The sunlight peeking through the blinds, the sound of birds chirping cheerfully, and the feel of Zayn's arms wrapped around me woke me up. I looked at the clock 6:00 A.M. Thirty minutes before my alarm would alert me to get ready for school. Without waking up Zayn, I cautiously climbed out of bed and went to my closet to get dressed. As I was about to pull on my shirt, Zayn whispered in my ear, “ Good morning, Beautiful.” This made me jump. “ I didn't know you were awake,” I whispered, looking at Zayn, bashfully. Zayn laughed, “ Apparently.” I blushed, quickly put on my shirt, and walked over to my dresser. I knew I was still blushing, so I did my best to avoid eye contact with him, but from the corner of my eye, I saw him smile at me.

*12:30 P.M./Lunch* As I entered the cafeteria, I saw a familiar face, I haven't seen in a while. “ Kaidan,” I smiled. “ I haven't seen you since...When was it? Tuesday? How's your mom? And your sister?” “ Hey, Dest,” Kaidan chuckled, giving me a warm hug. “ My mom's great and my sister is in perfect health. You have to come and see her. She's so adorable!” “ I absolutely will,” I laughed, as we grabbed some lunch. Then, as I followed Kaidan to a table, I noticed Zayn watching us, from across the room. “ Is this seat taken,” I asked, pointing at the spot next to Kaidan. “ It's all yours,” Kaidan smiled. As I took a bite of my apple, I noticed Kaidan wasn't eating, he was too busy reading a book. “ Interesting book,” I asked. “ Ha! Hardly. I have to catch up on my classes. I can't believe I missed three days of school.” “ Oh! That reminds me. I took notes for you, just in case,” I said, taking a handful of flashcards out of my purse. “ Aw, that's sweet. Thanks, Dest,” Kaidan chuckled, giving me a kiss on the cheek. I could tell that Zayn had seen the kiss, by the way he scowled at Kaidan. Is Zayn...jealous? That's so cute, I thought to myself.

*4:00 P.M./School Courtyard* “ Can you believe it?!? My sister is actually getting married,” Alexis cried, jumping around. “ That's amazing, Alex,” I squealed, jumping along with her. “ Whoa, whoa, whoa! What's with all the excitement,” Sierra smiled. “ Yeah, you guys are making a scene,” Claire laughed. ( Claire is friend I'd met at camp, last summer, in New Jersey. Little did I know, that her and her parents were moving to California. When I got home, I was so surprised to find Claire sitting on our couch. Ever since summer camp, she's been a really great friend. Alexis and Sierra adore her.) “ Deliah's getting married,” Alexis squealed. We all squealed, while jumping up and down. “ Oh, my God! That's incredible! Please, tell me, she asked you to be her maid of honor, Alex,” Claire laughed. “ She did! Which means, I'm in charge of choosing the rest of the bridesmaids. So...You guys want in,” Alexis smiled. “ Uh, yeah,” Claire, Sierra, and I all laughed in unison. “ I'm so excited,” I squealed.

Then, I heard someone say from behind me, “ Hey, Beautiful.” “ Zayn,” I laughed, as I jumped on his back, and kissed him. “ What's with all the commotion,” he chuckled, wrapping his hands around the back of my legs. “ Well, Alex's older sister is getting married. Alex is the maid of honor and Sierra, Claire, and I all get to be the bridesmaids.” “ Dest, you didn't tell me you're finally seeing someone,” Claire teased. “ You never asked.” “ Wow! A couple of days away from your friend, and you miss everything,” Claire laughed. “ Well...it's Sierra's fault,” I chuckled. “ That hurts,” Sierra smiles, pretending to get shot in the heart. “ And it's this guy's fault, too,” I laughed, pointing at Zayn with my free hand. “ And why's that,” Zayn chuckled.

“ 'Cause you kissed me.”

“ Yeah, but you tempted me,” Zayn smirked.

“ Ooh,” my friends teased. “ Look at you two,” Claire smiled. “ I know right? They look so smitten with each other, huh,” Sierra chuckled. “ Shut up,” I blushed, “ Anyways, Claire, this is Zayn. Zayn, this is Claire, another one of my best friends. I meet her, last year, at a summer camp in New Jersey.” “ Nice to meet you, Claire,” Zayn smiled. “ You too, Zayn.” “ Well, if you'll excuse us, Destiny and I have some things to do,” Zayn chuckled. “ Oh, really? What kinds of things,” I smiled. “ You'll see,” Zayn replied, as he carried me away, to the school parking lot.

“ Don't we usually walk to my house,” I asked, wondering where he was leading me to. “ We're not going to your place, this time.”

“ Then, where are we going?”

“ My place. I think it's time you've met my family.”

“ But what about--”

“ Your dad? Don't worry about it. I asked him, yesterday.”

“ And he actually agreed to it? Wow! That's a first.”

As Zayn set me down, I notice a jet black motorcycle, a few inches in front of me. “ Is this...yours,” I asked, in shock. “ You like it?” “ Are you kidding? I love it!” “ Hop on,” Zayn chuckled, handing me a helmet, as he started up the motorcycle. I popped the helmet on, and sat behind Zayn. As Zayn took my hands and wrapped them around his torso, he said, “ Hold on tight.”

As we rode through the city, I couldn't help being to facinated by all the amazing things I saw. I've never really been allowed to go out with friends, unless there was parental supervision involved. As for sleepovers, birthday parties (unless it was mine), shopping at the mall, or even just going to the movies? Yup, wasn't allowed neither. In middle school, everyone called me, “Destiny Dullman.” And everytime I walked by, I could hear them whisper, “ Hey, there goes Destiny Dullman.” I hated middle school, but at least I had my friends to help me through it.

As we slowly rode through a decent-looking neighborhood, I observed all the big houses and clean mansions. Then, we came to a slow stop, in front of a red brick mansion. “ This is me,” Zayn smiled, helping me off his motorcycle. “ Oh, no. Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no. This is your house?!? Zayn, I'm not going in there. Not dressed like this,” I said, staring at the mansion in front of us. “ What's wrong with the way your dressed?”

“ Are you blind? Look at me! I'm not exactly mansion-worthy material, am I? This was a bad idea. A really bad idea.”

“ Destiny, you look great, okay? Now c'mon, my parents aren't the most patient people,” Zayn said, taking my hand, and leading me to the red brick mansion.

As Zayn rang the doorbell, my stomach felt as if it were in knots. Then, I heard someone unlocking the door, and tried to make a quick escape, but Zayn caught me before I could run. “ Ah, Master Walker, do come in. and bring your friend, too,” a middle-aged man, which I'm guessing is the butler, smiled as he hung our jackets on the coat rack. “ Mom, Dad, I'm home,” Zayn called, giving me a quick wink. “ In here, dear,” I heard a female's voice call from another room, to our right. I scanned my surroundings and saw family pictures, glass vases with roses in them, paintings, a copy of The Starry Night ( my favorite painting), and above me, hung a huge, polished chandelier.

When we entered the room, where Zayn's mother had called from, she immediately caught sight of me a gasped in shock, “ Oh, it seems you've brought a friend with you. Hello, dear. I'm Victoria and this is my husband, Peterson.” “ Hi, I'm Destiny Coleman,” I replied in a trembling voice. Zayn could hear the unsteadiness in my voice, and wrapped a protective arm around my shoulder. “ Does she know,” Peterson asked Zayn. “ Yes. She knows.” “ Very well, then. Sweetheart, we won't hurt you. We're what you call...vegetarians,” Peterson reassured me, with a warm smile. I nodded my head and followed Zayn, as he led me to a couch, across from his parents.

“ She's a shy, little thing, isn't she,” Victoria said, as I took a seat next to Zayn. “ Mom, please, don't start,” Zayn begged. “ What? Is it wrong for a mother to want her son to be happy,” Victoria asked, offended. “ I am happy, okay? Very happy,” Zayn replied, pulling me closer to him. “ How long do you think this bliss is gonna last? She's not gonna live forever. Need I remind you of Rebecca?”

Suddenly, everyone was quiet. I looked up at Zayn and saw that he was clearly upset. “ Why? Why did you have to bring up her name,” Zayn asked, gravely. “ I know it's tough, but you need to realise that this happiness inside you isn't gonna last forever. Sooner of later, this young lady is gonna grow up, leave you in the dark, and move on. She'll live the rest of her years in a nice home, with a loving husband, and kids of her own. I'm telling you this, and I know, that husband in her future, it isn't you."

“ How can you be so sure,” Zayn asked, teeth clenched together. “ Because I've been through it. I know,” Victoria said. I couldn't take it anymore. I broke out of Zayn's grasp and ran out of the room. “ Destiny, wait,” I heard Zayn call, but I didn't stop. I slipped my jacket on, and lurched out the front door. I ran passed Zayn's motorcycle, and stopped to look back. No one's chasing me, I thought. I decided to slow down to walk. As I turned around to walk home, I came face-to-face with Zayn. Before I could run, he caught me. “ Destiny, wait. Wait, just slow down,” he said, holding me still by my arms. “ I knew this was a bad idea. I knew it," I cried, thrashing around in Zayn's arms. " Destiny, please, just calm down. Shh. Be still," Zayn whispered, soothingly. As I slowly calmed down, Zayn's lips wandered from my cheek, to the hollow of my throat. Then, as his lips moved back and forth from the base of my throat, to my lips, he pulled me closer to him. Then, he pulled back, with a sigh and asked, " Now, are you calm, my love?" I slowly nodded my head, still a little dazed. " Good," he smiled, weakly. As he took my hand and lead me to his motorcycle, I followed him in silence. " Hop on," he smiled, trying to fake the same enthusiasm that he had the first time. I buckled the helmet on, and sat behind Zayn.

This time, as we rode through the city, I had no interest in any of the things I saw. As Zayn drove me home, I kept thinking about what Victoria said. She's not gonna live forever...How long do you think this bliss is gonna last...I know it's tough...That husband, in her future, it isn't you...She'll grow up, leave you in the dark, and move on...A nice home, a caring husband, and kids of her own...Need I remind you of Rebecca...It isn't you...It isn't you...Isn't you... I was so lost in thought, I didn't even notice we had stopped in front on my house. " Destiny, we're here," Zayn said, snapping me back to reality. " Oh. Thanks for the ride," I replied, as I jumped off the motorcycle, and gave Zayn his helmet back. As I headed toward my house, I heard Zayn running after me. " Wait. Are you okay, love," Zayn asked, pulling me to a stop. " No, I'm not okay...but I'm gonna be," I sighed, failing to sound convincing.

" Dest, what's wrong?"

" I just...Who's Rebecca, and what happened between you and her?"

" Rebecca's my ex-girlfriend," Zayn sighed, looking down at his shoes.

" Oh," I said, feeling embarrassed.

" Yeah...we...We were together for almost three years, and...I felt like she was the girl for me, you know, so I decided to propose. But when I did, she told me that her love for me wasn't that serious, and that she could never see herself, living a happy life, with some who'll never age. So, I let her go, let her find someone better, and she fell in love with another guy. Then, they got married, started a family, and Rebecca moved on. All the while, I was stuck in the back-ground, watching in pain, as she lived the rest of her life, happily, and left me in her past. So, that was that, and after my family and I moved away, I never saw her again."

" So that's why your mom doesn't trust me," I said, knowing that there was no reason to ask if this were true. I let Zayn's words sink in, then it hit me, " Why didn't you change Rebecca? If you loved her that much, you could've done it. She did say that she didn't wanna marry you, because she'd age and you wouldn't."

" I loved her too much, to put her through that, Destiny."

" Oh, please! If you really loved her, you would've done it."

" No! I wouldn't have done it! I wouldn't have done it to her, nor would I do it to you!"

I gasped in shock, and froze. I couldn't believe he'd said that. " Wow. Good to know," I scoffed, running my fingers through my hair, as I walked away from Zayn.

As I entered my house, I smelled something delicious, coming from the kitchen, but was too upset to see what it was. As I peeked in the kitchen, I was surprised to find my dad cooking dinner, this time. " Hey, honey. How was the family," my dad asked, stirring something in a big pot, with a spoon. I ignored him, ran up to my room, and slammed the door behind me. Then, I went to my open window, and saw Zayn looking up at me, from outside. I glared at him, then shut my window, and locked it.

As I sat on my bed and sulked, a sudden knock came to my bedroom door, and I said, " Come in." My dad entered my room, holding a plate of food, and said, " I made dinner. It's your favorite: home-made macaroni." " Thanks, Dad," I smiled, accepting the dinner.

As my dad took a seat, next to me, I took a spoonful of the macaroni, and smiled, " This tastes just like Mom's." Dad nodded, " It's one of your mother's recipes. I found it, in her old cookbook, in the garage." " I miss her," I said, trying to fight the tears. " I miss her, too," Dad sighed, giving me a hug. " Mom would know what to do," I said. " Do? About what," Dad asked, giving me a perplexed look. " Dad...I think, I just broke up with Zayn," my voice broke, as the tears rolled down my cheeks. " Oh, honey..." Dad whispered, giving me another hug.