"You get the invitation?"

Zayn shakes his head. He's just got home and there's a ton of voices and his mates are literally all standing around in his kitchen.

"You talk to him?"

"Fuck no I haven't talked to him, have you?"

"Yeah, actual--"

"Yeah? Whaddaya mean, yeah, Ni?"

"I mean, yeah, Hazza," Niall chuckles, as Zayn tiredly enters the scene. "I mean exactly what I've just said--Zayn!"

"Zayn," Harry begins, "Ni talked to Lou."

Zayn blinks. He should've spent the night at Asmaa's. "What?"

"'Zactly what I'm saying."

"He called," Niall shrugs. "Called me while I was at work. Heard he talked to Luke and Ash, too. He wants us to come to the wedding."

"Fuckin' hell--"

"Wait wait wait," Harry holds out his hands, "That's not even all," he nods, folding his arms across his chest, "Tell 'im the rest, Ni."

"I bloody would if you would quit interrupting, Haz!"

"This is fucking huge! Okay? When's the last time any of us spoke to him?"

"Today if you'd let me get a fucking word in!"

"Just tell the goddamn story!" Zayn interrupts. Mention 'Louis' and emotions were bound to run high. So for the sake of Zayn's own sanity, he needed to hear this shit now, or never. "Fuck."

Niall sighs, exhaling loudly. "Got a call today at work and it was Lou. S'not like I haven't talked to him since...y'know, so I answered. He said he's getting married, which we all knew, and he's moving up the wedding since his mom's not doing too hot, yeah? Said they didn't know how long she had so he definitely wanted her to be at the wedding.

"Anyway," Niall continues, "he asked if we'd be there. Said the dates been changed from sometime in March to New Year's Eve. Said we hadn't received invitations before 'cause, well...y'know how things ended, and he wasn't sure we'd even show, but now...Well, now things are different."

Zayn snorts, "How different?" He mutters, reaching into the refrigerator, grabbing three beers and sliding them towards his friends.

Harry grabs his bottle, tipping it towards Niall, "S'not even the end, Zayn."

"What?"

Niall nods, popping the cap on his bottle. "Said things are different now, with his mom not doing well, and," he shrugs, "he wants us to be in the wedding, too. Said he wanted to do things properly. Wanted us to be his groomsmen."

Zayn chokes on his beer. "The fuck?"

"Groomsmen," nods Harry. "Now you see."

"Groomsmen? Like, actually in the wedding, yeah? Fucking mental."

"Right," Harry says. "Exactly what I said."

"C'mon guys," says Niall. "Did you hear what I said? His mom's not doing well," he shakes his head, "The least we can do is show up to his wedding."

"Yeah, but like..." Zayn sucks his teeth, "All this without a call. S'cool and all that he spoke to you, but have I received the same courtesy? Think it would be nice for me to hear this information all first hand?"

"I'm sure he's gonna reach out, Zayn."

"Sure he is, Ni," Zayn nods, garnering a laugh from Harry. "Sure he is."

__

It's nearly nine at night when Kezie finally gets off the Tube and makes the short walk from the station towards her flat.

It's been a long Monday, and Kezie really wanted to go to bed, but with Blaire's wedding coming up so soon she knew she had to do something...like eat a salad or run on a treadmill or something.

Anything.

Because lately, if it weren't for the fact that she was naked and pole-dancing all the time at work, her eating habits had been shit. She'd been up late and drinking when she was at work and up late and working when she was at school, and her sleep schedule was a literal mess and she'd been eating take-away for the most part and the hamburgers and Chinese food and wine weren't a great mix when she wanted to look hot and catch one of the rich men bound to show up to this wedding.

And Kezie's reaching for her keys as her building grows nearer when she hears the car pull up beside her.

She turns.

"Get in the car, loser. We're going shopping."

She laughs purely out of shock, finding herself walking towards the car. "You're such a weirdo--You were always obsessed with that movie."

Calum laughs, shrugging. "That movie's kick-ass. So fetch."

"Bye," Kezie grins, and Calum bursts into laughter. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Came to make your day, of course," Calum grins. "Figured you'd be getting home about now."

"What're you doing memorizing my schedule, fam?"

"Trying to find a time for you to pencil me in," he replies. And he looks her up and down. "Go change, Kez. We're going to Hyde Park."

"Excuse me? For what?"

"Let's blow off some steam."

Her eyebrow raises sharply. "Um, excuse me again? How?"

"Kezie, Kezie," he tsks, shaking his head. "I've got a football in the trunk. Now, go find some trainers. You owe me a game."

__

"Mum wants to visit."

Asmaa nearly chokes on the caffeine she's sipping on, as she tries to power through her homework this late at night before her man comes over.

"Mum?"

"Exactly," Ayat hums. It's the first phone call she's had with her sister in a while, but who's noticed?

Ayat.

"But," Ayat continues, "because I'm the very best, I saved you."

"Saved me how, Yaya?"

"Said I'd come check on you instead so she didn't have to."

"That's supposed to be better?"

"Ha ha," Ayat replies. "Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha."

Asmaa snorts absentmindedly, as she skims through a brief.

"So, anyway, I wanted to ask you what was the best time for me to come down, anyway. I was thinking like, a holiday so we could spend some real time? When we're both off of school, right?Maybe the New Year--"

"I, uh..." She types on her new laptop, the one she's just bought with her Phoenix money, "I'll be at a wedding. For the new year, I mean."

"A wed—I really have to come down, now!" Ayat exclaims, "Who are these friends of yours getting married? Who are your friends, As? Are they all lawyers? You meet them at King's?"

"Um..." Again, Asmaa is barely listening, "Something like that."

"Asmaa! I cannot believe this. I refuse to let this much time pass again without us talking! I am literally going to just drop in, now. I know of nothing going on in your life!"

"And I know of nothing in yours," Asmaa counters. "How are you, Yaya?" She looks up from her work, "How's Paris?"

"Amazing," comes a sigh. "And, I'm really glad we're visiting London now because there's something I have to tell you. It's....it's not exactly for the phone."

"We?" Asmaa sits up, the thoughts she'd once had swirling about her sister sans hijab now completely gone. "Who is we, Ayat?"

"It's me and Lira," she replies. "She wants to come see Rory, too...if that's okay?"

"I mean," Asmaa didn't really know the answer to that question, especially because Rory was not about her cousin finding out about Phoenix, "It's fine I guess, just...We stay together, now. And I don't know if there's space here for both of you..."

"Wait, what?!" Ayat is really very close to screaming her ear off. "You and Rory are roommates?"

"Yeah..." Asmaa chuckles warily. "I didn't tell you?"

"No, Asmaa," Ayat replies. "No...You did not."

"Ha--Whoops."

"I can't believe this, Asmaa. Seriously," Ayat says. "And I don't know if I should be offended that we haven't spoken, or if I should just drop in regularly 'cause we have no excuse not to know what's going on in the other's life."

__

Kezie is breathing hard, the cold air hitting her face as she drives downfield, football between her feet as her long stride carries her towards Calum, who's run into his goal.

"Still think you've got it, Kez?" He calls, teasing her as she approaches. He knew good and well she still 'had' it. "Think you might've slowed down a bit, babe."

She snorts, pausing only momentarily as she drills the ball towards him, sending it flying over his head and into the goal.

"Still think I got it," she replies, laughing as Calum makes a futile lunge for the ball, diving to the grass.

"You might actually," he laughs, rising to his feet with the ball. "But, whatever. You didn't hear that from me."

"Uh-huh, goodbye."

He's laughing, the ball tucked beneath his arm. "Hey," he calls, "S'been a long time since you did this with me."

"You used to have us playing football like, every day after classes, man."

"Honestly," he shrugs, "I was avoiding schoolwork, mostly."

"Of course you were," Chikezie grins, "Probably should've guessed that back then."

"What can I say? Procrastinating's best with friends."

Kezie laughs aloud again, her giggles echoing in the quiet, still air. "True," and she looks around, "Which is why you've got me out here avoiding my responsibilities."

"Never," he replies, chuckling softly. "If you had to work tonight you wouldn'tve come."

"True," she nods. "And you avoid that place like the plague."

He groans, "As you should."

"Back on this, huh?" She asks, shaking her head as she places both hands on her hips, "Literally, Phoenix is the easiest part of my day, man."

His disbelief is visible.

"Don't believe it."

"'Course you don't," she snorts. "That doesn't make it less of the truth."

"Right," he scoffs. "Because being oversexualized at a strip club is just so easy. Right."

"Well," she shrugs, "you pick your poison."

He sighs, "You make it sound so casual, Kezie."

"Hate to sound so nonchalant, but in classes at King's, I'm one of few women and the only black woman," she breathes in deeply. "I'm oversexualized and overfetishized everywhere, Calum. No matter what the hell I'm doing. It's just that in class, people think I can't be smart enough to be a cardiologist. I can't be smart enough to be a doctor. And all the little snide comments and shit really fucking wears on me sometimes. In Phoenix, I must need saving or I must want to fuck, and that's annoying too, but I'm not the only black girl there and I have a lot of support, from the girls to the bouncers; I know I'm taken care of if someone steps out of line."

"Damn it, Kez," and he scowls, "who the fuck's talking to you like that at King's?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Kind of does, actually," he bites, his glare vicious, "I had no—I never knew any of this shit, Kez."

"Of course you didn't. Why would you?"

"'Cause you've never told me that. Why haven't you said any of that before?"

"This is the first time we've ever had a regular conversation about it," she shrugs. "One where you're not yelling and judgemental."

"I'm not..." He runs both hands across his face. "Look," he sighs, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm not looking for an apology."

"But, I owe you one. 'Cause you're right, I am...weird when it comes to Phoenix, s'just--"

"What? Weird? When it comes to Phoenix?" She snorts. "You don't say?"

"Ha ha," he deadpans. "Kez.." he rises from his bent-over stance to throw his fists onto his waist. "Jesus Christ, Chikezie."

"Look," she shakes her head, "I should really be getting home. Y'know," she hikes a thumb over her shoulder, "homework time."

"That type of shit just," he shakes his head, "it bothers me, okay?" He strides towards her, teeth ground together, "That's really pissing me off. A lot."

"What? My homework?"

He doesn't crack a smile. "No, the fact that you're going through your day and not telling me about these things. Sexism? Racism? All that shit is the reason I don't want you at Phoenix and you're experiencing it at King's, too? Kez, I'm..." he laughs an exasperated laugh, "I can't fucking believe you—"

"Me?"

"Yes, you! Because I'm here, Kez!" He holds out his free arm, "I'm right here and I've always been and you choose now to keep real shit like this to yourself?"

"I'm not a kid anymore," she reminds him. "And it's been a long time since we were in school together."

"I don't give a fuck. You're always gonna be my Kezie. That'll never change."

And Kezie can't help that those words really fuck her up because they do. She turns, not meeting his gaze because she's blown away that he's even said the words he's said.

But, then again, he could just mean it in that platonic-friendship-way he always meant it.

Until he hits her with: "Hey, Kez?"

It snaps her from her trance. "Yeah?"

"Look, I'm not trying to fight with you. I'm not. And I'm not mad at you I just..." he breathes out a long sigh, angling his face towards the sky, "People are fucked up and I hate it and there's probably nothing I can do in a lot of situations but mostly, I've known you too long to just," he runs his hands through his hair, "to not give a shit."

And he pauses, shrugging. "Sorry."

"Yeah," she turns away. "It's fine."

"Why do you look like it's not, though?"

"Because..." and for a second she hesitates. She's aware of him coming closer, but her mind is racing because does she tell him now that she's caught feelings? That these words are making her fall just that much deeper? That he really needed to leave her alone if he wanted to remain friends?

But he was attracted to her.

He thought she was beautiful; he thought she was fit...and he cared about her, too. Right?

He had to. He couldn't just feel nothing, could he?

He's right in front of her, now, and he's got that confused, concerned look on his face.

"Kezie?"

"For a second," she says softly, "it almost sounded like you liked me."

He laughs in response. "'Cause I do."

"Obviously you like me," she snaps, rolling her eyes, "I mean like you like—"

And instead of a reply, there are two plump, soft lips pressed to hers, a large hand gripping her waist. Kezie blinks, she's truly in awe, completely surprised by this moment that lasts all of 1.5 seconds before Calum has pulled away.

"I know, Kez," he says, grinning. "I know what you meant."

__

"Tired, babe?"

"Extremely."

"Same."

Zayn falls into the fluffy pillows upon Asmaa's bed, laying beside her little body as she sits hunched over her laptop screen. He's always at hers, now, since Rory was working so hard for her "wedding body" as she called it and Zayn was "really regretting giving his friends keys to his place," he said each time she asked him about his flat.

"Today was a fucking trip."

"I'll say," she mutters, eyes on the screen. "And now my sister's coming to visit--"

"I thought you two were close?"

"We are, but..." Asmaa sighs, "She doesn't know about Phoenix, and quite frankly, I've got no idea how to possibly tell her."

Zayn stares up at her, his arm beneath his head. "She's your sister, Asmaa."

"Right—We're close but, Zayn," she laughs, "I'm a stripper, now. What would you do if your baby sister surprised you with that news?"

At that, he laughs.

"I'm serious."

"I know you are," he replies. "And I'd kill her. Next question," he replies, to which she throws her head back, laughing aloud.

"See?"

"Point taken," he nods. "Sometimes I forget you're even at Phoenix 'cause you ignore me so often for this fucking homework you always have."

"I do not ignore you."

"Purposefully," he clarifies. And he reaches out, tugging on the band of her tights. "Y'know, I thought the purpose of having a girlfriend was to like, hang out with her."

"But, anyway," she turns, facing him and smiling cutely, "I've kinda got a favor to ask you."

"Oh shit."

"Nothing bad, nothing bad," she chuckles throatily. "I just kind of wanted to know if you wouldn't mind going to a wedding with me."

He lifts a brow. "A wedding?"

"A wedding," she nods, nibbling on her bottom lip. "That's not too crazy, right? That's not like, moving too fast is it?"

He laughs, "Too fast?"

"Yeah..." she shakes her head, gauging his reaction. "It's not, is it? To go to a wedding together? I've never had a boyfriend so this is all new to me."

He shakes his head, tongue in his cheek as his eyes sparkle with laughter. "No," he shakes his head again, "it's not moving too fast."

"Okay," and he lets out a little high-pitched laugh as Asmaa breathes out an actual sigh of relief. "Good, then. Phew."

He giggles.

"Stop laughing at me."

"Why?" He sits up, scooting on the bed to press himself against her, "You're like, so cute, Asmaa, I swear."

"Whatever. You're lying."

"Am not," he kisses her neck, smiling as her skin reacts with goosebumps. "You're the cutest."

"I don't wanna be cute," she replies absentmindedly, eyes on her screen as she tap-tap-taps in her keyboard, pounding out this brief. "I wanna be sexy."

"Channel Gold Starr."

That makes her pause, and she's fighting a grin as he smiles back at her, shrugging cheekily.

He laughs again. "Wanna kiss?"

"No," she turns back to her screen.

"Please? Please, babe?"

"Not giving in..."

"Not even to babe?" He scoffs playfully. "Okay, like...what's Starr done to Asmaa?"

She laughs again. "Zayn," she sighs, "stop, please? I'm trying to finish, okay? It's like all the free time I've got is being consumed by something. If it's not one thing it's another, just like this wedding."

"Okay," he surrenders, "M'sorry, love. I'll be good."

She stares at him.

"Promise!" He laughs. "Besides, your wedding's the excuse I need not to go to mine."

She laughs, turning back to her brief. "You've got a wedding I don't know about?"

"A friend—an ex-friend's," He clarifies. And Asmaa turns, watching as he shrugs nonchalantly, poking out his lip in a way that suggests immediately to her that this ex-friendship meant more to Zayn than he'd like to admit. "He's getting married," and he snorts, "Wants me to be a groomsman, too—"

"Zayn, that's huge."

He turns to her, his eyes hard, "Maybe. I wouldn't know, really."

"How, if he's inviting you to be a part of his wedding?"

"Because he hasn't actually invited me to anything," he bites. "Heard he wanted me in the wedding through a mutual friend," he frowns. "I didn't actually receive an invitation."

Asmaa states at the man on her bed and decides now is a good stopping point in her homework—this is obviously not the time for her to get things done, damn it.

At least she's nearly finished.

She closes the top of her laptop and pushes her things to the end of her bed, crawling on her knees towards him.

"Zayn?"

He licks his lips, leaning back against her pillows, holding out his arms to her. "Yeah?"

She sits between his legs, leaning against his chest. "Do you wanna talk about it? This friend, I mean," she says. And she feels his pulse increase beneath her and places her hand on his chest, her fingers playing with the buttons on his shirt, "Because it sounds like he meant a lot to you, and whatever happened, whatever got between you—"

"A girl."

"A girl?"

"It was a girl," he shakes his head, hands playing with the bottom of her shirt, "that got between us, yeah? I didn't date her or anything," he says quickly. "I barely knew her, s'just..."

He sucks hard on his bottom lip.

"S'just," he sighs, chest rising and falling deeply beneath Asmaa's head. "S'just that she tore us all apart."
____

skrrrttttttt
zayn boutta tell Asmaa about his friend ayat's coming to visit Asmaa But does Asmaa know when? Are Kez and Calum's a thing what is thisssss

ooop !!!

Comment and vote y'all look at me not making y'all wait that long for updates yasss me go me Lmaoo