipsing to the pub.

Anais is staring at her phone, not really paying attention because what the fuck does she say to Lucky?

It doesn't help that she receives another text.

Please Ana don't ignore me.

She groans, "Shit," throwing her head back as she crosses the street towards the little pub because why the fuck is he making this so goddamn hard.

Fine.

Mercredi? She types, because if Soo were with her she'd tell her that she can't keep running from Lucky and if she were with Cara or Jourdan or Daphne they'd totally tell her that she could totally just get in his pants-with or without a girlfriend.

Anais presses 'Send' on the text.

And that's when she sees Zayn.

She grins. "Zayn! Zayn-"

But he doesn't hear her because he's a bit preoccupied, tugging the short little blonde from the restaurant.

She looks pissed.

He looks frustrated.

And Anais picks that up from body language, alone.

The girl's arms are folded tightly across her chest, and her rolled eyes only add to Anais' assumption, especially sine Zayn's tattooed hands are scrubbing his face and raking through his hair.

"I know you've got it, Pez."

"You've got to stop showing up here."

"I wouldn't have to come if you just gave me back my shit!"

Anais slows.

"Ha-wow. Even now, you're still more into your stupid fucking art more than you're into me."

"That matters to you, now?"

"Why do you need it, anyway? You've got enough billboards and dirty walls to tag in this fuckin' city!"

She really shouldn't be intruding on the conversation, but Zayn literally looks like he's about to explode and the girl he's with kind of looks like she's purposefully being a bitch.

And damn it, Anais thinks, she can't watch Zayn just have a horrible day too, just because hers has so far, been a piece of shit.

And so without really thinking, Anais hoists her bag over her shoulder and power-walks towards the two.

"Zayn!" She calls, louder, now. "Zayn!" She waves, and he looks over the girl's shoulder, makes immediate eye contact and smiles.

"Anais," he begins. But his smile falters as he turns back to his conversation. "Hey, uh, now's not really the time-"

But, Anais crashes into him, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him into a hug.

His eyes widen.

"Really? That's how you greet me?" She shakes her head. "God, Zayn," and without really thinking, Anais grabs the lapels of his coat and nearly gives him a heart attack because she crushes her lips to his, kissing him.

And oh my god Zayn is stunned.

Oh my god.

What.

She's kissing him. Anais is kissing him and it takes a few beats for him to process what's really happening before his hands tighten around her waist; Zayn pulls her against him and he responds.

All the while, he's thinking, What.

And Zayn is this close to slipping his tongue into her mouth when she pulls away, grinning and a little out of breath.

His eyelashes flutter, his mouth frozen in a rosy 'o.'

Anais' arms are still around his neck, and she turns to the girl, who's shocked, obviously.

"Who's this, babe?" She coos. "I swear, you don't introduce me to any of your friends."

"Oh, uh..." And Zayn stutters, attempting to regain his composure as the girl's eyes quickly fix into a glare.

He shakes his head because oh my god. "Perrie, Anais. Anais, this is Perrie. She's um...she's my-"

"Ex," Perrie finishes.

Zayn nods. "She's uh, yeah. She's my ex."

Anais pouts. "Zayn," she whines. "I thought we said no secrets. You've never told me about Perrie..."

Zayn grins, pursing his lips. "Didn't want to bother you, love," is what he says, cupping her jaw with one hand, the other around her waist as he pulls her against him, again. "I'm sorry."

Now, this surprises Anais, but she goes along with it-because damn it, she conjured up this whole lie in the first place-and so she leans into him.

She taps his chest. "You could've told me."

"I know," he replies, rubbing her cheek with his thumb-Wow. "I said I was sorry."

She shrugs, looking away.

Zayn bites his lip, turning her face towards his. Anais is forced to look into his eyes. "You forgive me?"

This is all a lie, and of course they're pretending, but it feels so real that had Anais actually been upset that Zayn hadn't told her about Perrie, she would have completely forgiven him, and she would have also dragged him into the nearest anywhere because he looks so sexy that she literally has to stop herself from visualizing her hands all over his tattoos and his clothes all over the floor.

"I've got work," Perrie says, interrupting the thoughts in Anais' head because she can literally stand there no longer watching them. "Zayn," she turns to walk away, "I'll give it to Niall. Y'can get it from him."

Anais can feel Zayn sigh against her-he's obviously relieved. "Thank you, Pez."

She grunts in response.

"Nice meeting you," Anais calls, and Perrie actually turns and smiles-it's small, but Anais counts it as a smile.

"Yeah," is what she says, before she turns into the pub and disappears inside.

Now, Anais steps back, but Zayn doesn't let her go. His hands are still around her waist as he stares at her with wide, confused eyes and shakes his head.

"What. Was. That."

"Sorry," Anais grins sheepishly, rubbing the lipstick from his lips. "You looked like you were about to combust. Seemed like you could use some help."

"Oh, shit, yeah..." He clears his throat. "You saw that."

Anais nods. "I know it's none of my business, but-"

"She's got my book," Zayn says at once. "My um, my sketchbook. And, well, like, I kind of-"

"Need it?" Anais grins. "Y'don't say? An Art Major? What?"

He pushes her. "Shut up."

Anais laughs. "Well, quite frankly, I don't know if I've made things better for you or worse."

"Better," he says quickly, and at that, Anais smirks.

"Yeah, things are, um, ha-they're definitely better."

That's when Anais' phone buzzes.

"What the fuck?" Zayn asks, reading over Anais' shoulder because his arms are still around her.

It's from Lucky.

Next Wednesday? It's a date :)

-~*~-

LONG(ISH) CHAPTER YAYYYYYYY

Nooowww do you see why I was so excited for this chapter???? I LOVE THEM OKAY.

Added the French in there because I'm in Paris, ya'll!

Song for the chapter is obviously Sidekick, by WTM. Love them too, just saying, and finding pics/gifs for this story has become my new favorite pasttime.

VOMMENT! xx