Fake Tattoos • Ziall

Chapter 4

"You're late." Are the first words I hear when I step inside my home, followed by, "We already ate dinner and there aren't any leftovers for you."

I sighed quietly and nodded, going straight up to my room. I knew this would happen but honestly, I don't care anymore. I'm so sick and tired of living here. I want out.

I dropped my backpack on the floor and took my shoes off. I flopped onto my mattress face first, groaning at the fact I was basically on the floor. No bed frame, no nothing. Just one measly old mattress that I was lucky enough to have a sheet over.

My parents weren't the nicest of people, but they're still my parents. They provide shelter and heat, the necessities I guess. If I make it home in time, I get dinner. I'm already fat enough so they don't usually make extra for me because half of the time I don't get home until late. I tend to end up getting beat up by Harry and a few of his friends after school the majority of the time, making me 'late' like today.

Harry has beaten me up three times today, a new record. Once before lunch, the second time was more of a trip and kick in class, and the third on the way home. The lunch one I hate the most. Not because it was the worst of the three, because it wasn't, but because I broke down after that and that new Niall kid had to see it again. That's two days in a row. I fucking hate myself for being so weak. And what was with this kid always being around when I loose myself? It's getting pretty weird.

I heard my younger sisters run past my room and down the hallway, squealing over something. They got everything from mom and dad, because they were girls. I don't understand why they would want all girls, surely they would want the Malik name passed down through another generation? It's not like it mattered anyway, seeing how I'm gay and all. I think that's another reason why they don't really love me.

"No! Give me back my poster!" I heard one of them screech, heavy footsteps coming back down the hall. It was like this almost every night. The running back and forth and the yelling. Mom and dad didn't care because their bedroom was on the other side of the house so they didn't have to hear them all night. I swear those girls never sleep. But then again, neither do I.

I listened to them bicker and race back and forth for another half an hour before I had enough. I rolled off the mattress and onto the floor, slowly picking myself up. I grabbed my spray paint backpack from my closet and my gas mask before opening my window and slipping out and onto the neighboring tree, quietly sliding down the bark.

Once on my feet, I was off across the front yard and walking down the sidewalk. I made trips like this at least twice times a week. I usually ended up spray painting some alley or an abandoned park bench some where. I never really cared, just content with making art for people to enjoy. I had made the newspaper a couple times, but for 'defacing public property'. I have yet to be caught though, that was an upside.

Tonight's journey led me to an empty street but with high concrete walls on one side. The orange lights overhead flickered every once and a while, but I completely ignored it, setting work to spray painting a large portion of the wall. The only person who knew I was the culprit of this was Ms. H, and that's because she recognized my art and questioned if it was me or not.

After what felt like twenty minutes but I knew was more like three hours, I had finally finished my masterpiece. I stuffed all of my cans that I used back into my bag and zipped it up, putting my mask in a different pocket. I slung the bag over my shoulders and started to walk away, looking back to see the work one last time. I know that there is a large chance that the city will come by and repaint over this, so I wanted to appreciate its short lived beauty.

A few moments later I found myself on my way back home, hoping everyone was asleep back at my home. A car passed by me but I didn't pay attention to it, no one I knew that's for sure. I took a short cut through an alley to get back to my house quicker, the temperature quickly dwindling now that I'm not moving as quick as I was earlier when I was painting.

I climbed up the tree and swung myself across a branch into my room. I made sure to hide my backpack in the back of my closet just incase my parents ever came in here, which I know they won't, but I was just being cautious. I know if they ever found out that it's me who is painting the town, they would surely turn me in.

I made a quick trip to the bathroom down the hall to brush my teeth and scrub my hands before returning back to my room, once again falling face first onto my bed. This time, the house was quiet enough for me to fall asleep in matter of minutes.

~

"I saw your newest work on the way to school this morning, Zayn. It's very beautiful. I love it as always." Ms. H commented as I trudged through her door. My lunch had started ten minutes ago, but Harry had gotten to me.

"Thanks, Ms. H. It took me a while but I really like it. I was almost afraid a cop was going to drive by and arrest me because it was so out in the open." I admitted, placing my bag on a table. I sat next to my bag, swinging my legs back and forth.

"I was surprised to see it where it was. I know how you are with placement and all. Just be careful, yeah?" I watched as she graded some artwork at her desk, typing on her laptop every few minutes.

"I don't think I will be out again for a while. Last night was a late one. I think I might stick to weekends after last night." I yawned afterwards, almost to show that I was exhausted from last nights outing.

"Wait, I know I haven't been here long, but you're the person that keeps graffiting all over town?" A third voice entered our conversation, my eyes growing wide. People can't know about this, Ms. H was the only one.

"Uhm, no? That's crazy! Why would you think that?" I nervously smiled at Niall, who had been hiding in the back. Why does he keep showing up?! He is going to ruin things!

"That is amazing. I saw your stuff a while ago in the park and that was amazing. And I saw what you did last night, that is awesome. I don't even know how to use a spray paint can, and you can do that! I envy you, and to think what your doing is illegal, crazy!" The Irish boy rambled on and on, causing me to look at Ms. H. She just shrugged and went back to grading things.

"Uhm, Niall?" I interrupted his rambling. He must have noticed this and immediately shut up, turning pink in the process. "Don't tell anyone, yeah?"

"Of course not! I wouldn't want you going to jail for creating something beautiful." I gave him a smile in gratitude which he returned. "Can I photograph it? Like for my project? Can I make it about you and your art instead of just what you draw on yourself?"

I stared at Niall for a long time, unsure as to what I should say. I mean, yeah, it would be cool to have someone do that and take their time to take pictures of what I do, but it's me, who would want my art work as their project?

"If you really want, I guess so. It's not like I have a choice now is it? Seems like you already decided for me." I told him bluntly. He looked down sheepishly and shrugged.

"I can find someone different if you want me to," he said it like he was asking me if I wanted him to leave me alone. In all honesty, I really did. I wanted him to leave me alone and stop taking pictures and to stop showing up when I'm at my weakest. But the look on Ms. H's face told me to say otherwise, probably thinking I could befriend him or something.

"No," I sighed, "you can use me as your project." Ms. H gave me a smile of approval.

"Cool! Do you have anything here that your working on right now that I could take pictures of?" He was like an eager little puppy and I was the owner that said the word 'walk' near him. I snorted, imagining him with a tail wagging back and forth and a tongue lolling out of his mouth.

What am I getting myself into?

~

An: Sorry I took so long to update when I said I would update later that day last time. My parents decided to spring a surprise vacation on me (which sucked ass btw it was too cold to even leave the hotel) and the wifi sucked so I couldn't really do much. Anyways love you all, stay weird. Xx