He Wasn't A Jerk After All (He Wasn't A Jerk #3)

Chapter One

Celebratory chapter because this and the next chapter will be in Chicago, Illinois(where I live) and since the Blackhawks(our hockey team) won against LA(sorry to all you California people.. lol not ;D jk.) I decided to post a chapter! Yay! :D Stanley Cup here we come!

Please VOTE ~ COMMENT ~ SHARE. I always read your comments even if I don't respond to them! Your feedback is appreciated! :)

Chapter One





"I hope they have bacon." Ava said from beside me, eyeing the scrambled eggs.

We were slowly moving down the buffet style complementary breakfast our hotel served. I scooped a few square potatoes onto my plate and took a half a step to the left.

Louis used the tongs and pick up four pieces of bacon from beside me. "I love breakfast food."

I looked at his plate that was much fuller than Ava and I's combined. I rolled my eyes and stepped out of line since there was nothing else that I wanted. I walked towards the juice dispenser and got a glass of apple juice.

"So," Louis said, pulling out a chair for me with his free hand, "What are today's plans?"

I sat down and placed my plate on the table. "I want to go to that deep dish pizza place for lunch." I said. It was really the only thing I wanted to do today. That place was heaven.

"I just wanna walk around," Ava said, forking her scrambled eggs, "Window shopping."

Louis laughed. "Of course you do Ava."

We finished up breakfast and went back up to the rooms, meeting the rest of the guys who were just going down to the breakfast room.

"You know we have to leave it a half hour right?" Louis asked the guys.

They all gave him a half asleep nod and rubbed their eyes. Niall looked like he was about to fall asleep any minute, and Liam looked like he just rolled out of bed.

"Get some coffee," Ava said, patting Liams back, "And get one for this Irish lad over here."

"My name is Niall."

"Yeah whatever. Same thing." Ava said with a smile and she waved her hand around.

The rest of the guys stepped into the elevator and Louis said he wanted to go with them because he wanted some more muffins. Ava and I walked side by side down the musty hallway towards our room.

"A lot has happened this year," Ava noted, taking her key card out of her pocket.

"Yeah." I said. She stuck the card in the door lock. It flashed green and she pushed it open, "You're right."

Ava flopped down on the bed, her auburn hair splaying around her. "I always am hun."

I let the door slam behind me with a click. "I need to pack." I muttered, grabbing my deodorant and toothbrush from the bathroom. I pulled open my tote bag with my toiletries and threw them in.

"So," Ava said. I looked back at her, raising an eyebrow. "You and Lou are official right?"

I rolled my eyes and stuck my hand out showing off the silver metal band around my ring finger. "Yes. Forever."

Ava squealed, sitting up in the bed. "Oh my gosh, I still can't believe it. You two are adorable together. I ship it."

I paused from packing a tank top into my suitcase and let it drop. I turned my head towards her. "Ship?"

"Yea, I ship Vouis," She paused, "Lori, or Loria. Whichever you like better."

"You're giving us a couple name now?"

"Obviously. Louis is famous - isn't he?"

"Yeah, back home. Not really here though."

"Yet." Ava said, giving me a smirk. "After that music video I guarantee you they'll steal the whole world's hearts."

"Can I have that in writing?" I asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"Give me a pen, yeah?"



~*~



"Does this look cute?"

I looked at the purple mini dress she had tried on at Peaches Boutique on Archer Avenue. It came up to her mid-thigh with a sweetheart neckline and some beading alone the top.

I gave her a thumbs up. "I love it."

She smiled and grasped the tag on the dress, examining it. "I really like it," She paused, "But it's $218. That's a lot of money for a party dress."

The dresses here at the boutique ranged from prom dresses, to graduation to party dresses. We had gone to the party/cocktail dress section to look for something cheap and cute.

"If you really like it then charge it."

She looked in the mirror in the dressing room and smoothed her hands down the front of the dress. "I really really like it."

I sighed, taking the hanger off the wall. I handed her the hanger. "Then buy it Avs."

She sighed, grasping the hanger. "I guess I will."

I stepped out of the dressing room to let Ava change, and more importantly so I could look at dresses. We mostly shopped for Ava and I wanted a chance to look. I fingered through the racks of dresses, none popping out at me.

"Find anything?"

I looked over my shoulder. Ava had a white plastic bag that contained her dress. "No."

She frowned. "We have two more days here," She paused and looked at a dress, "Maybe you'll find something when we shop tomorrow."

I gave her a half-hearted smile, knowing I probably wouldn't. "Maybe," I half-lied as we walked out of Peaches Boutique and down Archer Avenue.

We hopped into a cab Ava flagged down, and he drove us to our hotel to go meet up with the guys sine it was almost time for dinner. Once we arrived at the hotel, Ava paid the cab driver by pulling out a few crinkled bills and shoving them into his hand.

"Keep the change. " She said in a snobbish tone, causing me to chuckle.

Ava got out first, her heels clacking against the pavement when she walked. I looked at the can driver before ducking and exiting the cab. I closed the door behind me and hurried to catch up to Ava.

"I hate heels." She muttered angrily to herself as we walked up the cement steps to the hotel entrance.

"Then why do you wear them?" I asked her, out of logic as we went through the revolving door of the hotel. She rolled her eyes at me and stepped out of the in closed space.

"Because they're fashionable. Duh."

I laughed, shaking my head. This was Ava logic. Pain equals beauty. Ava always said that if you look amazing and it hurts - then it was all worth it. I couldn't picture myself walking in six inch high heels and tolerating it. Believe me, I can tolerate a lot of things, but walking in six inch high heels and a skin tight dress was not for me.

"You should try it sometime," Ava said and pressed our floor on the elevator, "You'd look like a model."



~*~



"Calm down Biscuit." I mumbled when I opened the door to our hotel room. He started to madly bark and Ava just gave him a love struck look.

"He is so," She picked him up and let him lick her face, "Adorable!"

I fake gushed. "I know, like seriously isn't he?" I batted my eyelashes, and laughed. I can't believe Ava was gushing over a dog.

"Oh shut up," She placed Biscuit back on the floor. "You love that dog to pieces."

I shrugged. "He's my only real family I guess."

Ava punched my arm lightly. "Hey bitch," She joked, "We're not family?"

I set my keys on the table and hugged her. "Of course we're family."

Ava pulled back from my hug and smiled. "I know we are."

There was a knock at our door, and I untangled myself from the hug Ava and I were sharing and walked towards the door to open it. As soon as the lock clicked and I pulled open the door, Niall was the first to barge in holding a bag of chips.

"Change of plans!" He shouted, holding up a bag of chips and a six-pack ring of Pepsi.

"What?" I asked, semi-squished by the door as the boys came parading in with different types of foods in their hands.

Liam was carrying a container of taco dip and some tortilla chips, Zayn was carrying a bag of Subway sandwiches in both hands, Harry was carrying a bag of Doritos and a six-pack ring of Coca-Cola, and Louis was last in - carrying a bag of dog food and a glazed red bowl that had the name Biscuit printed on it with black lettering.

"Here," Louis said, placing the bowl in my hand. "I decided to get Biscuit a little treat."

I smiled at Louis, watching him rip open the dried dog food bag. "You didn't have to get him a bowl," I watched as he poured the nasty smelling stuff in the bowl, "I have one for him you know."

Louis smiled up at me as he dumped the contents in the bowl. "But this one has his name on it." He took the bowl from my hands and placed it on the ground, where Biscuit eyed it warily and sniffed it before digging in.

Louis grabbed my hand and he walked over to the small living room area where all the guys - and Ava were. We sat down on the couch next to Ava and Niall, watching Zayn hand out the sandwiches.

"They're all Italian," He said and handed me one, "Since we didn't know what everyone liked."

"I hate Italian." Liam said, wrinkling his nose as he unwrapped the paper that held the sandwich.

Niall hit him with his arm, his sandwich already in one hand and half of it dangling from his mouth. "I'll take it if you don't want it mate." Niall said with a mouthful of sandwich. I watched as a few strings of lettuce fell from his mouth and ended up on the carpted floor beneath him.

Liam took the bread off the top of his sandwich and ripped it in half. He shoved half in his mouth and chewed it while he pushed the wrapping towards Niall.

"It's all your mate."

Niall's eyes grew wide and he smiled a crooked teeth smile. "Thanks lad, you've always been my best friend in this band."

A chorus of 'Hey's' erupted around the room and Niall laughed. Harry rolled his eyes and took a bite out of his sandwich before facing all of us. He chewed and swallowed.

"Niall's best friend is whoever gives him food." He muttered grumpily to all of us.

Ava beside me started to laugh, gazing at Harry. "Really?"

Harry nodded. "Give him a piece of your sandwich and you shall see."

Ava shook her head no. "Hell no! I'm starving. Like I'd give up a piece of my sandwich to someone I barely know."

"Hey!" Niall protested, "You know me!"

"Barely," Ava mumbled.

"Two weeks counts."

Louis squeezed my hand beside me, pulling me from the conversation that the rest of them were having.

"You're not eating." He noted, nodding towards my untouched sandwich.

"Yes I am." I said, picking up the sandwich and nibbling off a small piece.

To be honest, I wasn't all that hungry. While Ava and I were shopping today, we grabbed a bite to eat at McDonalds and stopped at some Italian Ice shop before we headed towards the dress store. Even though I didn't have that much to eat today, I didn't have an appetite or the energy to even think - let alone eat food.

"On second thought," I said folding the corners of the Subway paper wrapping, "I might save this for later."

"You sure?" Louis asked, concern evident in his voice.

I nodded, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm positive." I stood up from my spot on the couch and bent over to give Louis a quick peck on the lips before taking my sandwich and myself, and excused myself from the little group discussion.

I could feel Louis' eyes on me, because I knew everyone else was too busy discussing who was Niall's new best friend since practically everyone had given him some of their food - except for Ava. I walked out the door of the room, and made my way down the hallways to the vending and ice room that was at the end of each hallway.

I looked at my barely touched sandwich and tossed it in the metal trash bin that was next to the ice machine. I wasn't hungry. For some reason, I felt sick to my stomach. I don't know if it was the text Jon sent me yesterday asking if I was every going to see Henry. But, something about being here in America didn't quite settle my stomach the way it should have.

I mean, I should be happy about leaving my screwed up mom, and soon to be family behind - right?

I took a deep breath and pulled my phone out of my pocket. I scrolled down my list of contacts until I found Jon's and hit the call button. The dial tone rung for a few seconds before his gruff voice answered.

"Hello?"

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Jon."

I heard a noise that sounded like he was moving, but I wasn't quite sure. After a moment the noise stopped and a groan came through the phone.

"It's about 1am, and you're calling me why?"

I looked at the time on my phone, reading that it was 6:58, which meant it was almost one o'clock there. I sighed, rubbing my forehead with my free hand. I totally forgot that we were half way across the country from each other. Well, more like half way across the sea.

"Sorry, I forgot." I said, into the speaker. "I just needed to ask you something."

The ice machine made a weird noise. I glared at it, thinking that it would make it shut up but in reality - it wouldn't make any difference what I did to it. Unless, I unplugged it. I eyed the power cord for a second but decided against it. I could tolerate the noise. Just like I tolerated my mother for nineteen years.

"Okay, shoot."

"Do you know when your dad is marrying my mum?"

He let out a short laugh. "Like I'd know," There was a pause. "They don't really tell us kids anything."

"You're not a kid. Your seventeen."

"Thanks for reminding me of my age."

I laughed. "Sorry, I'm just a little stressed."

"Look, I need to go. We haven't slept much since your mum went into labour. So, I'll talk to you later, yeah?"

"Yeah." I agreed.

"Goodnight Victoria, try not to worry too much. Your free, away from your family. Live a little." And then he hung up. I stared at the phone for what seemed like ten minutes after he hung up. I never really talked to Jon since our parents had introduced us, but if he was going to be my step-brother soon I needed to make some conversation with him.

I sighed, stuffing the phone back in my pocket and leaving the noisy ice machine room and headed back to the place where my friends, no my family was. The words Jon had told me rung in my head. They kept replaying over and over and over.

Live a little.

Your free.

Away from your family.

I paused outside my room, my hand curled up into a fist. I paused before I knocked since I had left my key inside the room.

"Live a little." I muttered to myself. I nodded. I was going to take what Jon told me and do it. Live a little. I pressed my fist to the wooden door and knocked three times, before stepping back.

Louis answered the door, swinging it open so he could step back and let me in. I smiled at him, and he turned around to close the door and lock it. I wrapped my arms around his neck once he was facing me. His hand snaked around my waist and interlocked together behind me.

I looked up at him. "Did you have a nice walk?" He asked with a small smile stretched on his lips.

I nodded and pressed my lips against his. "I did."

"I love you." He said, and pressed his lips against mine again. I smiled into the kiss and pulled him closer with my hands that were around his neck.

I pulled away from the kiss and smiled up at him. "I love you too."



~*~



*throws confetti* Go Blackhawks! :D My home town! (If you guys didn't know I live in Chicago, now you do.)

Thank you to all who have been supporting me, and sending me all the wonderful messages on here. I appreciate your kind words and I promise I will get back to every single one of you at some point. I just don't have that much time to type out a whole long appreciation message using my ipod.

Please, do not promote your stories in the comment section. It's rude, and this is not a place to promote your story. There is a club for that on here. Thank you.

To all the haters: Kiss my ass, please. I could care less on what you think about how I act, write or my story.



Tomorrow is my 8th grade graduation party. (I graduated May 31st for all who didn't know). After this, I am done(mostly) being busy and I will try(haha I will) to update more frequently!



Song: Treasure by Bruno Mars(doesn't fit but what the heck)