The next morning I woke up to my alarm clock going. I rolled out of my bed and walked down the hall to Aaliyah’s room to wake her up for school. When I walked into her room the brunette was underneath a pile of blankets, I walked over to her bed and sat on the edge of it nearest her head.

“Aaliyah dear, you need to wake up,” I soothingly said as I rubbed her back.

“Leave me ‘lone, mum,” she grumbled in response.

“You’ve got thirty minutes to get up and moving for school. If you’re late you’re grounded. Do you hear me?” I sternly told her, which caused her to poke her head out from under the duvet.

“You’ll ground me?” She asked and I nodded my head. “Fine, fine. I’m up! Now get out so I can get dressed!”

With a smug smirk on my face I walked out of her room and back to my own so I could get dressed for work as well. I pulled on a navy, long sleeved, blue dress that stopped just above my knees. I accompanied the dress with a pair of cream, closed toe, wedges. After getting dressed I straightened my hair and applied my make-up. I finally deemed myself ready for work and walked downstairs where I cooked myself and Aaliyah some breakfast.

“Jam on toast?” Aaliyah asked once she came into the kitchen ready for school.

“Yep.”

“When are you going to continue telling me about dad?” Aaliyah asked as she nibbled on her toast at the breakfast bar.

“How much do you even need to know about him?” I asked her, growing curious about her project.

“I don’t know. Enough to write a 4 page paper on,” she, nonchalantly, told me.

“Geez, that’s a lot. I’ll start telling you more after I get home from work, how about that? Gives me time to think of some stuff,” I told her and she just nodded her head. “Come on then, eat your breakfast in the car,” I told her and walked out to my vehicle and climbed in.

On our way to her school the voice of Niall, Harry and even Zayn sang throughout the car as we listened to their songs. Aaliyah was quieter than normal but I assumed that was because she was tired. I shook it off as I looked at the road in front of me.

“Thanks for doing this mum,” Aaliyah suddenly said, as we got closer to her school.

“For doing what?” I asked.

“Telling me about dad. I know it’s hard for you to relive that time of your life. I really appreciate you for doing this,” Aaliyah told me, and tears started to prick at my eyes as the words left her mouth.

“You were going to find out eventually,” I told her, putting a smile on my face. “Might as well get it over with, yeah?” I said as we pulled up outside of her school.

“Yeah. I’ll see you tonight,” Aaliyah said to me while leaning over the center console to kiss me on the cheek.

“Don’t forget your grand mum is picking you up from school and you’re going to their place!” I said as she climbed out of the car. To let me know she heard me she threw a hand in the air to wave at me.

After another 20 minutes of driving I arrived at work, and when I sat in my office I pulled my email up. There, in my inbox, sat an email from an address I thought I’d never see again. Curiosity getting the best of me, I opened the email and began reading it.
Hello Kacey,
I know it’s been sixteen long years since we’ve uttered a word to each other. I understand we left on bad terms, and sixteen years later, I’m still sorry for what I did to you. I know Niall still talks to you so I managed to get your email out of his phone, and I finally mustered up enough courage to email you. I want to patch things up, I’ve been thinking a lot about you lately, and it hurts. I owe you an explanation. I know reading this email might make you hate me all over again, because, well, that’s just how you are. But please give me a chance. I’ve changed. I’m in Bradford. Can we meet up, please?
Always,
Zayn Malik

My heart flew out of my chest and blew up to tiny pieces as I read his email over and over and over again. The first thought I had was that I was going to kill Niall when I saw him next. The second thought was why he was coming to Bradford. I could have sworn he was on tour, and then it clicked. Niall is going to be Bradford in a few days and Zayn is here now. I quickly opened a new browser and brought up the information for Niall’s current tour and there I read that Zayn was the supporting act. How could I be so stupid to read past this? And how could Niall not tell me? I quickly sent Niall a text calling him a dead man before beginning my work for the day.

--Aaliyah’s POV—

“Hello Gran!” I exclaimed as I climbed into my grand mum’s car outside of my school.

“Hello dear, how was school?” She asked as she pulled away from the curb.

“Boring as usual. Got tons of homework too, but it should keep me busy ‘til mum gets off work,” I told her as I strapped my seatbelt on.

“That’s good. Your Granddad is making his special after school snack for you,” she said and a smile instantly appeared on my face.

“Yes! I love his home-made lazy pizzas,” I told her as I rested my head on the cold window. I hate winters in Bradford, they’re so chilly. As we drove through the streets of their neighborhood my head perked up as I saw a fancy car parked in the drive of Gran’s neighbor’s house. “Gran, whose car is that?” I asked.

“I don’t know, dear. The neighbors must have someone over,” Gran replied, with uneasiness in her voice. I shrugged it off and went into their house and quickly ran to the kitchen to great my granddad.

“Hey Granddad!” I said as I hugged him and took a pizza off the tray and ate it.

“How was school?” He asked as he placed the rest of the pizzas on a plate and set them on the table for me to eat.

“Same ole, same ole!” I told him as I sat down and pulled all my homework out of my bag, so I could start it.

“Sounds fun. I’ll leave you to your homework,” he said while he walked out of the kitchen. I pulled out my iPhone and shoved the headphones into my ear and started playing my music. After two songs I played I heard the doorbell ring in-between the time for the next song to come on. I pulled out a headphone to listen to see who was here.

“Oh! Hello Zayn, we didn’t know you were in town!” My granddad said from his spot at the door. Zayn? Who is Zayn? “Come on in son, don’t be a stranger!” Granddad exclaimed and I heard footsteps headed for the kitchen. I quickly pulled out the other headphone and pretended like I wasn’t listening to music to begin with. Eventually, my granddad and tan man with black hair walked into the kitchen.

“Aw, I see you still make your famous lazy pizzas, Ron,” Zayn said as he looked at my plate. “Mind if I have one?” Zayn asked and I shook my head and watched as he reached for one.

“Are you THE Zayn Malik? The singer?” I, rudely, blurted out, which resulted in Zayn laughing.

“Yes, that’s me. And who might you be? Can’t say I’ve met you before,” he asked as he took a seat across from me.

“I’m Aaliyah, Aaliyah Rose Peterson,” I told him while sticking my hand out for him to shake, which he did.

“Ron, I didn’t know Max had a kid! What’s it like being a granddad now?” Zayn asked, with humor in his voice. Uncle Max isn’t my dad. Ew.

“Uncle Max isn’t my dad. Kacey is my mum,” as these words left my mouth I heard a crash come from where my granddad was standing.

“Everything alright, Ron?” Zayn asked as he stood up and went to help pick the glass up.

“Yeah, just clumsy is all,” Granddad responded.

“So, Aaliyah, Kacey’s your mum?” Zayn asked as he took the seat across from me again.

“Yeah, what’s it to you?” I asked him.

“Just curious, I didn’t realize she got married and had a kid.”

“She didn’t get married. My dad left my mum before he knew she was pregnant with me,” I, nonchalantly, told him. This response resulted in Zayn’s eyes to scrunch in confusion.

“Aaliyah, how old are you? If you don’t mind me asking,” Zayn questioned.

“I’m 16.”

“Ronald! What have you done now?!” My gran yelled as she walked into the kitchen and looked at Zayn then looked at the broken dish my granddad broke.

“You’re sixteen? So Kacey was nineteen when she had you, correct?” Zayn asked, with an emotionless look on his face.

“That’s right.”

Notes

Comments please!

XOXO,
Jade