Sweet & Innocent

Wish Late At Night

Zayn's P.O.V

"Zayn you won't pick a fight with him again will you?" Liam asks for the hundredth time. He's been like this – worrying – ever since Victoria told him this morning how she saw me and Max nearly fighting again. Me and Max have had history. And not a good one either. We used to be close mates, but that was around a year ago before he made me see just how much of a devil he is, back at the park. I still truly despise myself for letting him get away with it. But I was in no position to fight. After that we became enemies, and I became friends with these boys – Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall – forming the rivalry group. Max still is a prick, bullying everyone but he usually stops when I'm around or he knows he's in for it. He's never picked a fight with us, it was always me when I've had about enough of him, but he's never spoke a word against me to Mr Purditt, though they all know what's going on and it's definitely not some sort of loyalty for his old friend or because he thinks I can take him down in a fight. But something much more. 

Today Olivia Hatchman, my new neighbour, started at our school. She still reminds me of someone, someone I can't remember. She looked like a shy person but she really isn't. She stood up to Max, already made friends and is laughing away with everyone. Now she's sitting on the table at the other end of the cafeteria, not letting herself be intimidated by Sharon. Sharon is a slut who has always wanted me and is so low, doing whatever she needs to get what she wants.

She looked up all of a sudden and smiled at me. I nearly smiled back but then I remembered how I'm known here, the 'bad boy'. It's better if she stays away from me. I don't even know this girl. I don't care about this girl. Why should I care?

* 

I saunter towards the back of the bus. But when I reach there, I see that my seat is already taken. A girl with brown hair, wearing a yellow jumper is sitting there, oblivious to how this place runs. I sigh inwardly, she's got a lot to learn and one of them is to keep out of my way. Girls like me, sure, but they also know better not to make me angry. And she's annoying me now, turning up out of nowhere. It's like she's haunting me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask her, letting a bitterness creep into my voice. She jumps up, blushing.

"I- I um sorry! Victoria told me to sit here, she s-said you wouldn't mind?" She asked me. Her embarrassment only ticked me off more. I groaned and dumped my bag next to her. Facing away from her. Victoria and I have been friends since we were little kids. She's one of the people who always understands me. She also knows that I'm not as bad as I make out to be. That I can be caring too. That I put on this mask to make sure everyone stays away from me because I don't even know what kind of things I could cause. 

Trust Victoria. She's always been a kind person. But telling Olivia to sit next to me wasn't a wise move.

Why did u tell the new girl to sit next to me? -  I text her annoyed.

Cool it Malik! I didn't want her to get involved with the troublemakers that get on ur bus :P -  She texts back almost immediately.

Oh but ur wrong there Vicky! I'm the only "troublemaker" here ;) X – I reply grinning.

Olivia strikes me as trying a bit too hard. It's like she's trying to forget something bitter by covering up and being extra cheerful. Ugh, I don't care what Victoria says, I'm sitting by myself tomorrow onward. 

We spent the rest of the journey in silence. 

I decide to get off a stop early and as I pick up my bag and leave, I hear a small 'thanks' being whispered after me and for some reason that brings a smile onto my face.

*

Olivia's P.O.V

I dump my bag on my bedroom floor and sink onto my bed. Today wasn't as bad as I expected. I've made friends and I'm starting to quite like this school. The only thing I'm confused about is Zayn Malik. Most people told me to stay away from him. But his friends, especially Victoria told me he's not that bad. In fact I felt quite protected next to him on the bus today. And I know for a fact that if he wasn't there sitting with me, they would have bullied me. The sort of people that got on that bus are the sort of ones that my parents told me to stay away from. But he wouldn't speak to me or anything probably because I'm not cool enough. 

Whatever it is, I don't think he's all that bad. I mean if he was he would have just left me to deal with the weed addicts on the bus, but he was there for most of the journey making sure I didn't get hurt. I need to make sure that I don't get on that bus anymore, even if it means getting up half an hour earlier to get the only other bus.

Zayn's P.O.V

"Zayn? Liam said you nearly got into a fight again," Mum asked me anxiously. Oh man! Trust Mr sensible to tell my parents! I'm gonna kill him!

"Mum it was nothing. Max was being a prick to that girl in the house opposite," I reply hoping she would leave the situation alone.

"What Olivia? Oh well that's nice of you! But em...yes. Um.. Mr and Mrs Hatchman are very nice and I'm sure they appreciate you taking care of their daughter. And we encourage that too of course! But just make sure you don't pick a fight!" Dad says. Oh great! I wasn't taking care of her! I wanted to scream! I just can't stand Max! Why don't people understand that? My parents should, out of all people. And they know the reason why!

"Dad you know very well that I have every reason to pick a fight with Max any day of the year! Don't go into all that!" I reply annoyed.

"Oh Zayn please don't start this again! You're our only son! Please don't fight with Max! He will get what he deserves! Please promise me that you won't start a fight?" Mum asks now almost close to tears. I can't stand her crying. She's been like this ever since that day at the park. They both have, worrying excessively that I will get into trouble. That I might go into trauma or depression. But I guess their biggest worry is Max. So reluctantly I nod and see relief wash over both their faces.

 I walk up to my bedroom and look out through the curtains. I can see Olivia sitting in her bedroom, writing in what seems like a diary, though I can't be sure from this distance. If I were a boy in some other situation, I would have sure as hell fallen in love and this would've been a romantic story. But I'm not. There's something about her that makes me want to get to know her more. But I'm holding myself back. She's already gotten into Max's red book and I don't want to make it worse for her by letting her be friends with me.

I close my curtains and let myself drown in the darkness, wishing that one day, Max would disappear out of my life and I can just be friends with anyone without worrying about what Max might do to them merely for being friends with me. Merely for being a threat to his darkest secret.