Niall's stomach hurt like a bitch when Harry punched him.
He bent down in half clutching it and stayed in that position for a while.That is how Liam found him.
"Niall?Are you okay?" He asked with worry when he saw the blonde's face twisting in pain.
"Y-yeah." He managed out but of course Liam didn't buy it.
"Did someone hit you?" He picked his bag from the floor and helped him walk towards the locker rooms slowly.
Niall thought about lying again but he knew that Liam would see through him.
"I'm gonna fucking kill Harry Styles. " He said instead.
Liam stopped walking abruptly making Niall stop too.
"He did this?" Liam was surprised that Harry would 'welcome' Niall after he had so warned him not to try anything because Niall was a friend.
"He did and I'm so going to kill him." Niall hissed out in pain.
"Niall please don't,Harry is stronger than you.Dont let this happen again because it will be ten times worse if you try anything with him." Liam begged Niall.
He had seen how Harry would bully and hurt people.His favourites to pick on were the ones who thought they'd achieve something by standing up to him.
And he always made sure to put them in their place,it always ended awful and Liam wanted to prevent Niall from experiencing that.
"I can handle myself." Niall said as they got to the locker room and Liam sat him down on a changing bench.
Liam opened his locker and got out some cream that he knew would ease Niall's pain and applied it to his stomach which was quickly bruising.
"Of course you can because you clearly handled yourself when he did this." Liam sarcastically said as he finished applying the cream.
Niall sighed and looked at Liam.
"He caught me off guard.Besides it was too early for me to be in fights but now I don't care." Niall said and when he felt the pain almost go away,he got up and changed.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." Liam said and waited for Niall to finish changing so that they could leave together.
They left the locker room and jogged to the open field where all the people trying out were.
"ALRIGHT EVERYONE,GIVE ME FIVE!" The couch yelled and they all started running understanding what they were supposed to do when the couch said that.
"So nice of you to make it.Didn't think you'll be able to walk so soon much less run." Harry said quietly as he caught up and ran beside Niall.
"You are not as good as you claim Styles,I've been through worse.Hardly felt your punches." Niall said nonchalantly because the last thing he needed was for Harry to distract his try-outs.
He ran faster leaving Harry behind but the latter soon caught up.
"Are you suggesting that we repeat it?Only harder?" Harry looked at Niall as he scoffed.
"It's a free world I mean you could try but I can't promise that I won't break your jaw in the process." Niall said much to Harry displeasure.
"Did you just threaten me Niall Horan?" Harry asked with a mixture of both anger and amusement.
Niall spared him a glance before answering.
"I did not stutter,you heard me loud and clear Styles." Niall said as they finished running.
Before Harry could say anything,Niall jogged to where Liam,Louis and Zayn were.
"Hey Niall,heard you had little run-in with dickhead Styles." Zayn said.
"It was hardly a run-in,he punches like a girl." Niall smirked and looked towards Harry who was listening to what the couch was telling him.
"What?!" Both Louis and Zayn said at the same time and Liam gave them the 'I told you so' look.
"He can't take me and neither can any of you." He pointed at them jokingly.
"Oi!Oi! blondie,did Harry hit your head too?" Louis playfully glared at Niall.
"I think Harry didn't do the job well,lemme show you how it's done." Liam said and turned to Niall who took off running with the three boys on his heel.
Zayn caught up first and lifted Niall off his feet by holding his waist.
"Okay he didn't mean it.Leave him alone." Zayn said saving Niall from Louis and Liam.
"You are such a big softie." Liam said to Zayn.
"As if you are any better." Louis scoffed at Liam.
"And you are a small cute softie." Niall said to Louis from his place behind Zayn.
Before they could say anything, Coach Spencer's whistle was blown and try-outs were officially started.
*
"And lastly but not the least Niall Horan.Congratulations all of you for making the team.I expect hard work and nothing less,understood?" Coach Spencer asked loudly and they all chorused with agreements.
All the boys had made it to the first choice team and they were actually surprised at Niall's skill.
They all agreed that Harry had a strong opponent this school year.
That had just gotten Harry more angry at the blonde.
Niall on the other hand,was just glad that he had another excuse of spending more time away from home.
He was happy that he made the team and he was not there to compete with Harry but to enjoy his favorite sport.
Coach Spencer went on and on about what was expected of them that season and finally he was done.
"Alright! Practice is over,you are dismissed!" He yelled and they all jogged to the locker rooms.
"You are really good huh?" Liam said to Niall as they made it back to the locker rooms so that they could shower.
"One tries." Niall shrugged.
They walked on in silence and soon enough Niall was in a cubicle taking a shower to get rid of all the sweat.
When he was done,he found out that most of the boys were gone including Liam,Louis and Zayn who had to pick up one of his sisters from another school.
There was only one locker slightly open and the shower was running so Niall figured one more person was still there.
He quickly dressed up and immediately after he was done,someone walked in.
"Got the skill huh?" He heard that deep raspy voice that belonged to the last person he wanted to see.
He decided to ignore him and continued tying his shoe laces.
Without warning,he was pulled to his feet and pushed into a locker.
"When I speak you answer me,understand?" Harry said through gritted teeth.
Niall looked at him with wide eyes but not in the slightest scared.He was amused that Harry wanted attention that much.
He pushed Harry off of himself and picked up his bag leaving a surprised Harry behind.
He had used enough force to pin Niall to the locker but the blonde pushed him off without any effort.
How strong was this kid? Because he sure as hell didn't look strong.
Niall walked out and froze when he saw how quiet the halls were.Luckily for him,he heard the janitors talking making him sigh that he was not completely alone in the halls.
He quickly exited the school and walked to the parking lot stalling as much as he could.
He didn't wanna go home.
He finally got to his car and sat there thinking about how his life would have been if his parents weren't the way they were.
He had been so engrossed in his thoughts and was pulled from them when he saw Harry exiting the building.
He saw that there was one more car parked in the students' parking lot and he assumed it was Harry's car because he was walking towards it.
He watched Harry and wondered why Harry thought picking on Niall was so amazing.
Harry seemed so focused on whoever he was talking to on phone.
When he ended the call,Niall watched as he punched the wall next to him in frustration and before he would see more,he started the car and left.
*
When Niall got home,he saw both his parents' cars parked in the driveway and groaned.
He knew that his parents were home and he was dreading every second he will have to spend with them.
He loved them so much but they were just not being the parents he knew when he was young.
He missed the days when they would all hang out as a family and spend quality time together, now all that is just history.
He missed his brother who had gotten out of their wing and gone to Uni before they moved and after that,he found a job and settled in the States.
Niall missed the times they had together and although they Skyped every week,seeing him would be so much better.
He sighed and unbuckled his seat belt then got his bag from the passenger seat and got out pressing the lock button when he had walked a few paces from the car.
****
After a quiet drive,Harry got home and parked in the driveway sighing when he didn't spot his dad's car in the driveway.
He turned off the engine and got out walking straight to the front door with a smile on his face.
"Mum I'm home!" He yelled when he got in.
"Kitchen honey!" His mum yelled back.
He made his way to the kitchen and kissed her cheek.
"How was school?" She asked avoiding to turn her head and Harry immediately knew that something was up.
"What did he do now?" He asked instead of answering her.
"What are you talking about?I asked you how school was." His mum played it off.
Harry sighed.
"It was okay,I made the team and still captain." He said with a smile.
"That's good son,I'm so proud of you and your sister.Dinner will be ready in an hour." She said and went back to her cooking.
"I'll get started on my homework.That math teacher decided it was a good idea to start with the punishment of homework on the first day." Harry groaned and his mother laughed lightly.
He took an apple and left the kitchen to go up to his room.
*
Twenty minutes later,he was done with homework and he packed his books back in the bag.
Even though Harry was a straight A's student,it didn't mean he enjoyed doing extra work to pass with flying colours.
He had been working hard for only one reason.
His sister was already in her final year at Uni and that's what he was also aiming for.
When he goes to Uni his mother will finally be free and there was nothing more that Harry wanted than to wipe his mother's daily tears.
He decided to lay down on his bed and wait for his mum to call him down.
Usually,he would help her preparing dinner but footie practice had really knocked him out.
He thought about what his sister would be doing at the moment.
Did she miss him as he missed her?
He envied her for going away to study and escaping what was left of their home.
But he was happy for her because he knew that she was securing her future and doing what she loved.
She called home almost everyday to tell them about how she was and what she was up to.
With those thoughts on his mind,Harry fell asleep.
"Wake up baby dinner's ready." He heard a soft voice whisper in his ear.
"Mum?" He opened his eyes and looked at his mum but she turned the right side of her head from him.
Harry knew that she was hiding something from her.
"Mum please don't hide them,even though I hate to see you like this,I'll be reminded of the person he is when I see them." He said.
"It's alright baby don't worry about me.Just concentrate on school and soon enough all this will be history." His mum said.
"Let's go have dinner now." She said and stood up holding her hand for him to take.
____________________________________
Another chapter just for you my sweet creatures
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_Jay_