Anything to keep you [n.h + h.s]

Chapter 14

I can understand why Niall has taken liking to Luke. He's a really funny guy and I've been talking non-stop to him, over texts of course, since the day we met. Which means that we've been talking for four days, just having random conversations. We also hung out on Tuesday and we had so fun. Luke is really awkward but happy-go-lucky. Something that I really like about him is that it seems as if he's got a permanent blush on his cheeks, much like me. On Tuesday when we hung out I found myself sitting and just admiring him one too many times. I just couldn't help it. He's really pretty. Yesterday during footie practice we paired up whenever it was exercises where we were supposed to be two and two. It felt nice to have someone to turn to every time.  

Luke and I have decided that we're gonna hang out after practice, just the two of us, on Friday. Niall is probably gonna hate me for that, but I love hanging out with Luke. I sigh and rest my chin in the palm of my hand, leaning against the desk. English class is so boring and I really don't want to be here right now. When my phone buzzes in my pocket I start to smile. 

From: Lukie ^^
What do you want to do tomorrow? Watch a movie at my place? Would that be cool?

I smile and bite my lip as I text him back. 

To: Lukie ^^
Sure! Sounds lovely :)

I lock my phone and glance over at Niall who is looking slightly nervous. I smile at him softly and the corner of his mouth twitches a bit but I don't receive a full on smile back. 

"Do you wanna hang out or something some day? Tomorrow maybe?" Niall asks and my heart sinks. Must life be so cruel? My crush asks me to hang out with him, but I can't because I already have plans with his crush. Ironic. I hate the universe. 

"I'm gonna hang out with Luke after practice tomorrow." I blurt out before I can even think about how I wan't to formulate the words and make them sound as good as possible. Niall's eyes show how hurt he feels but he tries to cover it up by shrugging. 

"Okay. Cool. Another time then." he says before turning away from me. My heart cracks. I hate this. But I really do want to hang out with Luke. 

English class continues and all of a sudden, Niall is hit in the head by a crumbled up paper. The ball of paper falls to the floor and Niall furrows his eyebrows. He leans down to pick it up and starts to straighten it out. The note has got messy scrawling across it and it kind of looks like a letter. I look over to Julia who is picking at her nails. She's doing it with a smirk though, so it's obvious that she was the one who threw the ball of paper at Niall. The chair next to me scrapes against the floor and almost falls backwards when Niall stands up abruptly. 

His sudden action gains my full attention again, and also the attention of the entire class. Niall has got tears in his eyes and he clears his throat as everyone stares at him. 

"Excuse me." he mutters to Mrs Johnson before running out of the classroom, the paper clutched in his hand. 

Everyone's eyes falls on me and I freeze. What are they looking at me for? I didn't do anything. 

"Mr Styles. What happened?" Mrs Johnson asks, sound completely bewildered. I shake my head and gulp. 

"I don't know." I dumbly reply. Mrs Johnson sighs and shakes her head. 

"Could you go see if he's alright?"she asks me and I nod my head rapidly. 

She's quick to dismiss me and I go running out into the hallway where I find Niall sitting against a locker, his knees pulled up to his chest. He's choking out small sobs and I'm sure that my heart is literally breaking. I walk closer to him. 

"Niall?" I timidly speak, and all of a sudden it feels like it's that day in the cafeteria all over again. I'm too afraid to speak to Niall. 

He turns his head up and looks at me. His eyes are a bit red and so are his cheeks. I sit down next to him and bite my lip as I look at him. He's beautiful even when he's crying, it's not fair.