Chapter 64: "A Magical Night"

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Zayn followed the track for around five minutes with Salma close behind in tow. As the gravel crunched underneath her shoes, she kept glancing around her. She could barely make anything but the dark shadows of the trees creeping above her that intertwined to almost completely block the patches of the barely visible sky. It was a moonless night. The forest around them was slithering with life; a rustle here, a scuttle there and an occasional flutter above their heads. The eerie silence and the pitch black surrounding presented a perfect backdrop for a bloodcurdling murder, or some equally heinous crime. It was a far cry from a place other people would consider for a first date.

Salma was silently questioning Zayn's idea of a first date when he totally made her second-guess his sanity. He turned away from the main track towards an extremely narrow pathway into the trees. Barely had she stepped after him, that the spaces between the branches disappeared and whatever sky was peeping through them, vanished. The rustle, scuttle and flutter were now accompanied by a whizz and buzz past her ears, ever so often. Salma could feel the twigs and branches from the trees growing towards them graze past her head, tugging at her scarf. There was nothing her eyes could make, except the dark silhouette of Zayn's shoulders and head, against the beam of the light, as he walked ahead of her.

"Okay, I'm seriously regretting my decision to agree to this," Salma announced, keeping her wide eyes alert, but nothing could be seen past the pitch black forest.

Zayn gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Not much further now," he muttered. "It's just a few yards away – oh snap!"

"What happened?!" Salma turned to him, when he moved his hand around haphazardly, deflecting the beam of the flashlight in the process.

"It's alright, just the backpack's strap – Can you hold the flash for second so I can fix it back," Zayn requested, handing her the flashlight. "Let's keep moving. Follow the path."

Salma lead the way as he asked while Zayn followed, fiddling with the strap as he went.

"Maybe if you use the light, you'd fix it faster," Salma suggested. Zayn did not reply. Salma paused and turned around. "Here, let me see --"

The beam of light flashed past the empty air behind her and through the dark trees. Her heart skipped a beat, then started pounding hard against her ribcage.

"Zayn?" Salma called cautiously. Still and silent as a mouse, she swept the darkness around her with her eyes. "Zayn, where're you?"

Nothing. No sound. Not a sign. He was just gone. Salma focused the beam on the ground. She failed to see a booby trap or ditch of any sorts.

"Zayn?" Salma called again, flashing the light, left and right in a panicked motion.

Her heart was now beating in her ears. She was suddenly very aware of the life around the forest, the rustle of the bushes, the moving shadows and the whispers. She heard something moving just ahead of her. On instinct, Salma started walking backwards. Away from whatever was moving where Zayn was mere seconds ago.

"Zayn, it's not funny anymore," she warned. "Honestly, if you're trying to –"

Salma broke up mid-sentence when the thick vegetation on her flanks ended. The dark lightened and a gentle breeze whiffed past her. She had stepped into a small clearing. Salma turned around, giving her back to the forest. Her mouth hung open in awe. She almost forgot that the monstrous forest behind her had somehow swallowed full-sized Zayn up. Her finger clicked to turn the flashlight off as she took dazed steps away from the tree line. Hypnotized, she slowly spun on the balls of her heels, mesmerized by the beauty of scene in front of her.

Every little twig surrounding the clearing was bejeweled by fairy lights. There was a bamboo-can swinging-chair hung in one corner, glittering with the same bright pin pricks, and a soft blanket place in it for comfort. In front of it was cozy looking firepit surrounded by rugs and cushions. Not far from it, laid a small table with a food basket place on top of it.

Zayn, who was watching her reaction from a nearby bush in amusement, felt conflicted. He was having second thoughts about what he had just thought of doing on impulse. Just a minute ago, it felt like a good prank to scare her. Also, as much as he denied it, he knew a part of him wanted to see if Dean was right. However, looking at her now, he just felt ashamed that he was even considering it. She looked so happy and it felt downright selfish to cause her distress just to see if she would actually run into his arms.

"Screw it," he muttered to himself. "I promised, I'll wait."

Salma was still drinking in the beauty of the setting in front of her when she heard a soft rustle behind her. Her spin stiffened, alerted. Holding on to the flashlight more securely, Salma took an instant to brace herself, the she whipped around fist at the ready and plummeted a well-aimed punch at the prowler behind her.

For a split second Salma saw his golden-brown eyes widening in shock, recognition dawned on her, but then she decided he deserved it anyway. Her fist hit the target which - deviated by the slight angle due to his quick dodge - ended up being his shoulder.

"Ow!" Zayn winced, grabbing his shoulder. "What even was that?! God! . . . That was unexpected!"

"Oops," Salma said nonchalantly. "Should I be held responsible for what follows if you scare me?"

"Yes," Zayn replied, massaging his shoulder and moving it up and down. "You caused me damage on my first date. I demand retribution." Salma opened her mouth to argue but Zayn quickly cut in. "I'm quite certain you realized it was me but you carried on anyway. Don't deny it."

Salma huffed, and rolled her eyes.

"Fine." She crossed her arms. "State your terms, Mr. Prowler!"

"Aw, how you're going to wish you hadn't called me that," Zayn grinned, leaning in to be at her height. "It's Mr. Prowler's first date with you, Miss Punch. Kiss the Prowler to fix his broken heart?"

Salma's heart sank. Her eyes went to and fro between Zayn's golden-brown ones. He was pouting playfully and giving her the puppy eyes, but he could not hide the excited twinkle in his eyes at the prospect of her agreeing to kiss him. The idea thrilled him too much.

Salma suppressed a shiver raking up her spine. She looked away, trying to ease the tension between her shoulders. If he was going to cover it with a teasing joke, Salma was going to hold onto that opportunity with her teeth, and – hope to God she could – play along convincingly.

"How about a sorry?" she bargained.

Zayn smirked, getting even closer. Salma felt her heartbeat skyrocket.

"What if I say that's not enough?" Zayn whispered in her ear.

Salma blushed furiously but managed to stand her ground.

"You shouldn't have disappeared like that," she repeated stubbornly. "With a history of attacks like mine, you should expect to have your nose broken when you walk on me like that, unannounced.

Zayn burst out laughing. He finally pulled back, shaking his head in amusement.

Yay! Salma celebrated that small victory as she took in a deep gulp of air.

"Alright, point taken," Zayn conceded, reaching out to take her hands into his. He felt his heart flutter to feel her squeeze his hands back in a gentle hold. "I wanted to surprise you. Do you like it?"

Salma took another look around, before turning back to him, smiling.

"It's beautiful!" Salma beamed at him. "I love it. Thank you!"

"Of course you do, I worked really hard on it all," Zayn replied.

"Dear God!" Salma shook her head at him. "You really don't have a humble bone in your body, do you?."

"Nope," Zayn replied promptly. "Not even half of it."

Salma's tinkering laugh made him reach for her cheeks but she grabbed his hand before he could squish them. Zayn chuckled at her playfully threatening expressions.

"Wait." He let her hands go, walking away a few steps. "There's something else I want you to see."

Salma watched as Zayn disappeared in the bushes. A moment later, the lights were suddenly switched off, drowning her in a solid dark.

Salma looked around her, startled, suddenly alert and on her guard again. She closed her eyes firmly before opening them again to get rid of the image the lights have left on her retinas.

"Zayn?" She called, just to make sure she won't hit him again. A flashlight turned on where Zayn had disappeared.

"I'm here," he replied from the spot, shortly followed by rustling of the bush as the beam of the light moved closer. He stopped right in front of her, holding the flashlight skywards to avoid blinding them. "Ready?" he asked. "Close your eyes."

"Yeah, no!" Salma laughed sarcastically. "That's not happening."

"Come on, Bee," Zayn pleaded. "Trust me?"

Salma looked into his eyes, looking like molten embers in the dimmed light as he waited for her. She felt the air around them changing. Blinking, she quickly looked away.

Keep it light, she said in her head. Keep it light and casual . . .

"Bee?" he breathed the word.

"Fine, fine!" she cut in loudly, then sighed. "Please, don't make me regret this."

"You can hold on to me, if you're scared," Zayn teased, before sobering up. "You won't. It's a promise."

Salma took in a deep breath then closed her eyes. Zayn was about to move when she peeked open an eye.

"Hey, no peeking!"

"Can I hold your hand?" Salma asked on a sudden inspiration. She wanted to make sure he wouldn't move away again.

You're asking me that? Zayn thought, incredulous.

"Of course." Zayn smiled instead, deciding not to embarrass her for once. A sudden warmth shot up his arm when Salma's soft fingers encircled around his hand.

Ignoring the tingling in her hand, Salma closed her eyes again. Zayn stared at her, getting side tracked. She looked so pure, so innocent. A small smile was playing on her lips as she held onto his hand tightly, anticipating what was to come. She was so close. Zayn could just swoop in for a kiss right there and then, and act like that was his surprise –

- but he had promised her, Zayn reminded himself. He closed his eyes and tried taming his racing heart. He had promised to wait, to not impose himself on her, to not trick her again. And for what it was worth, Zayn was going to keep that promise to her.

Turning off the flash light, Zayn held her hand back. Salma swallowed nervously. She felt goosebumps rising all over her skin at the small circles he was drawing on the back of her hand with his thumb. Judging by disappearance of the red haze of the blood in her closed eyelids, she knew Zayn and she were standing alone, in complete darkness, in the middle of nowhere and she had no idea what he wanted.

"Open," she heard Zayn whisper after a while.

Salma opened her eyes slowly, a bit confused. She could just make Zayn's silhouette in front of her.

"Do you see it?"

Salma frowned, letting her eyes adjust.

"What am I supposed to –?"

Salma trailed off again. Around them, in the bushes and the trees, and the air and on the ground, blinking in and out of sight, was the most beautiful sight Salma had ever seen or any fairy lights could ever mimic. In the solid darkness of the forest, a few hundred fireflies were flashing around them, diving and dipping over the gentle air currents like tiny specks of fire. Gasping, Salma did a three sixty, completely fascinated by her magical surroundings.

"Well?" Zayn's quiet voice reached her.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Zayn watched her awestruck reactions, captivated by her excitement.

"It's – it's like stars!" Salma gushed, turning on the balls of her feet, ever so often, "It's like I'm floating in heavens!"

"I know," Zayn replied, smiling.

Salma turned to him with a bright smile, only to find his intense gaze firmly fixed on her. She felt her heart skipping another beat. Zayn snaked an arm around the small of her back, pulling her closer.

"Look above you," he almost whispered.

Swallowing, Salma turned to the heavens above. With no city light polluting the air with it artificial haze, the tiny streaks of light rose to skies where the stars twinkling in a hundred thousands were blinking huge and bright. Salma felt overwhelmed. She could not decide what enthralled her more. The minuscule flashes of fire flying around them, or the supernovas above in space, floating many thousand light-years away.

"Now, I'm in another galaxy." She smiled at him.

Zayn smiled back.

"I'm glad you liked it."

Zayn felt her wiggling her fingers out of his hand. He let go, thinking she wanted to step away, but nothing could have prepared him for what followed when she grabbed his neck with her hands and raised herself on her toes.

"Bee –?"

Zayn froze at the contact when Salma lips brush against his cheek. His heart rate became erratic and a thousand fireworks exploded in the small space of his chest. He bit hard into his lip, closing his eyes at the gentle caress. He could feel the soft flesh of her lips linger against his skin. A second's pause and then she then kissed him again.

He felt his nails digging into the flesh of his clenched palms. A glowing warmth was coursing through his veins. He had forgotten how to breathe.

Salma lowered herself. Zayn told himself to snap out of the trance and start taming himself before he lost control, but she did not pull away. He could feel her right next to him. The warmth of her hands was still around his neck. With his heart pounding at a mad pace, Zayn opened his eyes to meet her deep brown ones swimming with emotions. All thoughts of stepping away from her to restrain himself left his mind.

"Thank you so much," Salma said, earnestly. "I can safely say I've never experienced something so magical before!"

Zayn's arms had a mind of their own as they wound around her waist, holding her closer.

"I'm not sure if you should be the one saying the thanks." He smiled at her, planting a firm kiss on her forehead. "I can safely say that I've never experienced something so magical before either."

Salma laughed, resting her head against his chest to hide her blush. Zayn brought her closer, holding onto her, trying to savor every moment of her being in his arms before she would step away or ask him to let go.

Only, this time it was different. This time, he did not feel her spine stiffening as he held onto her. He did not feel like she was trying to spare his feeling. This time, she was feeling it. She had come to him, happily, willingly. She let go of his neck and slipped her arms around his torso, hugged him properly. Zayn felt his heart exploding with warmth realizing that she did not run into his embrace because she was cold or frightened, but because of a more positive emotion.

He dare not fool himself to call it love, but he was fairly confident it was gratitude and if he was lucky, then possibly a hint of admiration.

Zayn smiled, resting his chin atop her head. She fit into his hugs so perfectly. She could deny it all she wanted but he was made for her; to be there for her, holding her steady, staying by her side and protecting her. And he could only hope that one day she would feel the same for him. She was magical and it was so hard to fight the temptation to squeeze her into a hug, like a kid would squeeze their beloved teddy. He closed his eyes, feeling every bit of her enveloped in his gentle but firm embrace, allowing the warmth of her being steady his breathing and calm his racing heart back to its normal pace.

Salma cleared her throat snapping him out of his fantasy.

Author's Note:

There you go! The first date . . . to be continued :P

Between candles and rosepetals and balloons that romantic dates are usually defined by, these two be flying with fireflies 😂🤣. Aw, I love them so much!

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Lots of Love

J.