all friends - a one direction story

36

*Lana's POV*

"Did you even message her to say that we're coming?" Eve checked. She didn't like to show up somewhere spontaneously.

"No. But we know she'll be in, right?" I responded.

Eve huffed as we both climbed out of her car outside Marley's house and walked up the driveway.
Eve stepped back while I firmly knocked on the door, and then we waited several moments.

Marley opened the door, looking admittedly rough.
She wore grey jogging bottoms with white tucked in socks, and a grey hoodie that had patchy orange stains. Her hair was tied up in a matted bun and her eyes were tired.

"Well, I didn't expect you," she noted, and it was unclear whether she was relieved to see us or unhappy.

"Can we come in?" I asked her.
"Sure," she shrugged, before turning and leading the way up her staircase and towards her bedroom.

She opened the door to her bedroom and revealed the state that was in.
Every inch of the floor was covered in clothes and dishes and rubbish leftover from takeaways. There was empty cans of Coke strewed over her bedside table and her dressing table, and there was a lingering unpleasant smell.

"Wow..." Eve spoke, her nose turned up at the unpleasant mess.
"I haven't been bothered to tidy. Don't give me a shit," Marley snapped.

"We aren't here to give you shit," I reassured her, aware that she'd be apprehensive about why we'd turned up out-of-the-blue.

"Why are you here then?" She bluntly asked, slouching down onto her unmade bed. "I thought everyone hated me."

"We don't hate you at all," I assured her.
"We just can't understand how you could do that to Saff," Eve added.

Marley rubbed her hands through her greasy hair and sighed. "I - I don't even know. I drank too much, and... and I really fucking liked him. It was hard stepping aside and having to see them together; that was the first wrong choice I made." Marley paused for a moment and then looked at us and asked, "is she okay?"

"She's alright," Eve nodded. "She's pissed off more than anything, and that's usually better than when she's upset."

Marley looked at us again for a moment before giving us a disappointed face and stating, "I see Ruby didn't come."
"Well, you know Ruby," I weakly spoke.
"Yeah, I do," Marley gave a fake smile that didn't do justice in hiding the pain behind it. "She hates me," she guessed.

"She'll come around," I promised her. At least I hoped she would.
"And so will Saffron," Eve nodded. "Have you tried speaking to her?"

"I don't know what to say," Marley sighed. "I've drafted out so many messages to her, and I just end up deleting them."
"You should send one," I advised.
"You reckon?" Marley raised an eyebrow at me.
"Yeah!" I enthusiastically reiterated. She was never going to get anywhere if she didn't show Saffron that she cared.
"Okay, I will," Marley nodded.

"Have you spoke to Niall at all?" Eve pried.
Marley rapidly shook her head. "Not at all. He's tried ringing me a lot though, I just haven't answered."

There was a silence for a few moments before I broke it with an optimistic opinion, "I think this'll all be fine soon, you know?"

"Speaking of everything being fine," Eve quickly jumped on, "I want us to all go to the Christmas lights being switched on in the town centre next week. You in, Marl?"

Marley quickly shook her head, much to Eve's disappointment. "I'm not sure about that. Saffy will want to go to that."
"Exactly," Eve smiled. "We can all go!"