The Light To My Darkness

Chapter 2

Liam was actually ready for school on time for once, he's usually rushing out the door and jamming the key in the ignition and once he actually get to school he has about 30 seconds before the bell rings. But not today, today he's up and motivated and it 30 minutes early before he has to go and pick up his best mate Zayn. They've been friends since 8th grade and Liam would do anything for him, he's like a brother to Liam. Liam was on the school's football team and is shooting to become captain his junior year. Liam checked his watch for the third time just to make sure that he was actually reading his watch right because there is just no way possible he is that early. He sent a quick text to Zayn,

To: Zayn Malik

From: Liam

Hey mate you ready?

To: Liam Payne

From: Zayn

Wow you're actually ready? But yeah mate I'm ready when you are.

To: Zayn Malik

From: Liam

Be there in 10.

Liam quickly locked the door behind him and walked out the door, on his way to Zayn's flat, Liam couldn't help but wonder why he had such a sense of urgency to get to school and why he had been ready so early, but he just shook the thought out of his head as he turned the radio up and headed down the path to get Zayn.

Niall felt like shit. Complete and utter shit, he really did not want to go to school today, his body literally felt like it was burning from the inside out and he was sure his skin felt hot to the touch. No matter how much he wanted to ditch school today, he knew he couldn't risk missing the first day and pissing his parents off. They were already angry with him that he had made them move so much because of the tormenting bullying he seemed to receive wherever they went. Niall hoped it would be different this year and that he would be able to stay in the same spot for more than a month. He had travelled all the way from Ireland to England to escape the torment. Niall knew he was an easy target but it wasn't like he could control it, and now he had the never fading bruises and scars to remind him of it. Most of the time he felt he deserved it because of the way their words have seared into his brain. He shook the thoughts away quickly and grabbed his backpack off the counter and began the long walk to school that he had to GPS. He had arrived at this school right before the year had ended and got to spend the summer in Holmes Chapel, only really making one friend, Harry Styles. Harry was nice and didn't treat him like shit and he appreciated it and it wasn't like his parents would care if he had a friend or even a best friend, they were fed up with the amount of moves they had to make that they had become so drawn into their work to pay for the expenses, that they barely payed attention to him anymore, it wasn't like he minded anyway, all they did was blame him anyways so he would rather be alone than with them. As Niall trudged through the halls that morning feeling worse now that he was walking around, he saw a red blur in his vision before he was being pushed with great force into the lockers, knocking the air out of him and causing him to look up into the face of the attacker. "Faggot," his attacker spit out with nothing but malicious intent. Niall's confusion soon turned into recognition as he realized who the red blur finally was, he was still quite and if anything felt even worse. "Nathan," Niall spat lazily, like he was almost bored with being pinned against the lockers, which he was because if anything this was a rather normal occurrence for him. Nathan looked confused at Niall's tone before he tightened his grip and pushed Niall almost impossibly harder into the lockers. "You think you're smart don't you faggot?! Well you better get your shit straight before I knock the fucking smirk right off your face," threatened Nathan. Even though Niall had no idea what he had done to Nathan, he knew that him being him was reason enough. Niall was gay, and he was still in the closet, but when Niall first got here and made friends with Nathan he told him his secret and Nathan immediately turned into his number one attacker. Thankfully, the year ended before he could do any real damage. Niall then realized then that he had a whole year of this again, unless they move again, which Niall was not going to do, he just wouldn't be telling his mom about this one, besides Niall could handle it. Nathan held Niall's gaze sternly for a few minutes before letting go and muttering something about how he will get it next time he saw him. Niall sat on the ground in front of the lockers for awhile before a figure was hovering above him and Niall looked up to see warm chocolate eyes looking at him with the care of a teddy bear and Niall wanted nothing more than to curl up into that and hold onto-- woah Niall slow down there. "So do you reckon you'll be moving anytime soon?" questioned the brown eyed stranger sheepishly. Niall then realized he was sitting in front of this guys locker before he quickly shuffled to his feet muttering an apology before turning to walk away and get out of the guys way. Before Niall could make a quick exit, the boy grabbed his wrist and Niall swore he felt tingles go all the way up his arm before settling in his belly, the touch did something to numb the shitty way he was feeling and took some of the heat out of his body. If the other boy felt the same then he didn't show it. "Wait," the boy muttered. Niall was taken aback that someone actually wanted to talk to him, let alone a beautiful stranger like this one. "Yeah?" he asked questioningly. The boy shrugged before saying, "Are you okay?" Niall was even more confused as to why this stranger was showing any interest in him at all, he was a jock while Niall was well, not. Niall mumbled something that sounded like, "M'fine." The other boy narrowed his eyes and said, "Why were were sitting down against the lockers and looking around like you hated the world?" questioned the boy. "You got all of that out of me just sitting there?" Niall asked incredulously. "Well no one really just sits in the hall in front of a locker looking like they were doing nothing more than plotting the deaths of everyone who did them wrong," joked the boy. Niall chuckled before promptly saying, "Yeah I'm fine thanks mate," Liam perked up "Names Liam Payne by the way, sorry I'm not that good at introductions." They both chuckle before Niall says "Wait as in Liam Payne the football captain star with whom every girl fawns over and even some guys?" "In the flesh," Liam says with a smirk. Niall smiles, "well it's a pleasure to meet you Liam Payne football star, thanks for actually talking to me." Liam smile faltered at the last part, he wanted to know what the boy meant by that but as he began walking away Liam grabbed the boys hand and swore he saw steam evaporate from where there hands were, and he felt tingles go up through his arm and through his whole body giving him an overly pleasurable feeling which made Liam smile, oh boy he was definitely making friends with Niall. "Wait, I didn't catch your name!" Liam said a bit too enthusiastically. If anything, Niall smiled even brighter, he didn't waste a breath before saying, "It's Niall, Niall Horan." Niall smiled nervously at their hands that were still entwined, it was as if Liam didn't even notice what he was doing, "Well it's a pleasure to meet you too Niall Horan, I hope I see you again soon," Liam said cheekily before the bell rang and their hands parted and Niall blushed all the way to class thinking that if he saw Liam again that he would give him his number. But then Niall quickly dismissed the thought because Liam probably wasn't even gay and he was just assuming. Either way Niall hoped he would see those warm chocolate brown eyes and hands that sent reassuring sparks through him again.