Zayn looked at the note that was in his hands. It had his name on in an italic, scruffy handwriting, and for some reason, Zayn didn’t know if he wanted to open it or not. He looked back up at Liam, who was staring at the note intensely, as if he was thinking the exact same thing. Liam’s hair seemed a little more ruffled than usual, and Zayn couldn’t help but stare at the small, pink marks across Liam’s neck. Zayn diverted his eyes away from his best friend, wondering who the lucky person was. He’d question Liam about it, but he knew how defensive Liam would start to get, especially with the fact that he looked more tired and fed up then usual.
Zayn decided to just take the ‘act cool’ approach, and sat back in his chair. He lifted one of his legs onto his other knee, like he always tended to sit, before unfolding the note. Zayn’s chocolate eyes read over the small amount of information, in the same, scruffy handwriting. At the top of it, was Alex’s phone number. Below that was an address, and then a name and amount of money that they owed, and then under that, Alex had told Zayn to meet at the allotments before and after the delivery, and the time he wanted to meet him there, nine o’clock. Zayn read over the military-like instructions, before catching one last, slightly more personal instruction scribbled across the bottom of the piece of paper. ‘Don’t fuck this up, Malik.’ Zayn didn’t even want to think about what would happen to him if anything went wrong…
He folded up the note and put it in his blazer pocket, before looking back up at his friends. Niall was watching him with a small smile, and Zayn sent him a small one back before looking back at Liam. He looked absolutely shattered, but he also looked miserable. This wasn’t normally like Liam, he normally didn’t show if he was upset unless he was on his own with Zayn or Niall, but he looked openly sad. Zayn started to ponder whether he should ask if he was okay or anything, or whether to wait until Josh and Niall had gone off somewhere, but it appeared Josh and Niall had beaten him to it. Niall was chuckling as Josh leaned over and pulled Liam’s collar down to reveal more of those pink marks across his neck. Liam quickly hit Josh’s arm away.
“Get the fuck off me, man!” Liam practically yelled, attracting attention from the other members of the school sat in the sixth form common room. Josh went straight-faced and quiet and leaned away from him. It was extremely unusual for Liam to shout at anyone.
“Liam, maybe you should calm down…or eat something…” Niall mumbled quietly, slowly pushing a muffin that had been left on the table over towards Liam. Liam scowled at him, his hands holding onto the side of the table angrily. There was a silence at the table, and Zayn leaned over to his best friend, extremely worried for his sake.
“Liam,” Zayn started, putting his hand on his arm gently. Liam immediately flinched away from Zayn and almost retaliated by throwing a punch back over to him.
“Liam! You almost punched Zayn!” Niall outburst in shock, and Liam just stood up, his chair flying backwards as he did so.
“Just don’t fucking touch me, okay? Don’t fucking touch me!” Liam yelled, looking directly in Zayn’s eyes, before throwing his bag over his shoulder and leaving. There was a lot of anger in his eyes, Zayn thought, as he watched his friend walk away from him, but there was something else…something he couldn’t put his finger on. Liam almost seemed…ashamed?
**
“I didn’t think it was going to be this cold…or dark…” Niall’s Irish words whispered through the air, and Zayn rolled his eyes again. He didn’t know why he’d let Niall come with him. For the rest of the day after Zayn had gotten the note from Alex, and seen Liam walk out of school, another trait that wasn’t like him at all, Niall had bugged him about what was in the letter, and when Zayn had told him it was a few errands he had to run, Niall didn’t stop until he would be allowed to come too, but now, as they walked down a dark alleyway towards the allotments, he hadn’t shut up once.
“Niall, you wanted to come, if you’re going to keep moaning you can go back home!” Zayn hissed at him, coming to a stop half way down the alleyway. Niall shoved his hands into his jean pockets, looked around him nervously before looking back at Zayn with a small smile. Urgh, Zayn thought, he was like a fucking puppy. The two boys started walking again, and as they walked out of the alleyway, a cool breeze hit them, that made both boys shiver slightly.
“Which ways the allotments?” Zayn asked, looking up and down the small road full of tiny houses. Niall smiled and pointed down the road, and Zayn nodded before they both started walking towards the allotments. Streets were lit up with the street lamps, or light from house windows. It was really quiet for a moment, and Zayn tried to enjoy it, mentally preparing himself for what he had to do. Suddenly, he felt Niall’s warm hand slip into his and he almost jumped out of his skin.
“Fucking hell, Niall!” Zayn hissed, taking a breath in shock. Niall looked at him worriedly.
“What, what did I do this time?” Niall asked, moping at Zayn. Zayn rolled his eyes and they both started walking again.
“You held my hand and it frightened me to fucking death…stop trying to hold my hand!” Zayn said, as the Irish boy kept trying to hold Zayn’s hand. Niall chuckled slightly under his breath and Zayn tried to hide the smirk on his face.
“I told you, it’s dark and we’re going to some allotments, I’m scared.” Niall whispered, and Zayn rolled his eyes.
“Look, I have to act all tough and shit, I don’t want to walk over to Alex holding your hand because you’re scared!” Zayn told him, before the allotments came in sight, and Zayn could see a figure stood under a street lamp a few yards away. Also, Zayn didn’t want Alex to see him holding Niall’s hand, in case it made Alex change his mind about his ‘tips’. They walked up to the figure, and it was Alex.
“Malik, you’re ten fucking minutes late.” Alex greeted them, coldly.
“It won’t happen again,” Zayn started, and he looked at Niall for a second before looking back at Alex, “Where’s the stuff you want me to deliver?” Zayn asked, worried about how Niall would react. Alex suddenly realised Niall’s presence, and stood up properly, after he had been leaning on the lamppost.
“Who the fuck’s this?” Alex asked, even though he had that dirty grin on his face.
“Doesn’t matter.” Zayn interrupted quickly, before Niall could start pouring out his personal details to Alex. He didn’t want Niall involved too much in this. This was going to be a one-time thing, to bring Niall, and he wanted to make that clear to Alex. Suddenly, the grin on Alex’s mouth seemed to spread wider, and Alex looked Niall up and down.
“I know who he is anyway…I was wondering when I’d finally run into you, Horan.” Alex started, and Zayn didn’t like the way he was looking at Niall.
“Look, he’s with me just this once, and he doesn’t even know what we’re doing so give me the stuff already, would you?” Zayn snapped. Alex scowled at him for a moment, before digging into his pocket and pulling out a small, plastic packet. Under the streetlight, Zayn could see the white crystals in it. He took it from Alex and slipped it into his own pocket.
“Michaels owes me £20 for that, make sure you get all the fucking money for it.” Alex told Zayn with a gruff in his voice.
“£20 for that?” Niall outburst accidentally, and Zayn looked at him angrily.
“Your bloody mouth…” Zayn hissed at him, before Alex took over.
“That, my friend, would have you so off your face that I’d have you right here on your knees singing some Irish fucking folk song before sucking my cock, so yeah, that’s £20.” Alex snapped, even though there was that small hint of a playful tone that came with it. Zayn immediately stepped inbetween them, not wanting to think anymore about Niall being in his knees.
“£20, I’ll get it all. No problem. Meet you back here soon.” Zayn told Alex finally, before grabbing Niall’s arm and pulling him away.
**
Almost an hour and a half later, Zayn and Niall were finally walking down the same street. Finding that Michaels’ house had been a nightmare, especially in the dark. Then when he had finally found the house, Michaels wouldn’t hand over the money. He had been stood on his doorstep, with Michaels standing over him. He was slightly taller than Zayn, and was looking down at him with one of his eyebrows raised above the other.
“Look, give me the fucking money or I’ll fuck you up, yeah?” Zayn threatened, grabbing hold of the boys’ collar and dragging him off the step and to Zayn’s own eye level.
“Alright, alright! £20…” Michaels started, before Zayn interrupted him.
“£30, it’s £30.” Zayn growled again, pushing him back against the wall of his house.
“Fine, £30!” Michaels squeaked, and Zayn let him go, but stood just as close to him with his arms folded. Michaels had reached into his pocket and pulled out the £30, before taking the plastic packet and rushing back into the safety of his own house. Zayn scoffed as he had watched him retreat, before making his way back over to Niall, who had been stood by the gate of the house.
“£30? I thought that Alex said…” Niall started before Zayn passed him £10 of the £30.
“£10 for us, and £20 for Alex.” Zayn simply said, placing Alex’s money in his pocket and watching Niall put the £10 in his pocket. Now, they were nearing the allotments again.
“Zayn…can I ask you a question?” Niall asked, before putting his hand into Zayn’s again. Zayn pulled his hand out of his friends and hit Niall around the head.
“Will you keep your hands to yourself? That’s the question!” Zayn moaned. He looked over at Niall and saw the disappointment on his face. Niall shrugged and put his hands in his pockets, looking at his feet. Zayn watched him for a minute before rolling his eyes again.
“What was that question you wanted to ask?” Zayn asked him, and Niall looked up at him, the disappointment now gone from his face.
“Why are you getting involved in this?” Niall asked honestly, and Zayn stared at him for a while. Thoughts of his two younger sisters filled his head.
“We just made a tenner by doing a bit of walking around, why not.” Zayn mumbled back with a shrug. It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the truth either. Zayn saw Niall’s piercing eyes looking at him even in the dark street.
“But, this is drugs…it’s illegal, are you…are you taking them?” Niall croaked out quietly, and Zayn turned on him angrily.
“Don’t you think I’m better than that shit, Niall? I thought you were different, but you’re like the others, you see a guy who has a short temper with people and doesn’t work much at school, who smokes and doesn’t take shit from people, you automatically think that I’m a fucking druggie? I’m a good guy, Niall! I’m a really good guy, and I didn’t expect you to judge me on this.” Zayn snapped again. Niall looked at him apologetically.
“You’re the best guy I know…” Niall whispered, before the two boys walked over to the figure stood under the streetlamp. Alex immediately folded his arms as he saw them.
“What were you two doing that took you so long? Did you have a fucking bum in the bushes or something?” Alex asked them, unimpressed. Zayn rolled his eyes and pulled out the money for Alex.
“There, all done.” Zayn told him bluntly, before passing him it and folding his arms. Alex counted the money and put it into his pocket, before he pulled Zayn towards him. Alex’s arm snaked around the back of Zayn’s waist, and leaned over so his mouth was next to his ear.
“Thank you, baby. But don’t bother bringing Irish again, because now I want you and I can’t have you.” Alex whispered, before pushing Zayn away with some strength. Zayn was glad it was dark, so Niall couldn’t see his cheeks flush red. He felt embarrassed that Niall had had to see him like that, for some reason. Alex gave them both one last night, before telling them to piss off and walking away. Zayn and Niall both then walked away together, and Zayn felt Niall’s eyes burn into the side of his face again. Zayn sighed, before reaching over and holding Niall’s hand, which made a beaming smile emerge on Niall’s face, in the darkness.