CHAPTER ONE: PROPOSALS (NO RINGS ATTACHED)

My story doesn't begin with a forlorn cry nor a story of my life. In lieu, it starts with the subject of hormonal females heart's desires and simultaneously the person who gives meaning to the word abhor.

That is Zayn Davenport.

Why he does? Zayn is, well, special.

He is a tall plausible Blondie, relatively handsome, unappreciatedly smart and a bizarrely adequate attention seeker. Where his looks fail him, his Smarts and strong conversation skills made up for it, thereby winning over every living thing.

Zayn didn't win me over though. I had my reservations when it came to him.

The handsome idiot competed with me—sometimes won— and sent my perfection spiralling in the winds not only with his ineffable Academical standing but backed with charm that had the everyone at Oceanview Highschool swooning like a wheat field before a storm.

His swooning wouldn't bother me if only his flirtatiousness was limited to few women but the jack of prostitution traits he is, he wasn't introduced to curtailment.

I've known Zayn for a while. Our relationship is a complicated intermingling of Enemy and Friend. Like today for instance, we are enemies.

"Stop glaring" My animated gaze shifts off the subject of my immense displeasure to Sarah.

She's also glaring at me but I'm not complaining. She's being very biased. In my defense Zayn was also glaring at me a few minutes ago while I paid a blind eye to his immature attention seeking.

Rolling my eyes at her, I return to my lunch plate. "I would if he didn't start it"

"When are you two never starting something? Just be friends already"

My lips tilt up a little. "That's till Wednesday"

I can't deny messing with Sarah's head with constant complaints about Zayn's nefariousness is fun. His name brings about a new topic for gossip and I look forward to it daily.

"Plus, if I glare at him hard enough, he'll burn and die. You can't tell me you won't be happy about that?" Sarah doesn't share my joy for some reason, shaking her head.

"Your life will be drab without him, sweetie. You two make one another happy just by arguing."

The swallowing process goes awry because Avocado toast swerves where it isn't meant to, sending me into a deadly coughing fit. Knowing she's the impetus, Sarah beings laughing, Shiny Ravin hair swinging like curtains over her face.

Last I'd checked, arguing over who gets in the escalator at mall after 'coincidentally' meeting isn't as fun as it sounds neither does it make anyone happy. I'm unhappy by just staring at his unblemished face, glowing in the glory of a gleaming white shirt.

"Zayn gives me mind herpes. Enough about him"

"I should tell you that sometime"

We rolled our eyes simultaneously. I could totally jab her about that guy she was seeing and she'd be a breathless unintellectual as I am. I think his name was Bose or something.

But I choose not to, looking around the fairly vacant lunch hall instead.

People don't eat here, they prefer to champion the bleachers where UV rays and Sweaty athletes are all the entertainment they need. Rainy days, the place is packed tight and unbearably smelly so I tend to appreciate days like this.

Only few tables are taken, most shaded from the sunlight streaks coming I through a wall made entirely of glass. I know the exact one I'm looking for, I'd been staring at it before Sarah caught me.

Oh, there we are, third Table from the back. A usual phenomenon at the table, girls are swarming and one male in particular is accommodating as many as his thighs can sit and trust me, they keep coming.

I try counting them by their varying shades of Hair. Two strawberry blondes, Two Naturally blonde and a gutsy brunette. Zayn's holding unto them by their graspable asses in a position similar to cuddling.

My mind instinctively starts defending him. There aren't enough chairs at the table. The girls are cold. He's a hormonal jerk who relishes feminine company.

Looking up at his face and catching that gruesome smirk of his as he accommodates one more girl, a scowl etches deep into the planes of my face. No doubt he's calculating the massive orgy he's going to get by the end of the day.

On perfect cue, Zayn also looks up, eyes Instantaneously homing on me. My eyes widen of their own Accord, deeming me a little more unassertive than I presumed. Come on judgemental eyes, don't give up on me now.

After a moment of blank staring, he lips curve upwards in a pride driven smirk that hint jealous?

My poise falters. His smirk intensifies. Friggin shit.

I snap to my feet, ignoring my empty a stomach and mutter a rushed goodbye to Sarah before scurrying out of the hall with a threadbare excuse for anyone who cares enough about my race against my shadow.

My cheeks are the hue of a glowing splint when I round a corner which is relatively empty, the bell also chimes. I groan and stomp a little. I was hoping for a moment long enough for Zayn to forget I existed.

Literature is my next class which I unfortunately share with Zayn. If I didn't love literature in it's entirety compared to other subjects I would have faked a stomach ache and played checkers with the Nurse.

I hate the enemies day, it makes me feel less of a person compared to Zayn. His stares are offensive, smirks demeaning and annoying. I prefer the alternative, friends Day but I don't have a genie in my cache mow do I?

The sun rays bellow into the classroom, bringing the magic and light into the poster clad room. English Literature illuminated me, inserted in oblivion my my problems intoxicating with the utter incandescence of Historical Prose and their authors alike.

Ms Leblanc sporting a yellow Cardigan and a pale pink skirt looked as bright as her clothing. The colors were blinding but she didn't look out of place, pastels were in season.

I had on pastel blue stockings for instance.

She sent a smile my way. I couldn't imagine walking into literature class without that warm welcome. My cheeks wouldn't have toned down a shade, I wouldn't have felt comfortable.

"Good morning Ms Leblanc" I blew and air Kiss which hit her in the heart. She accepted it unabashed, grinning.

"Nice to see you"

"How's the husband and the kids?" Her grin widened an iota.

"Splendid. How's the boyfriend?"

"Not too shabby"

We share a humorous stare before she breaks the spell and begins to laugh. Neither of us are romantically active. She has no shiny golden band on her finger and my lips have become virgins as a result of lack of productivity.

Ms Leblanc not only shares my Literature Interest, she also has potentials for a good friend, If she were twenty years younger.

Gossip breaks out of it's cage for a moment but Ms Leblanc realizes she's a paid teacher not a bartender at a strip club and ushers me away to begin her class.

"Settle down class" Her pitchy voice tamed the sea of uninterested students, unready for her enraptured take on misunderstood literature. "It's amazing to see you all today"

The class murmured answers at her, some more pronounced than others, they made the woman blush and flick her wrist dismissively. "I know half of you don't meant those sweet comments and just want good grades" Hell yes she was right. Even while being the class topper—which I routinely alternated with Zayn—I also cared for cheaply earned grades like free a 5 points for calling the atrocities hanging from her earlobes beautiful.

"It's final year y'all" She surmises.

The class jostles and whistles as if shaken awake by the realization.

"We've gone through our course and I'm glad to say we're almost done" Ms Leblanc sits atop her desk in the most unprofessional way. Safe to say, she's an unorthodox teacher and my Rabbi. "On that note, we have very little to do this semester"

Another round of overjoyed hoots and cheers.

"Which is why I'm adding a little fun factor to our coursework" The silence following makes me smile. Ms Leblanc also smirks an evil smirk at the turn of events. I bet she planned this all Since the beginning of the School year and curled her toes in her shoes to avoid spilling her secret. "I'm proposing a p—"

The door to the class has a problem since freshman year and school management cared less about all science unrelated subjects and gave the barest minimum effort in maintenance. The door has been banged up for three years.

The ugly sounds it made as it scrapes the tiles makes a shudder run down my spine. Everyone winces, including the absentee sauntering into the class, feigning ignorance to his tardiness.

"Morning Ms L" Zayn smiles, blinding the front row and anyone else who looked with his Swooning smile.

Ms Leblanc looked dazed but rigidly got to her feet, sending Zayn a glare. "You're late"

"I noticed"

"Why?"

"Personal reasons" Zayn's thumb rises, wiping an imperceptible smear of a red substance from his slightly swollen lips. My Lord.

Ms Leblanc waste no more of her time on him, resuming her class with full vigor. I'm on the verge of dying from excruciating cringe. Could Zayn be less conspicuous with his prostitution?

"I propose we have a project." The moans began. "It's not hard, I swear." Hands shot up to oppose which She ignored. "In groups of two, everyone here is going to write a book. Partners are going to be the main characters with genre I will give you"

Compared to the hellish project imposed on us Biology students to write essays on the incubation process of a chicken egg, this is a cake walk. My classmates didn't agree to that though. They threw countless inane reasons for Ms Leblanc to call off one of the project.

One boy, a blond with piercings even claimed he had a terminal disease and wouldn't be able to commit while laying half dead in a hospital bed in Iowa.

"Cut the crap guys, we're doing it. Terminal disease or not, It's settled."

In essence, the project was as simple as write a story with whoever I would be blessed to work with.

"Lucky for you all, I won't be giving out the pairing for your respective groups today, that will be in our next class come thursday."

A breath of relief filled the class from that last statement. If she could hold the project till the middle of the term, these Lazy asses would still sigh in relief.

I'd prefer we begin it today. We need to get to know our partners in preparation for almost three months of working together.

I make up my mind to gracefully march up to Ms LeBlanc's desk once the bell is rung and beg her to succumb to my pleas.

If she felt up to it, alright, if she wasn't that would also be fine.

My mind was swamped with plans for magnanimously begging Ms Leblanc I barely paid attention the whole period and only listened in at the last words when the bell was rung.

My plan has a solid genesis and I feel quite courageous.

Not until Zayn Davenport saunters to her desk before I can.

Fuck.

Zayn's outlandish after class interest was terrifying. He usually left with the crown. Blood pumps harder in my veins.

I trail after him hurriedly.

Zayn spares me a cheesy grin when I lean on the desk beside him, paying full attention to his and Ms LeBlanc's conversation.

It seems he needs as much information about this project as I do and doesn't bother staring at me spasmodically while I listen in on all the questions I may not have thought of in the space of her unruly confession and now.

"Is that all Zayn?" Ms Leblanc smiles. Zayn nodds firmly. I expect him to make a run for it and beeline out of the class but he stands still gazing in my direction.

"Your turn, Milan" Milan was two syllables but Zayn pulls on them for so long I almost fall asleep in that excuse of a manly texture of his.

That insufferable way he always enunciates it iss just one of his many ways to get under my skin.

We all need to face that Zayn's flirty voice is not as hot as we think it is, it's rather annoying. The twitch in my expression brings a little smile to his face.

"Ms Leblanc, I was wondering if you could push up the date we begin the project to maybe.... tomorrow?"

Zayn smiles wider. "You can't be serious"

"I don't remember speaking to you Zayn" His eyebrows crinkle.

I expect a poised, cocky answer from Pride in clothes over here instead, I am meet with a wall of awkward silence.

"That's one request Milan. I do not think I can grant that"