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The English Summer was at its zenith, the August sun unapologetically warm through the sheer bunny rabbit curtains. Liam could not believe his mum had insisted on bringing them along from his room in Wolverhampton. Some semblance of familiarity in a new place, Liam. You know that we all had to move with dad to Bradford for his promotion. The curtains are only until you can find new friends. Yeah, good luck with that Liam had thought sardonically, he was a magnet for bullies, and had no real friends, worth mentioning. With a defeated sigh, Liam buried his face into the soft pillow for a few moments before getting out of bed for his morning run.
Liam Payne was nearly 17, but took his work outs very seriously, especially after the horrendous rejection he had faced when no one turned up at his 16th birthday party. He had also taken up boxing, at the gentle yet firm urging of his family, to ward off the bullies. As a result, Liam had developed muscles he never knew he had, with washboard abs to die for. He was lean and muscular with a hidden strength that he wasn’t even aware of. His soft, brown, café au lait eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. He had lost all the baby fat over the past year and his face was angular with gorgeous plump naturally red lips. Liam had realised he liked boys more than girls when his one date with a girl (she probably took pity on the chubby-faced, curly-haired, quiet kid) when he was 15 ended in a veritable disaster. He had much preferred looking at their handsome, young waiter!
Liam didn’t know whether to be glad or not about their family’s move to Bradford. Of course, he was thrilled about his dad’s promotion. He was slightly apprehensive about the new school though. He was joining a week later than everyone else because of the move. He hoped and prayed, there wouldn’t be any bullies here. He was entering sixth form and was hoping to find at least one good friend. He was planning to appear for the football try-outs next week. He had heard about their strict but immensely talented captain Louis and was hoping to impress him.
The morning run always helped to calm Liam down and he showered quickly not wanting to be late on his first day at a new school. He grabbed a croissant from the table and rushed out after a quick peck on Karen’s cheek. The school was a 15-min walk from their home. As Liam walked past the parked motorbikes, a kid in a leather jacket, zoomed across on his motorcycle and parked a few feet away. He took off his helmet smoothly and tossed his gorgeous shoulder-length hair back, tousling it carelessly with his fingers. He grabbed his backpack, gracefully slinging it on one shoulder, and confidently walked into the school.
Liam stood mesmerised. He had only caught a glimpse of the boy’s side profile. His skin was light brown and his jawline was beautifully sharp and his cheekbones looked like they could cut glass. His eyelashes seemed to extend for inches though Liam couldn’t see the colour of his eyes. Liam shook himself from his daze wondering idly if he shared any classes with the gorgeous boy. He needed to rush if he didn’t want to be late for his first class, which was art. The bell rang just as he found his class, with the help of some tutor.
Liam entered his art class, anxiously looking for a quiet, empty corner. The class seemed to be full except for the far corner at the back with an occupied easel and an empty one beside it. He quickly shuffled in and hurried to the very same corner, dropping his art supplies on the ground behind the only empty easel. Liam then looked up with relief only to lose his breath. He was met with the sight of the very same tan-skinned, dark-haired boy, looking back at him curiously, with his amber-coloured doe eyes, with one perfectly-shaped eyebrow raised. Could he be any more gorgeous!
“I-I-I’m sorry, I’m n-new here. Is this seat ta-taken.” Liam stuttered nervously.
Oh boy! What a time to develop a friggin’ stutter he thought biting his lower lip nervously.
The beautiful boy chuckled and moved closer to Liam. He placed his hand on Liam’s shoulder, rubbing gently, “Chill mate, s’all good. What’s your name?”
“Liam” he answered gratefully. Well, at least this beautiful boy seemed kind. He felt a delicious shiver down his spine at the gentle hand on his shoulder.
“I’m Zayn, you can sit here, right next to me, Liam.” Zayn responded with a firm pat on his shoulder and a wink and moved back to his seat as the Art teacher entered their class.
Five months later
Liam rushed out of the dressing room after his shower and rushed to the parking area. Their team had won the game against the visitors (a neighbouring school) and Liam and Louis (now best friends) had scored one goal each.
He screeched to a halt in front of the boy seated casually on his bike, reading a book. Liam wrapped an arm around his best mate Zayn and apologised,
“Sorry Zee, I showered as quickly as I could. Are we late for the movie?”
“Chill babe, we’ll make it. Here’s your helmet. Now, hop on and hold tight.”
Liam wrapped both arms around his waist and clung to Zayn happily as they rode off to see the Avengers. He felt the familiar warm tingle every time Zayn called him ‘babe’. He wished things were different and that they were more than just best mates. However, Liam was too nervous to do anything about it in fear of ruining their friendship. The boys had turned out to have very similar interests in art, music, and movies. The only difference was Zayn’s disinterest in football (or any sport for that matter that didn’t involve a joystick) despite his best friends Louis and Liam being the school’s star footie players. He however, liked to hang around during practice just to surreptitiously eye Liam in his football shorts and clingy jersey, all in the pretext of waiting to give him a ride home, as they both lived 15 mins from school, in the same neighbourhood. He would always sit with his sketch book, trying to capture the beautiful, brown eyes and pink, plump lips on paper. No Louis, you can’t see it, s’private.
Zayn and Liam did practically everything together, going to school and back, studying, watching TV, chilling. They were inseparable after only a few weeks of meeting each other. Zayn was fiercely possessive of his friendship with Liam. Liam of course, attracted plenty of attention from the girls and boys in his school, being the star player and all, but he seemed disinterested in anything more than friendship, much to Zayn’s delight. Louis relentlessly teased the boys’ need for each other, with their constant need to cuddle. They hung out quite often with Louis’ boyfriend Harry from the neighbouring school. They were openly touchy and refused to change just because Louis teased them.
Later that night after an exciting movie and a pizza, Zayn dropped off Liam at his place with a tight hug.
Liam hated for the night to end and quickly asked, “Wanna sleep over tonight? No school tomorrow. You can borrow my clothes as always.”
“Whoa, slow down, Leeyum. Lemme just call my mum, yeah.”
After a quick call, the boys stumbled up the stairs, all the way to Liam’s room, still talking animatedly about the movie.
Liam went to the bathroom to change, not before pointing to his cupboard, saying, “Help yourself Zee. You know where everything is.”
Zayn grinned back and an idea struck him at the sight of Liam’s retreating muscular back. Maybe he could prepone his plan by a week. After all it was already the end of January.
He rummaged around in Liam’s clothes until he found what he was looking for and quickly changed.
Liam came out in his blue footie shorts and a white tank top and stopped short at the sight that greeted him. He was used to seeing Zayn in his clothes, so many of them disappearing permanently to Zayn’s cupboard, but this was the first time, Zayn had picked out Liam’s football jersey. He wore a pair of Liam’s grey joggers, with the jersey quite big on his slender frame, slipping slightly off one shoulder. He sat cross-legged in the middle of Liam’s bed, looking gorgeous. Liam took a deep breath and looked at Zayn who gazed at him innocently.
“Is this ok Li?”
Liam gulped visibly and nodded his head and jumped on to the bed, trying not to let his true feelings show. How many times he had wanted to mark his territory with Zayn and show him off. He had wanted to ask if Zayn would wear his jersey for his major games but always felt too shy or scared. Right now, seeing Zayn like this, in his room, on his bed, wearing his jersey, with the name LIAM embroidered to the back, was causing Liam’s heart to do double time.
Zayn moved back to lean against the headboard, feet stretched in front of him, patting the space next to him. Liam scrambled closer and leaned back as well, legs stretched, as close to Zayn as possible, muttering, “Looking good Zee.”
Zayn blushed a little and turned to the side to pull up his bag from the floor, “Remember how you’re always asking me about my sketch book?”
“The one you’re always doodling on but refuse to show anyone, even me? Your best mate?” Liam pouted a little.
Zayn poked at his chin, chuckling fondly, “Stop pouting Leeyum James Payne. I’m about to share it with you.” He placed the thick leather-bound book on Liam’s lap.
Liam grinned wide and with twinkling eyes, eagerly touched Zayn’s sketch book. Did Zayn look anxious? Nervous even? No, that can’t be. He’s the most confident boy Liam’s ever met. He was an amazing artist. His grades were beyond brilliant. He was smart and gorgeous. He had the teachers wrapped around his finger. The girls, senior and junior, were constantly trying to get a date with him.
Liam shook off the vague feeling, excited to see his sketches. Zayn wrapped an arm around Liam’s shoulder, tugging him impossibly close, as Liam’s jersey slipped further down, exposing Zayn’s slender shoulder. He smiled nervously at Liam, biting his lower lip and nodded towards the sketch book.
Liam tangled their legs together slightly and carefully opened the book. He was dumbstruck by the infinite detail, page after page, of facial features and expressions; soft brown eyes, red lips, plump nose, crinkled eyes, a smile, a frown, yet another smile… he hadn’t even seen the whole book yet!
“Is this…is it… Zee? Is it me?” Liam looked up amazed. Zayn’s face was so close to his, he could feel his warm breath on his cheeks. Zayn was still biting down on his lower lip hard, his doe eyes wide and unblinking as he nodded silently.
“Oh my God, Zayn! When did you draw these? The details Zee. These are stunning! You’ve made me look so beautiful.”
Zayn slapped his thigh with his free hand, “Shut up Leeyum. You are beautiful. Now go on and see the rest.”
Liam just shook his head in wonder and went back to turning the pages. Each one was better than the previous one. He was midway through the book when Liam began to see sketches of them both. All the times that he had felt the happiest with Zayn and nearly all of them were in the book, in intricate detail.
The first day they met, in art class.
The first movie they went to.
Riding on Zayn’s bike, clinging to him.
Playing Xbox, Zayn trying to distract Liam.
Sitting together at lunch and giggling over a Batman comic.
Literally stitched to each other whilst watching TV.
Cuddling under the blanket, legs tangled, during sleepovers.
The day the cheerleaders were hitting on Liam, but Zayn casually walked up to Liam and hugged him from behind asking, not subtle in the least, “Ready to go home, babe?”
Liam was beyond words at this point. He just looked up into Zayn’s eyes, and whispered, “These are gorgeous Zee. It’s all us. Just us. The entire book.” He leaned his forehead on Zayn’s, overwhelmed with emotion, not knowing if it was okay to say what he truly felt for this amazing boy. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath deciding to be brave, when Zayn gently stroked his cheek, whispering, “There’s one more page Leeyum.”
Liam opened his eyes and nodded. He would wait to see the last one, then confess his intense feelings for Zayn. He turned the page, but it made no sense. All the sketches so far had been Zayn and Liam over the past few months. This final sketch showed Zayn and Liam at a candle-lit table, with a single-stemmed blue orchid with a few lilies in a tall glass vase. The table itself was in front of Zayn’s bike, at the outdoor movie theatre in the Bradford Park, with the movie Valentine’s Day on the screen. Zayn had an arm around Liam holding him close and one hand on his cheek as he gazed lovingly into Liam’s eyes. Liam had both his arms wrapped around Zayn, with a crinkly-eyed smile.
Liam looked up puzzled at Zayn, “Zee? This is ... What is this? We’ve never…”
Zayn placed a finger on his lips, silencing Liam. “Ever since the first day I met you, in Art class, I’ve been blessed by your friendship, your affection, and your generosity. I’ve never wanted to get to school as eagerly as I have since that day, just to be able to sit with you in class, at lunch, just anywhere at all. Never wanted to miss a single moment with you, watching you play football, singing when you thought no one was looking. I’m amazed at your talent with the sketches even though you always say I’m better. Our sleepovers leave me feeling so fulfilled, yet incomplete. I love cuddling with you under a single blanket, but I always end up wanting more. Even though I’ve been so afraid of losing our friendship, I know that if I don’t try, I’ll end up regretting it for the rest of my life.”
Zayn paused to wipe the silent tears of joy sliding down Liam’s squishy cheeks, before continuing,
“I’ve thought of a hundred different ways to do this, but I realised Art is what brought us together and what better way than a sketch to ask you out? On a proper date, on Valentine’s Day. Just you and me Li. I would love to wine and dine you. I want to pamper you and spoil you all the time. I want to be yours and I want you to be mine, always! Leeyum, will you do me the honor of being my Valentine?”