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twenty-nine

Wesley: I'm staying overnight. Mere went off with Ryan. They drove to Ryan's place. Mere didn't feel very well. Just drive home.

I don't answer the message but pack my cross body and get my car keys out to just leave the house as quick as possible. I take a deep breath before I open the door to the hallway that leads to a staircase to go downstairs. I leave the room behind me but close the door. On my way downstairs a couple of couples bump into me, making their way upstairs to find a room. On the stairs, some couple is making out. I squeeze myself past them, almost stumbling down the stairs. I see Lilian and Wesley from afar. They are drinking and talking. Right next to them, Niall is talking to a beautiful red haired girl. She has her hands on Niall's muscular biceps and giggles, as far as I can say from the distance. Well, he must've found himself a new fling for tonight. Must've forgotten about me afterall. I pass a few people in the hallway, just ignoring, when they talk to me or touch me. I leave the party, opening the front door and just leaving. I don't say goodbye to anyone.

*****

I take my phone from the bedside table next to my bed. It's about 8:00am. Why do I have to wake up this early? I got home from the party around 3:00am. I only slept for like five hours. I scroll down a bit, seeing Niall texted me a couple of times.

Niall: Did u leve?

Niall: You hav to cum bak.

Niall: I ned u, violet. i mis u.

Niall: answr me, pls.

I just read them, don't answer and take my laptop. I turn it on while I scroll through Instagram, seeing Niall posted a picture with the red haired girl from last night. He looks really drunk and she does aswell. He tagged her, so I visit her profile. According to her profile, her name is Anastasia. She doesn't have a private account which is good for me. I decide to scroll through her pictures. I've never seen her before and I don't believe she goes go our school. Suddenly, I see a picture that makes me want to gag. Grayson has his hand around her waist, kissing her head. So, she's from Grayson's group of friends, nice. I continue scrolling, seeing some pictures from parties. There are also a few where my brother is standing next to Niall and Niall having his hand around the red head. I didn't know they know a girl that's in Grayson's friend group aswell. I quickly get off of her account, seeing Niall send me a Snapchat message. Do I really want to open it? I really do but will it be good for me? Probably not but I'll probably still open it just because I want to know what he send. I go to the app, opening it. I quickly check the story section for anything interesting but then go back to open Niall's snap. I tap on the bar with his name. A video pops up, blasting my ears with really loud music. It shows him with that Anastasia girl, singing the lyrics and dancing. Maybe they're just really good friends... but Niall would've probably told me about her. The video ends, so I close the app again. I consider that it's time to finally get up and start the day but I see a book lay on the bedside table. I haven't read in a long time and I actually love reading. After I got together with Tobias, I kind of gave up on reading. I should start again. I take the book and read the back of it to see what I read before I stopped. The back says "City of Bones". Oh, yeah, I remember wanting to read that. I think it'll be quite good. I already watched the Movie but the book is usually better anyway. I open the first page, falling into the words and losing myself. Hopefully this can get me distracted.

A few hours later, I'm done with a little more than one third of the book. I heard my phone vibrate a couple of times but I ignored it, being too deep in thought with the book. I really like Jace already. I put a bookmark on the page and swap the book with my phone. It's almost 11:30am. A few messages are on the screen. Niall texted me a few times. I open his messages first.

Niall: I'm so sorry for those texts and whatever I send you.

Niall: By the way, do you want to go out today? I remember what you promised yesterday.

Niall: I'm picking you up at 12:00pm. Wesley is at Lilian's until tonight and I already called your Mom and she's okay with it.

I jump out of bed. How in the world can he remember what I told him yesterday in his drunken state? I quickly pull something comfortable out of my closet. Just as I'm about to go to the bathroom to clean myself up and get changed, my phone vibrates again. It's a message from Niall.

Niall: Wear something warmer like a hoodie and jeans.

I go back to my closet and pull out a hoodie and some long jeans. I don't even want to go anymore, I didn't even want to go in the first place but bailing out now is quite a dick move. I promised Niall to go out with him afterall. Quickly, I go to the bathroom and get dressed, brush my teeth and do my skin care. I also apply some deodorant and body spray, just so I don't smell too bad, considering I couldn't take a shower and reek of cigarettes and alcohol from people spilling alcohol on me yesterday. The blue bruise around my eye looks hideous and scares me a bit. I won't be able to cover that up but I can take sunglasses due to it being really sunny with rather mild temperatures. Since I don't know what we're doing, I get on my most comfortable shoes and pack a small cross body bag with my wallet, house keys, some tissues and my phone. Niall's coming in five minutes or even earlier, as far as I know him. I take one last look at myself in the mirror in my room. My makeupless face looks really pale and the bruise doesn't make it better. I go downstairs, seeing the TV is turned on. Mom should be home but she's probably in bed and she never leaves the TV on. I enter the living room, seeing Niall on the couch with his back towards me. I clear my throat a little louder than usual, awakening Niall from his daydreaming. He turns the TV off, looking over at me. I just try to ignore it and look straight at him.

"Well, hello", he says, smiling and making his way towards me.

"How did you get in here?", I question, not greeting him.

"Spare key your brother gave me after you know what happened", he explains.

I just nod, taking a better look at him. His eye is really bruised like mine and the cuts are also a little blue on the outer rims. The blood crust also turned more of a dark red.

"You look really beat up", I say, stepping closer to him to look at it better.

"Well, you don't look too fresh yourself. Does it hurt a lot?", he asks, reaching out to take my cheek in his hand.

"Only when I touch it or blink rapidly."

"Good."

"How's the ribs doing?", I ask.

"Pretty good, just bruised, not much pain unless I laugh too loud."

I nod. He lets go of my cheek, putting a smile on his lips.

"Well, shall we go?", he asks, holding his hand out for me to take.