"There's going to be a huge party this weekend." Niall said to Zayn as they sat down at lunch on Monday.

"Okay." Zayn shrugged, not sure why Niall was bringing this up.

Especially as their first topic of conversation.

"Do you want to go?" Niall asked boldly.

"Not really. You know I don't do parties. Crowds wreck my anxiety." Zayn said.

"That's what the alcohol is for." Niall smiled.

Zayn shook his head. "Still, no. I don't know where it's going to be, plus I wasn't invited."

Niall gave him a look. "You don't have to be invited to these types of parties. You just show up and start having a good time."

"Okay, have fun with that." Zayn said.

"Come with me, please? Maybe as my wingman?" Niall suggested.

Zayn raised an eyebrow. "Wingman?"

Niall nodded shyly, and Zayn smiled.

"So there's someone you're after. Who is it?"

"Nobody, just...this guy from one of my classes." Niall shrugged.

"If you want me to be your wingman you'll have to tell me who it is." Zayn smiled.

"What would I have to do to get you to come without telling you? Maybe...let's say to just come as company?" Niall asked.

Zayn thought about it a moment. "You'd have to pay me."

"How much?" Niall asked.

Zayn chuckled. "Seriously? You're willing to pay me just to come to this party with you so you won't be alone?"

Niall nodded, looking more desperate than he sounded.

Zayn sighed heavily, glancing towards the sky.

"Fine. I'll come with you-"

"Yay! Thank you!" Niall grinned.

"Did you make up the whole wingman thing or is there someone I should know about?" Zayn asked.

Niall shook his head. "Made it up."

"Nice." Zayn said quietly.

"So why are you going? I mean you've never been the party going type." Zayn said.

"Not that you know of. I actually really like to party. But since we became friends I sort of...let that detail fade because I knew you didn't like to party." Niall admitted.

Zayn frowned slightly. "We're allowed to like different things, you know."

"Y-Yeah, I know." Niall said, looking down.

Zayn chuckled, shaking his head. "So who's having the party?"

"Leeroy." Niall said, making Zayn frown.

"Are you sure? He doesn't seem like the party type."

Niall nodded. "I'm positive."

Zayn shrugged it off, looking back down at his lunch.

×

×

×

"So, how are we gonna do this?" Harry asked after the teacher gave them permission to get with their partners.

"Do what?" Zayn asked, not looking at him and copying the math homework Harry had already done and gave to him.

"This project." Harry said.

"Thought you were gonna do it all." Zayn said quietly, concentrating.

"I think I do enough for you already. I don't want to do this by myself." Harry said, folding his arms.

Zayn paused, Harry's words rubbing him the wrong way.

Like sandpaper against a baby's skin.

"You do enough for me? You let me cheat off of you in math. Don't act like you're my savior or some shit." Zayn scoffed.

"Without me letting you cheat you wouldn't even be passing. I'd say that's more than enough. So help me with this project." Harry demanded.

Zayn glared at him. "Okay you know what? Fuck your answers. I don't need your help, of all people's." He said coldly, shoving the paper onto the desk Harry was sitting in.

Harry sighed heavily, trying to remain calm. "Just quit being lazy and help me with this project."

"I'm not lazy. You're going to have to treat me with more respect if you expect me to work with you." Zayn warned.

"Fine." Harry said through clenched teeth.

"So, what do you want me to do?" Zayn asked.

"I want you to get the bean seeds." Harry said.

"Bean seeds? That's a thing?" Zayn frowned.

"Well duh, Zayn. Everything starts from a seed." Harry said.

"Yeah? So...chickens come from chicken seeds?" Zayn asked.

"No, I meant- look, just get some fucking bean seeds okay? I'll get the different liquid types and I'll conduct the experiment at my place. I have a lot of windows so light won't be an issue." Harry explained.

"Okay. So...bean seeds. Is that all I have to contribute here?" Zayn asked.

"No, we both need to take observations and record data separately." Harry said, reading from the paper.

"So I guess one day next week or whenever one sprouts you can ride home with me after school and look at it."

Zayn chuckled. "Yes, that sounds fun. Going to your house to look at a fucking bean sprout."

Harry looked at him. "I mean do you have another way?"

"Yeah, you record the data and I'll just copy it but change a few words and add my own opinion as if I was there." Zayn said.

Harry felt oddly offended. "My house is clean, you know."

"I'm sure." Zayn muttered, avoiding his eyes.

"I'm just not into visits. Ever. So yeah." Zayn lied.

"Okay." Harry said slowly, staring at him.

Regardless of his original reason for staring at Zayn, Harry's attention drifted when he noticed Zayn's eyelash length.

They hid his eyes completely when he looked down.

How aesthetically pleasing, Harry thought.

Maybe Zayn did have one nice thing about him.

"Um, if you can bring me the seeds by Wednesday I'm sure we'll see a sprout by the weekend. Can I send you a picture and you record the data from that? So it'll be more accurate?" Harry suggested.

"No, I'm busy this weekend." Zayn said.

"Too busy to look at a picture for like five minutes?" Harry asked skeptically.

"You want the real answer?" Zayn asked, still not looking at him.

"Yeah." Harry decided.

"Well, for one I have plans this weekend Niall so yes I'll be busy, two, I don't want you having my number." Zayn said.

Harry was offended again. "Why not?"

"We may be cool but that doesn't mean I have to like you." Zayn said, being brutally honest.

Harry's expression hardened, and he fought to understand why Zayn was such an asshole.

"Fine. Whatever. Enjoy your weekend-long date." Harry said as he got up to leave.

"It isn't a date." Zayn said sharply, causing Harry to stop.

"Wait, you two aren't dating?" He frowned.

"No! Why does everyone- no. He's just my friend." Zayn almost snapped.

"Ah. Well, good." Harry said, walking off.

Zayn shook his head angrily, his anger quickly fading when he got caught up on Harry's words.

Why was it good that he wasn't dating Niall?

×××××××××××

A/N: Clarification is on the way :) Yes this chapter is titled 010. No it isn't a mistake, let me be special.

-Z