Hey guys, this is a little Zendaya/Val fanfic. OMG, I feel like Val's cheating on Aria. (if you don't know, she's from another story of mine, Save Me, check it out if you haven't already). Review, review, review! Please let me know if this s worth continuing. I am already pretty busy with my other two stories, so I will only continue if I can see that a decent group of people would like to see it continued. Xoxo
Chapter 1
I lay in bed replaying that interview over and over again in my mind. I didn't know if it was the right thing to say. I struggled with whether or not I should have told Zendaya on national television that she is my number one priority and that I loved her. I loved her. I didn't know what Zendaya thought that meant. For all I know she could have thought it was a brotherly thing. The problem was that I didn't…..
I didn't know what to say or what to do. I felt like I was losing her. In a week, the show would be over and I would be on a flight back to NYC and Zendaya would stay here. I couldn't bear to leave her. I had grown way too close to her for that. I feared giving her my heart and get nothing in return. Even if she felt the same way, I would have to go to NYC and she would have to stay here for the projects she was working on. Not to mention that she is still technically a minor. I didn't think I could leave her. It would tear me to shreds.
When angry or upset I had a tendency to talk to myself in Russian. The problem was that I didn't even realize when I did it and Maks usually easily overheard it. It was excruciatingly embarrassing. And for the umpteenth time, he did just that.
"YA mogu voyti ?" a voice as I recognized as Maks asked on the other side of the door. I mumbled yes, the sound muffled because of my hands over my face. I heard him enter and sit in the white wingback chair on the opposite wall. "Bro, what's going on here?" Maks asked, initiating the conversation. I knew Maks was genuinely worried if he was speaking in English like that. I groaned in response, not giving him an answer. "Talk to me, Val," Maks persisted. "Zendaya," I replied, her voice bringing joy and pain all at the same time. "What about her?" Maks asked. He probably knew what I was talking about, but he wanted me to admit it out loud. He once said something about winners only deal with the truth and saying it out loud makes it reality or some psychological shit like that. He swears by Dr. Phil. "I love her," I admitted, peeking through my hands to see my brother's response. His countenance remained serene. "I know, Bro. I think a lot of us do," Maks said, placing his hands behind his head, and leaned back in the chair. I groaned again, not bothering to communicate with words.
"What do I do? Because I have no clue," I admitted, removing my hands from my face to look at Maks from across the room. "The way I see it, you either play all your chips or you fold, Val," Maks said. "You did not just compare my love life to Russian roulette. You know how ironically corny that is?" I asked, slightly humored. "It was unintentional. But Bro, that's exactly what you have to do. If not for your own sake, do it for Zendaya's sake. If she feels the same way, you don't want to let her keep hanging in this place between friends and more than friends. It's just not fair," Maks pointed out. "I see you're point. I'm just afraid that she won't feel the same way. I'm afraid of losing her altogether. I couldn't bear losing her, Maks. I just couldn't," I rambled. "Then you have your answer, Val," Maks said, shifting in his seat. "Yeah, I guess I do. But even if she did, what about after? How would we make it work? What about the fact that she is still jailbait for at least several more months? What about Mama and Papa? What about Kazembe and Claire?" I ranted, feeling overwhelmed. "Val, it'll all work out. What you need to do is get your ass to the studio and talk to her," Maks said. "Yeah, you're right," I assented, hopping up from the bed to grab my keys. "Thanks, Bro," I said, giving him a meaningful look. "Anytime. According to Ma, it's my job," Maks pointed out, smiling. I smiled back at him as I left the bedroom.
I texted Zendaya and asked her to come to the studio a little earlier than usual. That way, I would be able to talk to her without eating into our precious rehearsal time. I hoped that the conversation wouldn't affect our rehearsal afterwards. On the drive there, I attempted to rehearse what I was going to say to her. About five minutes later I realized how ridiculous I was being and that I sounded like a lunatic. I would just wing it. It was really the only option I had at that point.
I sucked in a deep breath as I entered the studio. I walked in to find Zendaya doing her usual pre-rehearsal stretching. I felt my nerves increase dramatically, and I forcefully suppressed them to the best of my ability. "Hey, babe, can we talk before we start rehearsing?" I said as I stopped a couple of feet in front of her. She smiled, but I could detect a trace of worry that had touched her eyes. She patted the floor next to her, signaling me sit beside her.
"What's on your mind, Val?" Zendaya initiated with intense curiosity. "Well, I was thinking about the show last night an-" "I know, I could've done sooo much better. I'm sorry I failed you," Zendaya interrupted. "You did amazing, Zendayachka. I'm so proud of you. But that's not what I'm getting at," I explained as her face contorted with puzzlement. "In that interview with Brooke I said that I loved you. And I want you to know that I truly do mean that," I saw her about to speak when I put my hand out to stop her. "But what I want to tell you is exactly what I mean by that," I explained. "I know, I know, we're like siblings and you love me like the little sister you never had," Zendaya remarkedas she fiddled with the evil eye necklace I gave her, her voice acerbic "And that's exactly why I needed to talk to you. You're so wrong, Zendayachka. You need to know that I love you in a very passionate and very non-sibling way. I don't just love you, Z, I'm in love with you," I explained passionately, feeling so much better when it was finally out in the open.
She shook her head in disbelief. She refused to believe in what I had told her. I needed to show her how I felt. "Well, would your "brother" do this?" I asked, beginning to feel the onset of desperation and frustration. Before she could ask what I meant, I pulled her roughly to my chest (I had way too much emotion going on to try and be gentle) and pulled her face to mine. My lips descended upon hers urgently, trying to prove my feelings for her. At first, I felt her freeze, and her lips were unmoving. After I few moments, I felt her begin to melt into me. I beckoned her with my lips to continue. In response, Zendaya pushed me into the adjacent lounge, hitting my shoulder on the door in the process.
She wasted no time, and soon I found myself pushed onto one of the several couches in the room. I knew she was inexperienced in this department, and I began to sense her insecurity. She most likely thought I had kissed so many women that she could hardly compare. The thing was is this kiss was so much incredibly better than any other kiss I had ever experienced. I was trying to be as gentle as possible, but Zendaya was making it incredibly difficult. I thought about ending the series of kisses several times, but could never go through it. Zendaya persisted with more kisses. It was becoming increasingly impossible to stop.
A few moments later, I began to hear voices and footsteps outside the walls of the lounge. I don't know how in the hell I was able to hear anything at all, considering I was pretty caught up in the present situation. As the voices and footsteps drew closer and closer to the lounge door, I was able to gather enough coherency to pull away from Zendaya.
A look of sincere disappointment crossed her face and I couldn't help myself. I pulled her tightly against my chest, kissing the top of her head. Both the voices and the footsteps soon faded away into a distant corridor. False alarm, apparently. "What are we going to do, Val?" she asked as she plled away to look at me. I began drowning in her big,warm, and brown eyes. "All we can do, fight for this," I replied, staring deep into her eyes.
