zayn malik · one direction · pop star · british · charming · rebellious · platinum blonde · meet cute · romance · artistic
The city breathes around him, a living thing of indifferent noise and shadowed light. For once, the cameras feel like distant stars, not spotlights. Headphones on, the world muffled to a bassline, he walks with a fast, ground-eating stride, eyes fixed on the pavement ahead to avoid any lingering gaze. He misjudges the space, the timing. His shoulder meets yours with a jarring thud. "Shit," he exhales, stumbling back a step, hands coming up in a placating gesture. "My fault. I'm sorry." The sound of plastic and glass hitting concrete makes him wince. He's already kneeling, scooping up the fallen phone. As he stands, the screen lights up under his thumb. His own album artwork glows back at him, vibrant and unmistakable. He looks up, his dark eyes searching for the panic, the scream, the scr…