Chapter 2 - Him

RAELYNN

THE NEXT DAY ~

After 2 hours or so, the beauticians told me I was ready and good to go. I turned to the mirror and my jaw dropped open with awe.

I've never looked this beautiful ever in my whole life. I didn't look like the usual me anymore, I looked like a woman, not a girl. I was dumbstruck, speechless.

My hair was tied in a tight bun with locks running down my cheeks and plain but classy makeup with red-tinted lips. I was wearing the most gorgeous deep red evening dress slit from the bottom which hugged my body giving it a perfect definition. I was given red stilettos to go with it.

I couldn't even recognize myself anymore. I felt like all of my dreams were coming true. I turned around, flared the dress, and then flashed the biggest smile I could.

Sherri had asked me to take my place because she had an important business to cater to. I texted her as she was already gone.

The car came and I was asked to come down. Mrs Davis filled me in with the details. I looked at myself for one last time before facing my fears. A black shining limousine was standing right before me. The driver came out and opened the door for me. The car started moving.

I was assigned as Anna Winter's assistant for today. She would be arriving late so I needed to wait around for some time.

In no time, I found myself walking on the red carpet through huge crowds of journalists and others trying to pounce through the barricades they were behind. I was surprised at how confident I felt. I wouldn't deny the inner panic attacks but I did just fine.

People were clicking my pictures, telling me to look at them for the perfect shot without even knowing who I was. LA had to be a strange place. One minute you're a stranger and the other minute you get all the attention.

The event didn't start yet, but I was in the middle of so many celebrities looking so gorgeous and I... I needed air. I was not comfortable nor that confident about myself anymore. It's been some time and I needed a break to get hold of myself.

I was dying to go and start a conversation with the people around, click some pictures with them but instead I headed to the washroom. I felt dizzy.

As I was going to walk into the washroom, I noticed a small passage opposite the washroom. At the end of the passage, there was a little open door. Bright moonlight was pouring in from the door, which looked so attractive that I couldn't help myself but explore.

So I start walking through the passage and the door. It looked magical.. an empty garden with tall trees, bushes and flowers which glowed under the bright full moon above. It looked almost like a dense forest.

I was in front of a garden bench when I suddenly had the urge of doing something silly. I took off my stilettos because it hurt so much and I stepped into the soft grass. The soft strands of grass caressed my feet and I was relieved for the first time today.

I walked around for some time forgetting everything.

Suddenly, I heard something behind me. Like footsteps. I felt someone's presence behind me. I was too terrified to spin around and confront whoever was behind me but I couldn't even run away.

I shook my head and slowly turn around, my eyes planted to the ground. Then, looked up.

My heart skipped a beat and I almost couldn't breathe. A pair of gorgeous brown eyes sparkled in the moonlight. A man with a chiselled jaw and a tuxedo that couldn't hide his amazing body. Zayn.

Zayn Mitchell. The world-famous singer was standing right before me, looking at me. I was clueless.

I looked at him this time into his eyes.. and our eyes met. His expression was unpredictable. He looked like a dream as his eyes stared into mine, no one moved. Sparks ran all over my body making chills run down my spine. His eyes broke the contact and started lingering all over me, then he shook his head a little, squinting his eyebrows.

I didn't know how my expression was so rational but I got the hint. I was wandering out here all alone being a stranger and I might be looking suspicious. I gathered up all the courage I ever had and I took a deep breath that was almost audible.

"I... um... I am sorry, I was just..." Without completing the sentence, I took steps towards my shoes and tried wearing them, still shaking.

"It's okay," he said. His voice was something, it did something to me. I looked up at him. "You being here.. is okay."

I was not being able to make out what his tone meant nor did his words settle in. I shook my head down again, this time looking intensely at the grass below me trying to understand the situation. I heard a little rustle of the grass and what I saw was shocking.

Zayn was opening his shoes as he lifted his eyes to look at me. He stepped out of his shoes and started walking towards the bench looking at the sky above him. I couldn't help but notice how bright his eyes looked and how sad they were.

He took a moment to sit down on the bench leaning back. I was standing there, dumbfounded, trying to pinch myself back to reality. He turned his head slightly at me. I took the hint, took off my shoes and walked through the thin grass to the bench and sat down beside him leaving enough space between us.

We just sat there for minutes without saying a word.

"Who are you?" He broke the silence. Who am I?

"Oh um, sorry, I am Raelynn Taylor.. from New Hampshire. I've been assigned as Ms Anna Winter's assistant for this event only for..", I started but he cut me off.

"Who are you, Raelynn? Who are you in your mind?" He asked. Should I just leave, I asked myself. I had no clue what he was talking about nor what he wanted to get at. My name sounded so better when he said it.

Suddenly I wanted to know him, even better than anyone does. Who am I?

"I am a nobody," he looked at me with questionable eyes wanting me to elaborate or so I thought. "I am a coward. I have, for not even once in my life, lived for myself."

I.. didn't know why was I telling him that. I frowned and shook my head.

"Sorry..", I said because I didn't know what he wanted to know. But it looked like it was the answer to exactly what he was trying to know.

Zayn looked back up, to the moon and stars aligned miraculously.

"I know you. I've been you countless times." I looked at him, his eyes pouring out the pain he's been holding back. There was silence.

"What if there were no rules? What if none of our lives was more important than the others?" He said and frowned for a moment. I was speechless, he was opening up and every word he said had an alternate meaning.

"What if this whole universe loved us all equally?" I said, drifting my eyes back to the sky after gazing at him for a long time. This time, I could feel a pair of eyes scanning my face. Our eyes met again.

"Would you still be here if I wasn't who I am?" He asked. Something deep inside me was making me feel secure about him. I knew he was hurt by something as not everyone who smiled the brightest was the happiest.

"Yes..", I said. His eyes brightened up as I smiled a little, his eyes never leaving mine. We sat there talking, smiling and looking at each other. It was clearly beautiful.

I didn't know what was happening, nor what was tearing him apart.

Neither what I should do in a moment like this but all I knew was that I never felt this way ever before.

The connection between us was undeniable like it was something different. Something special. I felt the chills.

Suddenly a voice from behind broke my compulsion...

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"