The Best Years Of Our Lives

~Part Nine~

Nur’s POV.

I stared right back at Zayn, watching as the girl he’d been kissing turned round to face me. Her eyes widened in shock as she recognised me, I remembered that her name was Alisha and that she was in Zayn’s year at school. She flushed red then tried to compose herself. I felt so awkward at having interrupted them.

‘Nur, what the hell are you doing here?’ My brother’s voice was dangerously low.

‘I could ask you the same thing.’ I said bravely. ‘I thought you were downstairs.’

He looked embarrassed for a moment, but then his expression turned stern again. ‘And I thought you were at home. Does mum know you’re here?’

I shook my head. ‘She thinks I’m staying at Jessica’s house. We only came for a few hours, but I felt sick so I thought I’d come up here for a while.’

He came over to me then and lifted my head up to get a good look at me. ‘You’ve been drinking.’ he concluded and I didn’t bother objecting. He was angry now, but I didn’t care.

‘Don’t you dare tell mum!’ I said as he pulled out his mobile from his pocket. He was about to ignore me completely so I added: ‘If you tell her about this, I’ll tell her about what you were going to do with her!’

He froze for a second and glanced over at Alisha who was still standing there. Our parents had no idea what he was like and I knew he wanted to keep it that way. I never found out whether he had decided to let it go or not for right then I’d felt violently ill and rushed into the bathroom. The walls spun around me as I put my head on the cold edge of the sink. I was suddenly aware of someone sitting beside me; it was Alisha.

‘It’s okay.’ she whispered, holding my hair back for me as I was sick. I leaned on her and she held me when I was done; I felt much better even though my stomach was turning. I swore to myself I’d never drink again. I was half-conscious, but I realised that Zayn must have been standing in the doorway as I could hear parts of their conversation.

‘…my mum will go mental,’ I heard Zayn’s voice. ‘…take her home.’

‘No.’ Alisha protested. ‘…in the morning, take her back to mine.’

I knew she was on my side, but I had no idea why. I’d been horrible to her for the most part and she had no reason to be kind to me. At once, I felt a new-found respect towards her. Distantly, I heard Zayn disagree, but in the end Alisha managed to convince him to do whatever it was she wanted. I was soon being picked up and carried downstairs, yet I was only vaguely aware of Zayn’s arms holding me up.

The next time I woke up, I was wrapped up in an unfamiliar bed. I still felt nauseous, but not as badly as before. Someone was pushing a warm cup of tea into my hands and the events of the evening came flooding back to me. I accepted the mug from Alisha who was sitting beside me and sat up slowly.

‘Feeling better?’ she asked, helping me get comfortable.

‘A little.’ I said, taking a sip. ‘Where’s Zayn?’

‘He’s gone to get some aspirin. He cares about you, Nur.’ I thought she looked much older than seventeen in the half-light.

‘He cares too much sometimes.’

‘I know what it’s like to have an older brother.’ she smiled. ‘It’s not always so bad.’

I stared at the moonlight seeping in through the window.

‘Will your parents mind me staying here?’ I asked, worried after a minute or so.

‘No, they’re not home until tomorrow afternoon.’ she replied, putting my cup down for me. ‘You can stay until the morning if you promise not to drink so much again.’

I promised and returned her smile. ‘You know, I didn’t mean it before. I really hope it works out between you and my brother.’

Alisha blushed in surprise and squeezed my hand as she got up.

‘Me too.’ she whispered, walking towards the door. ‘I’ll let you sleep now.’

Before she shut the door I called out to her; ‘Alisha?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Thank you.’ I said, closing my heavy eyes.

-end of pt.9-