"Have you heard this album?"

Zayn shakes his head as he lies across Zhuri's couch. "Who is it?"

"His name is," she pauses, reading her phone as she plays music through the speakers, "Amir Obe," she grins. "You like?"

Zayn nods to the pulsing beat, staring at Zhuri as she sits at his feet, her laptop open, papers and notes surrounding her. "This is..." He grins, "this is really good."

"Yeah?" She looks up.

He nods.

"It reminded me of you," she says. "When I first heard it."

He sits up. "Oh yeah?"

She hums. "Sounds like something you could sing."

He scoffs, rolling his eyes. "I don't sing, Zhuri."

"Yeah. Okay. Keep telling yourself that."

"It's true, though. Thanks, babe."

"Zayn, your voice makes angels cry. I don't get it," she tucks her feet beneath her, "You've got a gift. If I could sing, I swear I'd never shut up."

He eyes her curiously, "What's changed then?"

She throws a wad of crumpled paper his way. He laughs, evading it easily.

"Fuck you."

"I swear," he sits up a bit, "that's the only reason you like me."

Zhuri laughs aloud. "It's not!"

"You lie!"

Zhuri laughs again. "You're so corny."

"One of the many traits you love about me," Zayn replies, repositioning himself so that his head is against her crossed legs. More comfortable now, he's closing his eyes and leaning back against the couch.

"One of few. Maybe a couple. Maybe it's the only thing I like about you."

He snorts, "Yeah right."

"We'll have to agree to disagree."

It's another 'doctor day.'

Or, that's what Zhuri's come to call it each time Justin has to take out Imani and tote around Zayn, leaving her with him as the two soon-to-be-parents do what they have to do to get ready for the baby.

Today, Zhuri's got a story to write for an approaching deadline, and she's got notes and things to prepare but she's also got Zayn, who has to wait for Justin to be finished in order to get home.

"I've decided," she says, glasses at the bridge of her nose, eyes on her screen, sitting cross legged at his feet, "that you need your license."

"Yeah, says you and everyone else."

"Look," Zhuri begins, "I can teach you to drive."

"Um. Sure, Zhu. Sure."

"What? I'm serious!"

Zayn peers up at her beneath a furrowed, skeptical brow.

"Hey! Shut up, I'm a great driver!"

"Didn't say you weren't," he replies, "But, no offense, love, but you're not exactly the most patient person in the world."

"And you're stubborn," she retorts, "So this should be fun."

Zayn rolls his eyes. "What car're you gonna teach me in, eh? Imani's got it most days."

"And that's why I've decided to listen to my brother and let him help me pick out a car of my own," she beams. "So maybe it's time for you to listen to me. Good. It's settled."

Zayn continues to stare at her. "Why?"

Zhuri looks from her computer. "Why, what?"

"Why're you gonna help me?" He shrugs. He's got to ask. "Why're you being nice?"

"Because--"

He lifts a brow. "Because?"

Imani.

"Stop talking to Blake. Zayn likes you. Give him a shot, Zhu."

"I'm not talking to Blake."

She wasn't. The boy had texted her a day ago and she hasn't answered.

That was growth, thought Zhuri.

"Whatever. Just," she had rubbed her growing belly, "do it for your new niece or nephew."

"Imani," she'd whined though, "but...but, Zayn isn't--"

"Black?" Imani lifted a brow. "Neither is Justin, Zhu."

"I know, but--"

"But, your perfect life won't be ruined if you go for the guy that cares about you, Zhu. What's wrong with fucking with someone who fucks with you?"

"I--" she had her there. "I just want everybody to like him. At home, I mean. C'mon, Imani. You know what people will say if I bring Zayn back to where we're from."

"They'll be happy that you got a man that ain't shit like Blake--"

"Can we stop bringing him up?" She exclaims. "Please?"

"Maybe when you stop bringing him around--"

"I'm not taking to Blake, Imani!"

She humphs, rubbing at her growing belly. "Your niece or nephew doesn't agree with you," she states. "And neither do I."

Zhuri rolls her eyes. "Whatever," she says. "Look, Zayn and I are gonna be whatever we're gonna be, and if we're supposed to stay friends--"

"Friendship is the first step to a relationship..."

"Then that's what we'll be," she finishes. "If we're meant to be more, then--"

"Then?"

"Then," Zhuri shrugs, "we'll see. We're chilling, Mani."

"Because you like him."

"Because I--" Zhuri falters. She can't help but scowl at her twin's smug face. "I'm just trying to figure out me."

"Because?"

"Because I'm always nice to you," she replies, sticking out her tongue at the man on her couch. "You're welcome."

"You're mostly nice when it's convenient," Zayn chuckles. "So I've gotta ask..."

Zhuri shakes her head. "Because for some reason, I like you," she replies, and at the sight of his bright eyed stare and slight smile, Zhuri almost wants to kiss his stupid face.

He's got a half-smile playing at the corner of his lips. "You fucking with me, Zhu?"

"Not really."

And before Zayn can question her more about her feelings, she clears her throat. "My nana used to say, the only way to finish something was to get started," she motions to herself. "This is me helping you get started!"

And Zayn stares up at her, eyebrows pulling in the middle.

"Oh my god," she groans, "what now?"

"Nothing, I--" He shakes his head. "Nothing. Was dumb, really."

"Wait, no," she reaches out to trace the lines on his forehead with the pad of her finger, "You gotta say it now, Zayn."

She feels him tense. "Just gonna say," he mutters, "that I'd like to meet your grandma."

"What?"

"Yeah, like, that's your nana, isn't it?"

Zhuri nods.

"Like," he continues quickly, "you're always on about her, and it's nice. It's just, really nice. You seem close," he rambles, "I used to be close like that to my grandfather," he says, "before he died and all..."

"I'm sorry," Zhuri replies softly. "About your grandad I mean."

He shrugs, but Zhuri can tell he's upset.

"You're right, though," she continues, "I'm real close with her, my nana."

"Yeah?" He sighs.

"We're a lot alike. I'm just...We used to spend a lot of time together before I came out here."

He nods, and Zhuri is grateful that he doesn't push for more information.

"She's been sick, though."

And she says the words and screws her eyes shut. Why'd she say that!? She's not looking for a pity party, especially from Zayn. She's not. But it's been bothering her a lot lately. Sure, people got old, but her nana was the strongest person she knew. She was the matriarch of their family. She was everything to them and with her being sick? It threw everything off. It fucked up the balance of things. Her nana shouldn't have been living in their house, being cared for by her mom and dad. She should be in her own place, tending to her garden and cleaning to her liking and feeding her fish just as she always did.

Always.

"I'm sorry to hear that, love. Really. I am."

"Me too," she replies. She clears her throat. "Sorry to say it."

Zayn shifts forward on the couch. He sits upright, scooting towards her and throwing his arm around her shoulder. He rubs her arm, pulling her against him.

And Zhuri doesn't complain.

She welcomes the embrace, actually, falling against him as the music continues to play.

"Believe me," he begins, "I understand how you're feeling."

Zhuri nods against him, his heartbeat in her ears. "I believe you."

"I'm here, babe. I'm here for you whenever you need to talk."

"I believe that, too."

__

"Monday?" Zhuri asks as Zayn and Justin get ready to leave her and her sister.

"Monday?"

"Driving lessons," she grins. "I'll have my car by then, and these two'll be doing mommy daddy things."

"That sounds awfully sexual," Zayn laughs. "But, okay."

"Yay!"

"How could I say no to that face, yeah?" He grins. And Zhuri only groans, throwing her arms around him for his goodbye hug.

"You're hilarious, Zayn."

"Love you too, Zhu."

"Whatever," she rolls her eyes, and then she rolls to her toes and plants a kiss on his lips.

It's a kiss like, like a first kiss. Like, it's gentle and swift and much like one a nervous child might give her crush, but Zhuri is nervous. They'd kissed billions of times, but lately, more and more does Zayn make her nervous.

She's got to chill with that.

She's got to chill with those emotions.

"Bye," she says, playing it off smoothly.

"Yeah. Uh. Bye, Zhu."

And he follows behind Justin to the car.

Zhuri watches from the window, waiting for that white Audi to pull from her curb.

Imani laughs from the couch. "You're like a dog," she calls. "Like you're gonna stand there until Zayn comes back."

Zhuri pushes herself from the window.

"Fuck you, Mani."

Imani bursts into laughter.
___

comment and vote! sorry this took ages. my computer broke again. :((