It had started playing on my mind Sunday night.
And now as I walked through the crowded corridors on my way to second period biology, I still could not get it out of my mind. And the worst part of it is, is that it isn't even interesting, or important, it's completely and utter ridiculousness.
Ridiculousness that had been playing on my mind for three nights straight.
I didn't understand why Niall had been so nice to me on Saturday night, he practically walked me home, regardless of if he lived next door. He covered for me, he talked with me, joked with me, laughed with me. And then Sunday came and he was a complete and utter jerk, and then Monday in history I was completely ignored by him, I could have been lying on the floor choking and he would have looked out the window. And since then, he hasn't spoken one word to me.
And I am completely and utterly confused.
...
"So you see class, the heart will still beat, even if it is separated from the body, because of its own electrical impulse, so to put it in to words you'll understand think of it in the way that you may love someone, even if they are no longer close to you, because you still have the power inside you that gives you hope that the person you love, one day may come back." Mr Gowan explained, he always did this, like one of those cool teachers from the movies, that made everything fun and interesting, and at the same time educational.
I pondered over Mr Gowan's theory for some time after class, whilst I was sat at the usual table eating lunch, ignoring the idle gossip that was going around the group.
"Soph? How did Ben treat you then?" Louis nudged me laughing, I snapped out of my thoughts re-joining the conversation.
"Huh? He was fine, I should have called him really..." I quavered thinking back to Sunday, I don't know why they were still on the topic but, Saturday's party was apparently all anyone had been talking about, I didn't see the big fuss, nothing huge happened at it, the biggest thing that happened was my brother getting together with Caitlin, and that's it really. Yet the school makes rumour upon rumour.
"Soph, has your brother brought Caitlin around yet?" Liam laughed, once again including me in their gossip, before I could answer a huge shout came from the other side of the field, we shot around to take in the fight that was more than likely about to start.
Confirming my quiet suspicions Niall was standing up, face red and fuming as he pushed Harry back from him. The whole field watched in awe as the two boys yelled at each other, cursing left, right and centre.
"You're a fucking prick you know that Niall?" It was amazing how their voices bellowed across the field, we weren't sitting that far away but that wasn't an excuse for the volume of their booming voices.
"Does it look like I give a shit?!" Niall fought back.
"You can't do this for fuck sake!" Harry boomed, shoving Niall back, causing him to tumble and then steady himself, taking long strides back to harry, returning the shove, but this time with more force and anger.
"Fucking dick." Niall sneered, Harry narrowed his eyes and threw a punch, Niall returning it, directly on Harry's nose, knocking him to the floor.
I stood up, about to make my way over there, before Louis grabbed my arm, raising an eyebrow at me and pulling me back. I didn't know what I would do if I went over there, nobody else was putting a stop to it, so why did I feel like I should?
Harry had now reversed the sides and was now on top of Niall, punching him in the jaw repeatedly as Niall fought back, trying to do the same.
Groans and sighs soon circulated the field as Mr M, the overly obsessed sports teacher and Miss Kapaldi, a smaller, thinner art teacher rushed over to the scene, breaking the two boys apart, although I can't say Miss Kapaldi did an awful lot of stopping, there was more yelling and screaming coming from her side, as Mr M restrained the two boys. The last we all saw was Harry and Niall practically being dragged off of the field, no doubt being brought to the principals.
"Idiots." Liam muttered wrapping his arm around Danielle as everyone went back to their original doings. Everybody on the table mumbled "Yeah" it was always awkward after a fight, one of those feelings.
"What were you planning on doing Soph? Running over there and pulling them apart?" Louis laughed, patronizingly ruffling my hair with his hand as he kissed my cheek. "Feistier than you let on." He added laughing harder as the rest of the group laughed with him. This angered me, as they unknowingly mocked and patronized me. I shook my head sighing.
"I'm going to get to English early I think, Louis I'll see you later." I scowled picking up my bag and walking towards the building.
The corridors were empty as I mindlessly roamed them, not wanting to get to English too early, and not necessarily wanting to go back and sit with everyone.
"Sophie pet?" I heard a voice bellowing through the echoing halls. I spun around to see exactly who I had expected. Maura, dressed in her normal frilly skirt and knitted cardigan, she looked more stressed than normal, obviously trying to find the way to her son.
"Ms Horan, how are you?" I smiled friendly returning the hug she had enveloped me in.
"A bit puzzled really, I got a call, and, well now I'm here!" She chuckled brushing her permed hair off of her rosy face. I insisted I show her to the heads office, it was a big school for someone who didn't know their way around and I was certain Maura would get herself lost.
"Sophie darling, do you know what niall did? Save me the shock of finding out later!" Maura chuckled as people began to fill the corridors on their way to the final class of the day
"I don't really know to be honest sorry, all I saw was him and this other boy get in to a punch up on the field." I explained twiddling with my fingers. I heard her sigh and tut as she placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Thank you pet, we'll see you Sunday." She smiled before disappearing in to the closed off office. Sunday? There goes mother making plans for everyone once again.
...
I found myself pacing around my bedroom once again, my books were sprawled out over the bed, as my mother thought I was studying, I told Louis not to bother coming around after school, it's not that I was mad at him, I was just not feeling up to doing anything I suppose.
Distracting me from my thoughts, my phone started buzzing on the bed, I was unsure whether or not to answer it because the number came up as unknown, and the last time this happened I fell victim to a vicious prank call.
"Hello?" I said wearily in to the speaker, much to my delight a female voice sounded on the other end cheerily greeting me, although I still didn't have a clue who I was speaking to.
"Um, so, who is this then?" I chuckled taking a seat in my window watching Niall and my brother talk in the garden.
"This is Rhiannon silly, from the party the other night?" She chirped, I slowly began to remember, the girl with the black hair- not the rude one.
"Ohh, okay I remember you now." I muttered trying to keep quiet so my mother wouldn't hear.
"Okay well anyway, I was going to hang out with Harry today, but his parents won't let him out now, I was wondering if you wanted to meet?" She was so happy, like all the time, I didn't really want to meet up with her, but I felt bad saying no. I told her that I couldn't come out but she was welcome to come around, which she agreed to, saying she'll be at mine in fifteen minutes. Although I had absolutely no clue how she knew where I lived, I'd never even spoken to her before Saturday, and all of a sudden she knows where I live.
It must be because she knows where Niall lives.
Although Rhiannon said she'd be fifteen minutes, in truth, it was about forty five minutes before I saw her show up in my garden, smiling at Niall and Matthew who were still in the front garden. She'd got changed from her uniform and was now supporting a very short pair of shorts and a tight black crop top matching her dyed hair. If my mother saw her its fair to say she'd have a fit.
I ran down the stairs avoiding my mother and out in to the garden, smiling at Rhiannon.
"Wait, you're here to see her?" Niall scoffed laughing, I half expected my brother to stand up for me, but he just laughed along, obviously not giving a care about me.
"Yes Niall, its thanks to you I cant be with Harry." She said kicking him in the back as she walked over to me.
"Come on, show me your room!" She grinned, grabbing my arm and pulling me through my own house as if she knew the way. I had to give it to her, she didn't do too badly.
"Holy shit." She gawped as she stepped through my door in to my room, I raised an eyebrow as her eyes dilated, scanning my room.
"Well, its, its very girly..." She addressed, now staring at the teddy bear collection on my shelf. I haven't really changed my bedroom since I was little, give or take a few pictures and posters. But nonetheless I liked my room, it was a baby pink wall with a dressing table, shelves and a double bed- and an awful lot of teddies.
Rhiannon went and sat on my bed crossing her legs as she picked up one of the books on the bed, reading the front of it. "Have you got anything to drink?" She asked picking at the skin around her nails.
"Water? Lemonade?" I offered as she stood up, making her way over to my bookshelf.
She let out a long laugh as she turned to me. "I was thinking something a little more Dutch" She shook her head, smiling as she turned her attention back to my book shelf. I raised an eyebrow having no idea what she requested, but I was sure I didn't have it in my fridge.
"She means alcohol Sophie." Matt scoffed, I turned around to see Niall and him leaning in my doorway, Niall clearly amused at the fact my room hadn't changed since the last time he was here, considering the raised eyebrows and mocking smile he held on his face as he looked around my bedroom.
"Rhi, there's a bottle in my room, the mini fridge that's labelled coke, its in the coke cans." Matt laughed, as Rhiannon chuckled leaving for Matthews room, never in all these years had I known Matthew had alcohol stashes in his room. I stood awkwardly in the centre of my room as the boys stared, I had no idea why. Suddenly a crash followed by cursing came from Matts room, causing him to run out quickly, leaving Niall, not bothered by the loud noise.
"See you haven't changed your room." Niall chuckled inviting himself in, sitting on my bed.
"You're sitting on my bed." I noted, wanting him to get off and get out.
"Really? I thought it was a dining chair." He mocked shuffling back, making himself comfortable. "Did you do the history homework?" He asked pushing his muddy shoes on to my clean duvet.
"Why?" I asked, it's not like he had done it and if he was trying to get the answers off of me, he had another thing coming.
"Answer my question." He scoffed, and i nodded as he raised his eyebrows "Knew it." he chuckled now completely laying on my bed, arms behind his head as if he owned the place.
"Why are you so rude?" I asked blatantly, demanding an answer as I stared him down, he raised his eyebrows in amusement chuckling at me.
"And you're not?" He bantered with me, I scoffed at him, standing against the wall.
"You won't even sit next to me, look at you!" He pointed laughing harder as I felt blush creeping up on my cheeks, I sighed walking over and perching on the edge of my bed as he chuckled again, going quiet.
"So why do you hate me?" I heard him mutter after a while of staring at the posters on my wall quietly, and I still perched on my bed, staring at a black line that I have just discovered running along my pink wall.
"I don't hate you." I lied mumbling as I pulled myself up on to the bed further.
"Liar." His laugh filled the room as he accused me, kicking his shoes off, displaying his dirty browned socks, the sight made me cringe, I had no idea how anyone could be so dirty. "Just tell me, come on." He laughed again.
"Well, you can just be a bit, rude sometimes, and well, unreadable." I mumbled trying to avoid eye contact due to the awkwardness. This is what confused me about Niall, he was being so nice, so normal now, and yet two hours ago he was a rude little child.
Before we were able to continue our rare conversation, Matt and Rhiannon re-entered my bedroom, both with a coke can in their hands, what they were drinking however was far from coke.
"You two look pretty cosy there" Rhiannon giggled coming and sitting next to me, managing to squeeze three people on to one bed, Niall scoffed, laughing loudly.
"Fuck off Rhiannon, I'd rather be closer with a piece of shit." Niall insisted, as I shot him a look. I see the old Niall has made a hasty return.
"If you'd rather be closer with that then I suggest you get off my bed." I quipped giving him a shove, he stared at me with his eyebrows furrowed as if I was being out of line. Rhiannon pulled her phone out of her pocket, beginning to text again.
After a while of umming and erring on Rhiannon's side she got up and announced she was leaving, said something about trying to sneak in to Harry's house, although before going, she told Niall she'd meet up with him tonight. She's nice Rhiannon, and I don't want to be the one to label her, but she does seem a bit, not slutty, just, open.
Rhiannon left, leaving my wondering about her relationship with all the boys she knew, I wanted to know her story, what made her so open to others, and so, confident to be like that, something must have happened.
...
"Niall do we actually have to sit in here." Matt groaned sitting on my furry rug. I had to agree with Matt, since Rhiannon left, Niall hadn't moved from my bed, and it was weird, her was still being rude and disgusting yet he refused to leave my bedroom.
"I'm not leaving, it's warm in here." Niall told Matt, once again, I agreed, my room was the warmest in the house, a blessing in winter, a curse in summer. Matt sighed picking the fur off my rug, which was beginning to irritate me more than Nialls being here was.
"Niall, I didn't know you were here! Will you be staying for dinner?" My mother asked as she appeared quietly at my door, furrowing her eyebrows together at the sight of the three of us together without killing each other.
"No I've got to get going. See you Matt." Niall rushed, jumping off the bed, grabbing his stupid black jacket and rushing down the stairs, not even bothering to acknowledge my existence.
"Dinners ready?" matt asked widening his eyes like a hungry child, my mother smiled as she nodded, Matt got up, and ran down stairs quicker than I could tell. "Will you be joining us Sophie?" My mother asked holding a tight smile, not as warm as the one she had previously given Matt. I sighed as I nodded making my way downstairs.