Twisted Friendship

Chapter 9

A shadow fell across my face as Louis bent over us, an eerie smile spread across his cheeks.

"Well there you are."

Niall rolled off of me quickly, jumping to his feet and extending his hand down to help me up. I reached up to take it, but got my hand smacked away by someone else.

"Harry!" I exclaimed angrily, propping myself up on my elbows to glare at him. Harry just nodded to Zayn and Liam. Hands instantly hooked under my arms, yanking me to my feet. I stumbled back and against them, feeling them immediatly steady my fall.

"You can't just jerk her around like that." Niall stammered, eyes set with determination.

Zayn laughed harshly, "What are you, her knight in shining armor?"

"More than you guys will ever be." I spat, tugging my arms out of their grip.

Niall stepped forward, trying to help, trying to do something, when he immediatly was sprawled out onto his face.

"Don't even walk past me dork." Harry muttered, tucking his foot back in from where it previously sat to trip Niall.

Louis looked down at Niall through steely eyes. Eyes that were made of stone and cold and winter and where something lived, something monstrous that prowled in the background. Watching. Waiting to strike.

"Let's go Katie." Louis sighed, wrapping his long fingers around my wrist and tugging me behind him. Leaving Niall sitting there in a pool of confusion.

I dug my heels into the ground, "Louis stop it! I told you guys to stop bothering me!" He ignored my protests, continuing to drag me down the hall and out the front doors. Totally oblivious to the fact that there was still school going on.

"Louis!" I exclaimed sharply once my feet hit sidewalk. He turned and looked to me, immediatly receiving a sharp blow to the face where my hand hit his cheek.

The smack echoed across the empty sky.

I regretted that choice seconds later when my wrists were caught in his hands, my back trapped against the chain link fence of the school he suddenly pressed me against.

"Why do you fight me all the time?" he yelled, right in my face. His cheeks were flushed and lips tight, jaw set angrily.

I leaned back against the fence, trying to get as far from him a I could. The fence rattled behind me.

"Because your always bossing me around!" I yelled back, "Why do you keep tormenting Niall?"

Louis's eyes darkened to match the black clouds swirling in the sky, "WHY DOES NIALL MATTER SO MUCH TO YOU?"

"Louis." Harry warned, setting a hand on Louis's shoulder. He just got shooken off, his gaze on me. He let out an angry puff, the warm breathe hitting my cheeks.

"Because this blonde kid is tearing our friendship apart! You've known him for less then a week but look what he's done to our old friendship! I don't trust him at all. I know what happened in there, he's lucky I didn't beat him up right there. I didn't for you."

I attempted to shove him off of me, "Friendship? You practically forced me to be your friend!"

"Because I care about you!" Louis's voice dropped to a whisper, "Because I care so much about you and don't want to see you hurt."

Words got jumbled in my throat, as I struggled to reply. Our faces were so close, noses practically touching. I followed the outline of his lips and the bridge of his nose with my eyes, taking in every tiny freckle.

Louis suddenly pulled me forward into a breathe taking hug, fists clenching at the back of my shirt. "Don't leave us." he whispered in my ear, wrapping his arms around me and holding on so tight, as though if he let go I'd fly away and never be seen again. My feet were almost lifted off the ground.

"Don't." he whispered.

"I don't want to." I whispered back, "But part of me is telling myself to take a break."

He pulled away for a second, "Ignore it."

The wind picked up, momentarily blowing his fringe in front of his eyes. I tucked it back carefully.

"Sometimes you have to listen." I said, stepping back.

But I should of been more careful. I should of stopped and thought for a second. Trouble seemed to follow me everywhere I went, as it followed me up the sidewalk as I left the boys standing there. The school bell rang faintly behind me.

I just wished I could paint myself wings and fly away.