Something New // Niall Horan

Bruises

~ The Next Day ~

Niall's POV:

When the bell rang for lunch, I went to my dorm to put some of my books back.

Some blonde girl approached me and start flirting with me before I entered my room.

"Hey, Niall," she smiled. Her cardigan was slightly opened, she was showing her boobs off on purpose.

"Hello," I greeted. Closing my locker, putting my bag on my shoulder.

"You were great at the karaoke, I didn't know you were such a great singer. Did you ever take lessons?"
she asked, stepping closer to me.

"Em, no, I just taught myself. Taught myself to play guitar as well."

"That's really cool, maybe you could sing me a song one day."

"Yeah babe, give me a call and-"
I completely forgot I was in a relationship with Cara! What am I doing?

"What? Em- I have a girlfriend," I awkwardly laughed.

"Oh. Well, okay, I'll see you later then," she mirrored my awkward laugh, walking off.

What was I thinking? I mentally face-palmed.

I ran into the cafeteria in search for Cara. No sign of her.

I spotted Jess and asked where Cara was.

"Dorm," Jess shot.

I ran up to her room and knocked at her door.

She opened and I lifted her up into a hug.

"Hey baby," I kissed her and let her down.

"What's up?" She asked, wrapping her hands around my neck. I put my hands on her hips.

"I missed you," I admitted.

"I missed you too," she smiled.

"Do ya wanna get your laptop when classes are over?" I asked.

"Yeah, we should go to the Apple store. My laptop was ancient, I needed a new one badly," she laughed.

"Alright, anything you want, my dear,"
I joked.

"Cool," she kissed me and limped over to her mirror.

"What's wrong?" I wondered.

"I don't know, my foot is a bit sore."

"Come here." I walked over to her and picked her up sideways, cradling her.

When I sat down on her bed, she wrapped her legs around my waist and I put my hands behind her back, so she wouldn't fall backwards. She put her hands behind my neck.

"Ow, my back," she said, moving my hands away.

"Ah, here, what's going on? Why are you sore everywhere?" I joked, repositioning my hold.

The second I noticed the bruise on her neck, I moved her hair back so I could see it properly.

I pulled her t-shirt down a little and saw another bruise on her collarbone.

"Hun, what are all these bruises from?" I looked straight into her eyes; I was deeply concerned.

"... I fell down- down the stairs yesterday," she whimpered.

"... You're lying. If you fell down the stairs, it'd be unlikely you'd get a bruise on your neck and collarbone."

I put her hands in front of me. "AND arm?! What's going on?"

"I dunno," she mumbled.

"Obviously you know, don't play stupid with me. Tell me now, Cara."

"... Don't overreact. After your fight with Chris.... He took his anger out on me after what you did to him-"

"Chris did this to you?! I'll kill him!-"

"NO! Don't do anything to anyone. I'm okay-"

"NO, this is not okay!" I stood up and set her down on her bed.

"Please, Niall! Don't!"

"... Okay, I won't." I lied.

"I'm gonna go shower." I walked out and slammed the door.

While looking around for Chris, I was checking by his dorm and finally found him. I walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around on contact.

"That black eye looks great on you," I fake laughed.

"Fuck off, Niall!" He turned back around, shoving books into his bag. He sounded guilty.

"I'm talking to you!" I tapped him harder, making his expression turn to anger.

"I said fuck off!" He shoved me, hard.

"Before we get into that, young man, I'd like you to apologize to Cara."

"Why should I do that?"

"Because I said so."

"How about you piss off and get out of my face?"

"How about I do this?" I replied and punched him in the face, making him fall to the ground. I kicked and punched, basically everything I could to hurt him, like he hurt Cara.

I kicked him in the head and face repeatedly.

A few guys pulled me away from him.

Someone went over to him, to make sure he was still alive.

"WHAT THE FUCK, NIALL?!" One of the guys shouted at me.

"He beat my girlfriend! He fucking beat her!"

Everyone in the area's expressions turned to disgusted awe as they stared at Chris, the ex-girlfriend beater.

"Chris, you hit Cara?" one of Chris' friends-- ex-friends-- asked.

"No," he coughed. "I beat the absolute shit out of her." He laughed maniacally.

"YOU BASTARD!" I ran to attack him again but people pulled me back.

I heard the sound of sirens approaching. The sirens stopped at what sounded like the outside of the building, some car doors opening and closing were heard, and four police officers burst in through the front doors.

"Who's the perp?" One asked in a deep, official tone.

A few of Chris' friends (I guess they didn't believe me, or were still friends with Chris, or both) pointed at me.

Everyone else was too astonished to defend me. Blake spoke up.

"NO! He was just defending his girlfriend! Arrest him!" He pointed at Chris. The officer ignored him. "He even admitted to it!"

"Sir, put your hands behind your back."

"But he-"

"Put your hands behind your back," he repeated, cutting me off. I obliged, letting him handcuff me. He read me my rights.

"You are being arrested for unnecessary assault upon another civilian." I nodded.

The instant I heard the *click* of the handcuffs locking, I spotted someone in the crowd who I really wish wasn't there.

Cara was staring at me, tears streaming from her eyes, Jess, Luke, Blake, and Mark all crowding around her.

As the cop walked me out, I passed them.

Or more specifically, her.

"Cara..." I whined. "I didn't want you to see this."

It wasn't fair. They were dragging me away from her.

More tears spilled from her eyes as I said something I needed to say.

"I love you."