"I don't give a fuck if they were real sisters..."

___

It's January 1st, the morning after last night's New Year's Eve wedding of the century, and Rory is waking up to one of the most beautiful views of London she's ever seen.

Literally.

In her entire life.

It was like being in The Eye—better than being in The Eye, honestly, because as she pulls covers up over her naked skin, she's brought back to the realization that she's staying in a Premier Shard Suite in one of the most beautiful luxury hotels in the city...and she never wanted to leave.

Major perks of having a rich man.

The sound of the heavy breathing beside her; the soft, even snores of sleep suddenly remind her that these rooms had been reserved for the groomsmen and bridesmaids and family of the Tomlinson's.

Ha—Louis and Blaire Tomlinson. The entire married couple...who had just married mere hours before the clock struck midnight and the New Year rang in.

It was like Cinderella—a fairytale—that was now coming to an end.

And, just like Cinderella had to roll out and not overstay her welcome, Rory was pretty sure this was her cue, to call her pumpkin chariot too.

Her car was parked at home and her cell phone was somewhere scattered across the floor with her clothes, she realized, as she squints, searching for the placement of her belongings, that she should probably find out which room Asmaa was in and if she was going to stay with Zayn or take her up on calling a taxi home...

Home—where Rory wasn't completely sure Asmaa was prepared to go.

Lira and Ayat had driven Rory's car home since both she and Asmaa stayed the night at the hotel.

And Rory didn't quite know if Asmaa was ready to be back in the same flat as her older sister.

Fuck.

It was time to face the music and...

"Rory."

The voice is deep and sleepy and somehow sing-songy in her ears.

"Huh?" She whispers softly, still trying not to wake him. She was trying to make a clean break and get this day started and handle her business and be a good friend.

But now, there's the tattooed arm that's snaking around her waist, that's pulled her back into bed, back against his chest.

His nose is against her neck and his hair tickles the side of her face.

"Please," he mumbles, half-asleep.

His breath begins to even. The feeling of his fingers loosely drawing circles against her skin.

She can feel him drift.

Then he whispers, "Stay."

Shit—This was a completely separate problem she had to address.

And, like, how? The thought wasn't lost on her that now her best friend was married to one of his. Would she ever get a break from Harry?

And, like...the thought that really kept her awake at night...

...did she even want to?

She shimmies from his grasp, "I should probably not—"

"What?" He props himself on his shoulder, more alert now. "Why?

"I mean," she rambles, brain not completely prepared for this question so early in the morning, "my cousin's here and like, all my stuff is all around, and then there's Asmaa, who's going through it and I need to be a good friend so she—"

"Is fine because Zayn." Harry yawns, pulling her back against his chest.

"Harry, I know there's Zayn but—"

"But?" He chuckles, kissing her softly. "But they're probably not even up yet. Like none of us should be at..." he squints at the clock, "bloody seven in the morning on the first day of this new year."

Rory laughs. He had her there.

"B'sides," he whispers, voice deep and soft in her ear, "you smell too good to leave."

"Do I?" Rory laughs, "I was dancin' last night like I was in the club."

"Smell so good..." he mutters, setting Rory's core ablaze.

"But—" She fumbles, because here she was, falling back into the lull. Something about being with this man was like falling into a trance; and while it was incredible and fun and passionate, last night really made Rory think.

She wanted love. She wanted more than this...

...and she doubted this man of all people could give her what she wanted.

"Harry, no. I should really—"

But his lips cut her off.

Those damn lips of his press against hers and it's like her body just relaxes. She's sinking back against the mattress, now. She's feeling the warmth and weight of his body against hers.

And his large hands grip her skin like they were made to. Something about them just fit against her and she hated the way her mind considered to explore the what if's of a relationship that was not defined.

"Rory?"

His lips pop from hers and she immediately misses them.

She blinks from the haze, "Yeah?"

"Please...Please stay?"

"I..."

Cinderella, Cinderella...

Try as she might, Rory was unfortunately not quite ready for the fairytale to end.

So, she nods.

"I...Okay," and she watches the man hovering above her bite his lip in that endearing smile she hated to admit that she might have grown to love.

She groans, "I'll stay."

___

"...You may now kiss the bride."

Hours earlier, it had happened just like that.

Blaire had become a Mrs.

A whole wife.

Asmaa was still smiling through her tears even after the bride and groom had processed and the guests were ushered into the Gong Bar for cocktail hour before the reception began.

There was an open bar and the signature drinks had all been named things like, "Hubby," or "Wifey," and Asmaa had been eating this whole thing up.

All of the bridesmaids and groomsmen were taking pictures with the bride and groom at a discreet location in the hotel, so as the guests waited and mingled before the reception began, Asmaa was huddled up with her friends getting hors d'oeuvres and cocktails at the bar.

"I am," Asmaa had exclaimed, "still crying."

"Beautiful," Kezie nodded, "Seriously beautiful, fam."

"Our bunny Blairey is married," Charlie co-signed. "And in a minute I'll be sitting here cryin' again 'cause it'll be Asmaa, or Kez next."

"Or Desirée," Kezie winked.

"Definitely Des," said Rory. "Luke's ready to lock his shit down."

"Bet he'd propose today if it weren't improper."

"Nah, he'd wait 'til Valentine's Day," Kezie nodded. "He's that romantic, sappy type."

"Yeah, our boy is definitely a sap like that."

"No, no," Minnie shook her head, giggling, "this is Des. He'd have to get her in front of all her friends and family so she couldn't run away and say no."

"Fuck all of you," Desirée shook her head, laughing softly, as the guests all hung around the low-lit bar. That was the cool thing about an evening wedding, Asmaa thought. This was right around the time that Phoenix would start opening.

"Literally, I'm so lit right now," Asmaa had said, and Rory and Kezie snorted. "I could literally run a mile, that's how alive I feel."

"Save that energy for Zayn tonight," Rory muttered, and she immediately leaned into Asmaa, whispering as her cousin and Ayat approached from the bar, "Incoming..."

Asmaa turned, smiling and greeting her sister as they made their way towards the other women.

"Hey, Yaya, are you still crying, because I'm still crying?"

"You were absolutely a mess," laughed Ayat as she handed her younger sister a cocktail. "I haven't seen you cry like that in ages."

"Not since we saw The Notebook at sleep away camp."

"Oh my goodness, Asmaa!" Ayat giggled. "Your eyes were so red people thought you had allergies."

Asmaa's friends start laughing.

"Asmaa, what!"

"Our lil' baby...typical as fuck."

"Sounds like you."

"Yeah," snorted Rory. "That sounds about right."

Asmaa damn near started screaming, "I literally started telling people I did actually have allergies, I was so embarrassed!"

"That," giggled Kezie, "also sounds like our baby girl."

"You let me lie!"

"What was I going to do?" Ayat laughed, "I was crying, too!"

"Barely," Lira snorted, "You were barely paying attention to the movie, Ayat."

She giggled, "What?"

"What?" Asmaa exclaimed, "Not you pretending to empathize with me!"

"I was so there!"

"But," Lira grinned slyly, "You and I were sitting together, remember?"

Ayat nodded, confused, "...And?"

"And," Lira lifted her own glass, "Were we really watching the movie, Yaya?"

Silence immediately fell over the group of women.

It's Charlie's low whistle that finally breaks the stillness.

"Well, shit."

Rory chuckled, ice clacking as she had stared into her own drink, "We love sleep away camp."

"I mean," Lira's grin widened. "We kinda do."

And Asmaa, for the moment, paused.

"Ayat," she turned to her sister, "do y—"

And just like that, doors opened to the ballroom.

It was time to eat.

Ayat pointed instantly in the direction, "Oh, look! Looks like the cocktail hour's over, yay! Ready for the reception?" She began dragging Asmaa towards the doors, "Introduce me to your boyfriend!"

"Okay, crazy," Asmaa snorted. "What's with you?"

"Yeah, Ayat," Lira intercepted, "What's with you?"

"Nothing!"

The other women dispersed, hurrying towards their tables.

"You told me you'd tell Asmaa before I—"

"Wait," Asmaa's heart began beating loudly, "Tell me what?"

"Nothing! Look, Asmaa, it's nothing."

"Ayat...?"

"Right, Ayat. Are you sure you don't have to tell your sister that we're—"

"Lira!" Ayat exclaimed, and now all of the eyes in the Gong Bar seem to be on them. "I said I'd do it! Will you just?"

"Fine," Lira snapped, her eyes hard. She took a few steps backwards, "You have tonight, Ayat."

"Lira," Ayat scoffed, "this is my sister. I'm not putting a time limit on—"

"And my cousin! Who will probably end up telling her before you do!"

"Guys!" Asmaa hissed, as the guests seem to murmur around them, filtering from the bar now into the space the official dinner and reception would be held. Her own friends had all walked away. "What's with the two of you tonight? What do you need to tell me?"

"Nothing," Ayat replied quickly, to which Lira rolled her eyes.

Asmaa lifted a brow, "Yaya...?"

"Asmaa," Ayat squeezed her hand, pleading now, "we're at a wedding. Can we do this later?" And the way Ayat was looking had Asmaa feeling very nervous.

Anxious, even.

"Yaya," she began, as her brain began to fire and thoughts flooded her mind about worst-case scenarios, "is everything okay...?"

"Yes. Yes," she implored. "And I don't need you worrying over nothing."

"If you're sure—"

"I am," she blurted. And Ayat sucked in a quick breath. "I am, Asmaa," she smiled, "I promise."

"Something's wrong with Ayat."

"Huh?" Rory looked up from the tables as she searched for their name cards.

"My sister," Asmaa whispered, trailing behind Rory and definitely not paying as much attention to table settings. "She's...I don't know, something's wrong."

"I mean," Rory chuckled, "she and Lira out here tryna cause a commotion in the bar...Can't take them nowhere."

"Right? Like, what in the world?"

"Hey," Rory shrugged, "I don't have a man, and this is why I start feeling hesitant about wanting one."

"What? Rory, what's that got to do with Ha—"

"Relationships, Asmaa," she laughed. "I mean, look at you! You and Zayn just went through that little period of," she waved her hand around, "y'know...of bullshit. It's just..." She sucked her teeth. "I dunno, they're probably beefin' about something. Typical shit."

"Wait," Asmaa blinked, "you're talking about my sister and Lira?"

"Uh, yeah," Rory laughed. "Who else would I be talking about—?"

"Ror! Asmaa!"

The two look up from their conversation to see Chikezie waving at them from one of the frontmost tables—one closest to the bride and grooms.

"Found you!"

"Damn," Rory muttered, grabbing Asmaa's hand and leading her across a dance floor to Desirée and Kezie and Minnie. "Blaire got us seated front row."

"We in VIP," whispered Minnie excitedly. "And all of y'all look," she lifts the "NIALL" name card next to hers, "at the cutie that I'm seated next to."

Chikezie laughed aloud. "I heard he asked to sit next to you."

She squealed, "No way!"

"Who told you that?" Rory snorted. "Lemme guess, his name begins with a "Ca-" and ends with an, "up Kezie's ass," am I right?"

"You can suck a dick."

"Whose?" Asmaa choked, "Harry's?"

"Asmaa."

"Good one, fam!"

"I mean, am I wrong? Ha, did I lie?"

"Y'all really gossip worse than me and Luke," Desi laughed.

"Not possible."

"Literally not at all, Des."

"Who are you talking about?" Minne laughed, "Kez and Calum or Rory and Ha--"

"Can't be me," Rory sang. "I ain't got no man."

"In theory or practice?"

"Wow, Asmaa. Thanks, girl. Thanks a lot. True friendship."

"You know I love you!"

"Believe it or not," Desirée laughed, "I was talking about Kez. Y'all the ones really be gossiping."

"The sign of a messy relationship."

"We don't!" Kezie croaked. "We so do not!"

"Anyway," Rory rolled her eyes as Kezie continued to giggle. "Can someone tell me why they placed us up here with the motherfucking groomsmen. Y'all, okay. I get it. But, me?" She looks around the ballroom. "I should've been at the table with Charlie and all the soccer players..."

And with that statement alone, all of Asmaa's worry about Ayat seemed to dissipate. "As if you'd want to be anywhere else."

"Right," Desirée snorted. "You'd throw a fit if Harry was sitting next to some other chick."

"And, um? Excuse me?" Kezie laughed, "Remember when you were all, "Imma fuck a groomsman?"

Minnie held up Harry's name card. "Seems like this is the groomsman you boutta fuck."

At this point, Asmaa couldn't help herself—all of a sudden she'd fell back into the easy pattern of having too much fun.

"...Again."

By the time the bridesmaids and groomsmen had all entered the ballroom Asmaa's worry about her sister had completely dissolved.

Gone.

Evaporated.

She'd gone back to giggling and joking with her friends again and watching the entire bridal party enter the ballroom and swooning at how good her man looked in his tuxedo.

He approached her as everyone took their seat for dinner.

"Heard you were seated next to me or something."

"Who'd you hear that from?" She had teased, watching as he and the other men at their table came to find their seats.

"Believe it or not," Zayn leaned to whisper in her ear, "I kinda planned this myself."

"Did you?"

"Pretty much."

"Really?" She feigned surprise, liking how he'd leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead as he pulled out his chair beside hers. "Figured it was just an accident. Coincidence."

"Y'know," he lowered his voice, "I am the best man."

"Really, now?"

Zayn winked, tongue in cheek, "Which means that you—"

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed, voice booming as he reached his seat—the one between Asmaa and Rory. "Hey, who put me between these two women!?"

He lifted his own name tag as guests all turn to stare at their table.

"Someone! Switch me now!"

Rory's got her face in her hands.

"Oh my god, Harry..."

"No take backs!" Called Louis from his table with Blaire and their families at the head of the ballroom.

"Your friends," she mouthed, as Asmaa, obviously amused, watched as Harry tossed his card back upon the table.

"Fuckin' clown," Niall laughed, chuckling with Zayn. The room is loud, now; guests all laughing.

"Someone..." Rory murmured, "get their mans."
Asmaa looked between Desi, Kezie, and Minnie...

Before they all cracked up laughing.

Asmaa was having fun.

Too much.

She loved love. She loved her friends. She loved her man. She loved his friends. She was eating up the coupley-ness of all the pairs at the table, and between Calum and Kezie's childhood stories and Luke's doting gaze on Desirée and Niall and Minnie hitting it off so well and Harry and Rory...well, with Harry and Rory acting like an old married couple it was literally making Asmaa's heart grow three sizes.

She was like the Grinch.

Her whole heart was like the Grinch.

"I'm like the Grinch."

Zayn damn hear choked on his mashed potatoes.

He turned immediately, reaching for his water. "Asmaa, what?"

"My heart is growing," she had laughed, as he had laughed back at her gigantic smile and adorable giggle, "My heart is literally growing three sizes right now."

He chuckled as the words settled and he understood what his girlfriend was getting at, "You're..." He shook his head, "You're absurd, y'know."

"That," she had laughed, "I think I do."

And she had winked at him, "Just like the Grinch, Zayn. Just like the Grinch."

He choked on his water.

"You."

Harry chuckled, sighing deeply, as he slung an arm over the back of the chair beside him, "You," his eyelids lowered fondly, "you see me up there today?"

"Like you weren't literally beside the groom?" Rory snorted, "I did, in fact, see you."

"I know," he grinned cheekily. "Question's rhetorical. You could barely take your eyes off me."

"These two really need to get a room," Asmaa whispered to Zayn.

"Oh," he rolled his eyes after he finally caught his breath. "They still playin' around with each other? He fancies her, y'know."

"Literally so obvious."

"So obvious."

"So obvious."

Zayn grinned, pausing for a moment to smile at the woman beside him.

He shook his head, teeth grazing the bottom of his lip.

And Asmaa allowed those butterflies back in her stomach, because Zayn just did that to her. He just had this way of making her feel like the most beautiful freaking girl in the entire freaking world.

With clothes or without.

When she wasn't mad at him.

But, that was couple shit, wasn't it? She couldn't be enamored with him all the time, could she? All couples had to go through their growing periods, right? It was only normal, yes?

Asmaa looked back around the table, now. And like, how fortunate was she? How incredibly wonderful was it to see her friends growing in similar directions. How lucky was she to have stumbled upon this group of women?

And here she was now.

At a whole wedding.

"Hey!" And the lights have dimmed and Minnie is clapping now, pointing to the front of the room, where the bride and the groom have now stepped onto the ballroom floor. She squealed, "Time for the first dance!"

As time passes and the festivities continued, at this point in the night, Asmaa was like, glowing.

The deejay was playing and everyone had stepped onto the dance floor and the night was lit and everyone was having such a great time.

It blew her mind how fast time flew, because before they knew it they were about ten minutes from the new year.

Asmaa was literally radiating happiness and Rory couldn't help but roll her eyes and laugh at the sight of her roommate turned coworker turned bestie as she beamed and gushed at the sight of literally everything at this goddamn wedding.

It was beautiful though.

And she stared around the ballroom at her friends in all of their relationships and thought how deeply wonderful it could be to be in a relationship with someone who really gave a fuck. Who really wanted to build. Who really wanted to merge lifestyles and do all that hard work along with the Instagram shit. Like, Rory nodded, as everyone danced and laughed and drank and she took a break in heels, that could be pretty damn special.

"What're you thinking about?"

"Weddings," she jumped, laughing as she noticed the groomsman beside her.

"Yours, or," he had motioned towards the newlyweds, "theirs?"

"Weddings in like...a general sense," she had grinned. "Don't really think I gave too much thought about my own until now, for real."

"You've never thought about this?" Harry scratched his chin, "I figured all women had planned out their weddings in their mind."

"I," Rory shrugged, "I don't know if I ever really thought I'd get married."

"Y'don't want that? Kids? The whole thing?"

"I mean," she had shrugged again, "my life had pretty much always revolved around school and my career," she said honestly, surprising herself actually to hear it admitted out loud. "I worked really hard to get to where I am now, so I could afford my lifestyle."

"Two incomes seem better than one."

"I mean..."

He had a point.

"Besides," Harry added, "you never answered my question about kids."

"I barely ever considered having a real man," she laughed. "Why would I get to kids?"

"Because you secretly want them."

"I secretly want a lot of things, Harry."

"Like what?"

"What do you mean?"

He had chuckled, rolling his eyes, "What do you secretly want, Rory?"

She had snorted. "I told you, a lot of things."

"Believe it or not," he had replied, "I genuinely care to hear what those things are."

"Now, though?" She lifted a glass of whatever she had been drinking. "Can we not?"

Something about this gesture caught him off guard, and he laughed that little high-pitched giggle of his that she secretly enjoyed.

"If you promise to tell me about these secret things later."

She's taken to the first time he slept over and they didn't hook up. The first time he laid with her without it being completely sexual.

She pursed her lips, "You'll forget we had this conversation in the morning."

"Doubt that, highly."

"And what makes you so sure?"

"Can't forget if you wake up with me."

And Rory opened her mouth to reply when, he stood, offering his hand. 

"Y'know," he nodded, as she rose to her feet, "there are things I secretly want, too."

She hiked a brow, "Really, now?"

"Really," he stared across the dance floor, where everyone was having a wonderful time around the bride and groom. "A lot of those things I don't think I realized until lately."

Rory's interest was obviously piqued, and she opened her mouth to reply when, just like that, the deejay turned down the music.

"Alright, Fam! It's about that time!"

Asmaa looked around excitedly, watching as the wait staff from earlier brings out not only champagne, but party favors like kazoos and confetti poppers.

"I need everyone to grab at the gifts, right! Because we didn't make it this far not to celebrate! But listen up, see, 'cause we've got one final message before we get this party started in a new year."

Asmaa squeezed Zayn excitedly.

"So, I'm gonna keep this short, right," Louis began, after the deejay passed him the microphone and everyone grabbed their drinks and party trinkets. "I don't know how to thank you all for being here, for showing me and this beautiful woman on my arm so much love, and for doing it on your last day of this year."

He shook his head, "So this toast is for you. It's a gigantic thank you to the people who've chosen to celebrate the best thing that's ever happened to me," he grinned lovingly at the woman on his arm, "To our families, to our mates...on behalf of me and my wife," the whole room erupted, "I say let's ring in this fuckin' New Year the right way, shall we?"

The countdown was on.

And with champagne and confetti in hand, Asmaa found herself on the ballroom floor beside Kezie and Calum and Zayn.

"Guess what?" She heard Calum whisper into Kezie's ear.

"What?"

"This is our first New Year's kiss," and he had winked, "as a couple."

Asmaa swooned, just as the deejay blared into the microphone, "One minute left!"

Zayn laughed, "Asmaa, please. Your Grinch is showing."

She laughed aloud. "Okay, okay! But, Zayn. Please. My heart."

And he ducked his head, laughing. "C'mere, you," he said, pulling her into him with his free hand.

She grinned up at him, eyes bright with happiness.

"Can I tell you," he sighed, staring down at her, "since the day I met you, I have not been able to imagine my life without you in it?"

"Thirty seconds!"

She melted. "Are you serious, Zayn Malik?"

"So serious. So serious," he bit his lip, "Remember our tourist date?"

"Couldn't forget if I tried," she giggled. "We had so much fun that day."

"So much fun," he grinned. "I said to myself that day that I had to see you again. Spent that whole day smiling to myself."

"Ten seconds!"

"Zayn..." Asmaa shook her head. "You're so the sweetest, most incredible boyfriend I could—"

"...four...three...two...Happy New Year!"

And Asmaa felt an immediate rush of warmth as Zayn's grip tightened around her waist and she was pulled into his chest.

He licked his lips, "Happy New Year," he said in a way that has her stomach suddenly on fire. "Here's to us."

"Happy New Year," she replied smartly, enjoying the fact that she'd never been able to say that to her man on the New Year since she'd never had a man to kiss on the New Year.

And Zayn's lips closed around hers.

Asmaa sighed happily. She loved those lips.

And she loved the feeling of his hand on her waist against that silk dress and she loved that this was her man and she loved that this had been a journey that they'd successfully navigated up until this point; this wedding.

And they were both excited for more.

And she was buzzing on a high as she pulled away from her man, staring into coffee-colored eyes that were simply devouring her.

She opened her mouth to say something seductive and remind him of her Phoenix alter-ego when Asmaa nearly choked on the air in the ballroom and died at the sight of her sister across the ballroom—her arms around Lira's shoulders as two women passionately made out in the darkness.

Asmaa's mouth parted into an 'o.'

Zayn frowned.

"Asmaa," he chuckled, obviously confused. "What's got you...?"

She took his cheeks in her hand, the action silencing him, his lips puckering as she simply turned his head and together they faced her older sister.

He blinked, "Whoa."

And before Asmaa could speak or mirror her boyfriend's shock, Ayat looked up from Lira, that smile of hers falling into a frown as the two women turned and all four of them locked eyes.

From across the dimly lit room, Ayat could clearly see her sister mouth, "Fuck."

____

Been locked out of this account so damm long I never thought I would see this story again 

Hiiiii for everyone still reading  I promise I'm gonna finish this! <3