Going to school the next day was even worse then I had imagined. Whispers trailed behind me as I weaved my way down the hall, news about my almost arrest spreading like wildfire. Conspiracy theories were being created on what chaos Niall and I were planning next. Perfect, exactly the person I wanted to be associated with.
"You're back!" Maggie exclaimed, nearly knocking me down when I entered first period. I blinked in surprise and held her an arms length away as to avoid be crunched in a hug. Although weary of the contact, I appreciated her enthusiasm to see me.
"I was only gone for a couple days."
"A lot can happen in a couple days." she said, trailing behind me as I moved to sit down. "Everybody heard what happened-"
"You mean what didn't happen." I sighed, "I am not selling, nor am I dealing drugs with Niall. It was a big misunderstanding. Do I look like a druggie to you?" I pointed to the rainbow stickers on my binder for emphasis.
Maggie gave me a once over. "Not particularly. But who knows, you're hanging around with Niall. That guy is scary as hell, yet hot in a dark criminal sort of way." I crinkled my nose at the comment, but she plowed through. "You won't believe it though, since this all happened, Scott keeps talking about you. He thinks you're a bad ass now."
I had dropped my pencil beneath my desk, but shot up so fast at her words I smacked my head against the metal underside. Swearing, I rubbed the spot and said, "After years of ignoring me, this guy is now taking an interest because of a rumor? What a prick."
"A hot prick though." Maggie declared dramatically, tossing her fiery hair. "He wants to tame you."
"What the hell- I forbid you from ever saying that again."
"What can I say? Scott McKinley wants to take you on a date. Mini-golfing or something. Said so himself, but the only conflict is that lilac kid you're always hanging with."
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I found said lilac kid at the end of the day.
Niall was leaning against my locker with his arms crossed over his chest when I walked over. Cool blue eyes surveyed the crowd, spotting me immediatly as I entered the proximity. It was obvious he was hung over from yesterday, lilac hair a rumpled mess, his face displaying exhaustion.
"Sweetheart." he said in greeting as I approached. "Why are you always so hard to find?"
"Why are you always looking for me?" I replied, nudging him off my locker so I could open it. His hand found my ponytail, twisting the hair around his wrist. In one swift movement he pulled out the hair tie and sling shot it into the crowd bustling by, hitting an unsuspecting Freshman.
"I like your hair down." he declared, "I like touching it. Wear it that way."
"God damn it, Niall." I sighed, brushing my hair out of my face as it flopped down my shoulders. Just to irritate him, I said, "A boy is going to ask me out on a date. Scott Mckinley."
Getting the respone I wanted, his face darkened immediately and mouth pressed into a ight line. Eyebrows furrowing, clear annoyance lit up his eyes. "A date? Not happening"
"Yes. Mini-golfing, to be exact."
Niall thin lips twitched. "Why the hell does he think he can that?"
I tossed my books haphazardly into the bottom of my locker, and pulled on my backpack on. "Why wouldn't he?"
"Because of me, that's why. He isn't allowed to do that." Niall grumbled, jaw tightening. He hooked his hand onto my backpack strap, pulling me towards him, as though Scott was going to appear any second. "Who does this guy think he is?"
"He clearly thinks he's asking me out."
Niall subtly cracked the knuckles of his right hand. "I'm going to need to talk to this guy. And by that I do mean beat the shit out him. Doesn't he know who I am?"
I attempted subtly move away, but his grip tightened. Sighing, I said slowly, "Niall. You realize that we aren't like- dating or anything? We aren't in a relationship. To be honest, I don't understand the whole thing we have going on here."
Niall glanced over at me, the anger melting off his face and being replaced with a glowing smile. "We have this thing where I'm pinning after you, and you fancy me even though you try to act like you don't, and I always think of touching you."
I was rendered speechless as he lifted my hand up and pressed a kiss to my palm. After a moment, I stupidly replied, "No."
"Yes."
"I don't remember ever agreeing to that."
"I don't remember ever asking."
I thought about Scott, and tried to vaguely put together what I remembered about him. His hair wasn't lilac, that's for sure, but a normal brown. Teachers adored him and parents loved him. He probably didn't have a record with the police. He would never be accused of dealing drugs. He would ask me properly if we were dating.
But he also probably would never run barefoot through the grass with me, fleeing from the police, laughing as though everything was funny. I glanced back over at Niall and admired the way light from outside filtered through the window, the golden rays lighting up his hair to the softest shade of purple.
Scott was the safe choice and Niall was not and I was clearly very, very stupid.
----------------------
"I will drag you out of this car." Niall threatened, giving me a questioning look. "So, are you going to get out walking, or over my shoulder?"
I frowned and pressed my forehead against the window, watching the enormous crowd of people flocking all around booths at the fair. "I don't like crowds."
Niall had deemed it too dangerous for me to leave his sight, as he feared that Scott would swoop in with "those stupid button down polos and dumb ass khakis" and whisk me off to mini golfing.
"You can come with me." Niall had said, veering down a different road instead of taking me to my house. He purposely sped up the car, knowing that I would- and had moments earlier -jumped out of his car while it was moving. "I have to meet a few people at the fair. Then we can do rides and all that shit."
"You make it sound like a blast." I said sarcastically, crossing my arms and sinking into my seat. I had never been to the fair, for obvious reasons of course. It was too big of a crowd. The entire town was there, crowded onto an empty lot, pushing and shoving and touching. I could feel myself breaking out into a sweat already.
Now at the packed fair parking lot, Niall got out and came over to my door. I stayed stationary in my seat as he observed my obvious discomfort. "I'll be with you the entire time, sweetheart."
And so I went to the fair for the first time.
Like how the hallways parted at school for Niall when he walked through, it worked the same here, everybody instantly moving aside when they spotted him. There were certainly some benefits to his frightening aura. I trailed behind him, taking everything in. The air was stifling with the smell of popcorn and funnel cakes. Screams and laughter rang across the rides as kids darted around with plush toys they had won.
"Wait." Niall said, stopping so abruptly I bumped into him. A small boy ran past holding a red balloon, which Niall easily reached out and plucked from his chubby fist.
"Niall!" I scolded as the boy ran off crying. Niall shrugged, grabbing my wrist and tying the balloon string around it. Once knotted, he released the balloon and it floated over my head.
"So I can find you in a crowd." Niall explained, "You're too short. I don't want to lose you."
"This feels like a leash." I said, tugging at the string. I shook my hand, watching as the balloon bobbed above me. A few strands of my hair got stuck to the balloon from the static, and Niall smoothed them back in place.
He laughed, poking my nose. "You're cute."
We kept walking through, a balloon tied around my wrist and a scary looking, tattooed boy walking beside me. The stares were practically expected by now, the contrast in our looks drew lots of attention from people.
"This can be our first date." Niall said cheekily, raising his eyebrows at me.
"You didn't ask me out." I reminded.
Niall made a scoffing sound. "Such little details, why bother dwelling on them?"
We stopped on the outskirts of the fair, where the crowds were thinner and booths a little shabbier. Niall grabbed my shoulders and turned me towards him. "Okay, I'm going to need you to stay here while I talk to some guys. Just don't move from this spot, stay right here."
I huffed, feeling like a child. "Why? What is it that's so secretive?" Niall just kind of kept smiling, keeping his hands on my shoulders. "Why are you smiling like an idiot?" I asked.
"You're letting me touch you."
I realized then that I was in fact not moving away from him, almost welcoming the heavy warmth of his palms on my shoulders, feeling the joints in his fingers through my shirt. I shook him off. "Go to your secret meeting already, jesus."
"Don't move!" Niall shouted over his shoulder as he jogged off, a triumphant smile on his face. He disappeared behind a booth, poked his head around to check on me, and then disappeared. I frowned, crossing my arms and looking around. The balloon bumped into my head.
Maybe he was dealing drugs back there? It was weird, and the moment he got out I was allowed to give him a well deserved interrogation. Tying a balloon to me and just leaving me here.
"Abbey?" a voice called out, and I spun around, my eyes landing on the dark haired boy coming towards me. It was Zayn, the one I had met just the other day. The one who had thrown a brick through my window. He had a boy at his side, tall and lanky, a mess of dark curls pushed sloppily off his forehead with a ragged bandana.
"Zayn." I replied curtly. He hadn't exactly given the best first impression the other day.
Zayn grinned, tongue wetting his lower lip. "What are you doing here all by yourself? Does Niall know where you are?"
"Who's this?" the curly haired boy said, giving me the once over. I tried to look equally as intimidating, but failed spectacularly with the balloon tied to my wrist. Thanks a lot, Niall.
"This is Abbey." Zayn explained, "Abbey, this is Harry. Abbey is Niall's girl, I was telling you about her."
"I'm not his girl." I interrupted firmly. They both ignored me.
"The one that doesn't like touching?"
"That's the one."
Harry's green eyes regarded me coldly. "I mean, I supposse she's cute. But like, she doesn't like touching. So what does he do with her? That's unlike him to have an actual relationship."
"Okay!" I exclaimed, clapping my hands together loudly and surprising them both. "Once you two are done being major dick heads, would you please care to tell me why you're here."
There a moment of stunned silence, both of them staring at me with arched brows. Harry's face broke out into a dimpled smile."I like her. She's got attitude. How refreshing."
"I hope he keeps her." Zayn replied with a nod. I rolled my eyes and spun on my heels, turning to walk away. I was tired of Niall and his asshole friends, talking right over my head and acting like I didn't matter. It worried me though, the way they talked about Niall. As though he was suppossed to be horrible. What worried me more was how easily I let it go.
"Hold up, babe." Zayn exclaimed, snagging my balloon string and reeling me back in. "Niall wouldn't want you wandering around. How about you come with us? We're going back there now."
"What," Harry whined, suddenly drooping, "You promised I could go get cotton candy."
"Damn it, Harry," Zayn snapped, "Can't you wait." Harry pouted and crossed his arms, looking sullen.
Curiosity got the better of me, the nagging question on what it was that had to be done in the dusty outskirts of the town fair. I pursed my lips and nodded reluctantly. "Fine." I said stiffly, following after them.
They led me to a large booth that was closed at the moment, and walked around to the back. We emerged behind the tent to find a large group of guys in small, tight circles, talking to each other. There was rambunctious laughter and swears spilling from everyone's mouth. All of them grungy and dusty looking, as though sitting on a shelf for too long. The amount of cigarette smoke in the air made me cough. This was a place for the people of the street, the alley crawlers. Definently not my crowd.
"Delightful," I grumbled, tugging once again at the annoying balloon tethered to me.
"Really," Harry said, "Because most people find this place to be awful."
Zayn rolled his eyes, then threw an arm around me, which I gracefully ducked out of. "NIALL!" Zayn shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. "WE FOUND ABBEY FOR YOU."
The crowd stirred, noticing me for the first time. Niall's anxious face appeared as he elbowed his way through the throng of people.
"Holy shit, Zayn." Niall snapped, smacking his friend upside the head. "Keep your voice down. There was a reason I didn't want her back here."
Niall turned his attention to me. "I thought I told you to stay put."
"I thought I told you to stop bossing me around." I replied, narrowing my eyes at him. I tried crossing my arms and giving him an annoyed look, but the balloon bumped my head again. Damn it. Niall was obviously trying not to smile.
"Looks like a little girl lost her way." a voice drawled. A boy threw his slender arm around Niall's neck, appearing behind him and raising his eyebrows at me. He had short dark hair and a long nose, skinny and tall.
Niall pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "This is my friend, Abbey."
The boy's lips twitched. "Oh yeah, I heard you got a-" he cracked his gum, "pet."
I casually raised both hands and gave him the middle finger. His face broke out into such shock that I couldn't help but smile.
"She's just my friend." Niall replied gruffly, pushing the boy off of him roughly. "So stop acting like an asshole, Radley."
"This guy is a real dick." I said off the side to Zayn, and while I could say I wasn't trying to be purposely loud, that would be lying.
Radley had a dark lip ring, and his tounge stuck out and toyed with the metal piece. "You really need to discipline this thing. I'm disappionted, Niall. It's rude." He cut his gaze over to me. "Besides, Niall doesn't have girl friends. He does have girls though." He chuckled as though he was a comedic genius.
"Watch what you're saying." Niall growled, his ratty converse shuffling on the dirt ground. I could tell by the way his muscles were tensing that- oh my god -he was preparing for a fight. His hands curled loosely into fists, feet seperating slightly.
He looked inbetween the two of us. "Aw, how cute. He just likes his toy so much."
Radley crouched down and put his hands on his knees, pushing his face close to mine. "Well let me tell you something girl, you don't want to hang around with people like Niall. Didn't your parents ever tell you to stay away from the bad crowd, sweetie?"
This time I didn't lean away, instead stayed rigid and glared right back. He had a freckle under his blue eyes, which looked very kind up close, while his personality completely betrayed them. I heard people rustling behind him. "Get away from her." Niall intoned.
But then I punched Radley in the face.
Yes, I quite literally punched Radley right in his stupid, leering face that was so close to mine and stank of smoke and poisin and awful words. Drew my arm back, kept my thumb outside my hand like Niall taught me, and hit him square in the nose. A deep flicker of anger inside of me flared to life, and I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to rip his hair. But I punched him very hard instead.
There was a crunching sound, and suddenly everybody was moving and shouting. Radley stumbled backwards but recovered instantly, coming at me with crimson blood pooling down his ashen skin. But I was already out of there, dust flying out behind me as I darted out from behind the tent and was flying outside. I wasn't sure what I was doing, or why I had done that, but I was running- and running fast.
"Abbey!" somebody was shouting, "Abbey!"
Maybe he was right. Who was I, hanging around Niall all the time. I was a girl with a balloon stuck to her god damn wrist and he was clearly into real life things. I was a girl playing pretend because she was tired of being scared. Who was I trying to fool? Idiot, I felt like an idiot.
"Abbey!" the voice shouted again. I weaved my way through the crowds, breathing hard and not caring who I ran into. My hand hurt like hell, and so did my head, but mostly from everything I had to hear tonight. They thought I was appalling. They thought I was a pet.
I veered right, coming to an end where a bunch of booths were. Panicking, I looked for a place to hide. I ran between two food stands and emerged in an empty lot, hopelessly lost. The footsteps came closer and I tried to take off again, only to be tackled to the ground. Hitting the grass hard, someones arms enclosed around me as we rolled.
"Get off of me!" I screamed, blindly punching the person above me. I could feel my hands hitting muscle, inflicting damage.
They kept saying my name. "Abbey, hey, sweetheart. Calm down okay, you need to calm down. It's okay, it's totally okay."
Niall was above me, catching my wrists to stop me from hitting him. I was pinned beneath him, and he was staring at me with such an intense look of worry I couldn't meet his eyes. My breathing was ragged, chest rising and falling rapidly. I blinked, trying to clear my racing thoughts.
"It's okay." he said softly, "It's okay now. Calm down. I got you."
A flash of red appeared above us. "God damn it." I practically shouted, when I realized what it was, trying to yank my hands out of his grip. "That god damn balloon, I can't get the balloon off, Niall. God damn it."
Niall shushed me and grabbed the balloon string, snapping it in a single motion. He let it go, and we both watched it fade into the sky, a speck of red surrounded by endless blue.
"It's okay." he said. "Sweetheart, oh god, you sure do know how to hit people."
.