Patience (A Punk Niall Horan Romance)

~Five~ Are you coming up short stack?

“Asshole” Niall mutters under his breath. I notice his hands are clenched into tight fists.

“I have to get back to Saffron’s but I’m guessing you two will be going to this party tonight right?” I ask Liam and Zayn.

“Yeah course, Matthew’s party. He’s one of our mates” Liam explains to me.

“Right, of course” I agree “Will you be attending your majesty?” I ask, turning to Niall, smiling.

“Yes. Like Liam said, he’s one of our best mates.” He replies sharply.

“Oh, right”

Why is he being so blunt?

‘Maybe because you just met him and already you're acting like a royal bitch’ my subconscious sneers at me.

Ignore. Ignore. Ignore.

“Well I guess I’ll see you later then?” I ask them, not looking at the blonde.

“Yeah see you later Dru” Zayn says, faking a smile at me.

“It was nice to meet you” adds Liam, faking another smile, before turning his attention to Niall. I’ve faked enough smiles to know when somebody else is doing it.

“Don’t look at me like that Liam!” Niall exclaims, before skating off.

Grabbing my penny board, I walk the opposite way, out of the pool. Blinking rapidly, I try to keep the tears away.

‘God, you are such a wimp you know that don’t you?’

Ignore. Ignore. Ignore.

“Remember Bea, if you just ignore the voice, it will simply cease to exist” I can clearly hear Dr. Patel’s voice ring through my ears as the mild air hits me.

After admitting my eating disorder to my parents, my dad thought it would be wise to sign me up for a shrink. The whole thing was a big ball of “It’s a no from me” but I did get two strips of positivity from attending the eccentric Indian man’s office every Monday morning.

I got to miss Maths, Geography and French, and that piece of advice sometimes did help.

Ignore. Ignore. Ignore.

“Dru! HEY DRU!” a screaming voice, yanks me out of my dream and nearly makes me capsize on my board.

“Dru! Why aren’t you at home getting ready?” Fran asks me, once she catches up.“I decided to explore” I shrug after we begin making our way home together. Her hair is damp and scraped up into a topknot. She’s wearing no makeup but she still looks gorgeous.

“So, what are you going to wear to the party tonight?” I ask her.

“Well I was hoping to wear a black dress that has these bits cut out at the side....”

Fran’s voice kind of drips away and I focus my attention on the blonde boy walking out of the newsagents carrying two paper bags full of groceries.

“Fran? I’m going to run into the shop ok? Give Saffron this” I tell her, handing her the chocolate bar that was in my pocket.

“Umm.. ok? I can wait for you though?”

“No go home and get ready!” I smile “I’ll be home in a while!”

“Sure ok. I have to wash my hair anyway” she says, as she walks away, heading to our estate with her swim bag swinging at her side.

I pick up my board and jog over to where Niall rounded the corner. I have to understand why he’s being so blunt with me.