Rebuilding Zerrie

Wide Awake

KLOE'S P.O.V.

After another useless day of making up lyrics that make no sense at all, they all dropped me off at my house in the van. On our way to Henderson, I remembered I had to help finish and mail the college applications that night. It was already pretty late and I knew that Maegan and I weren't going to be able to finish in time for the deadline, so I asked for a tiny favor from the boys.

"Can you stay for a while?" I asked them with the most hoarse, innocent voice I could muster so they wouldn't have a choice but to say yes. "I'm really tired and I still have stuff to do back at home. Pleeeaaase?" I even took a shot on the puppy dog eyes for Niall. Naturally, Niall said yes and because his best friends wouldn't allow it if they left him, the others stayed as well.

My place was already familiar to them since they've been in it several times before. They knew the way to my bedroom and they already knew my sisters and posters and standees. Maegan was on the floor, arranging the applications and printing out her essays. She looked up and saw me and Harry and Liam and Niall and Zayn.

She wasn't the kind of Directioner who screams. She was the kind who was always at a loss for words. All she could manage were a few faint squeals but, luckily, the boys were used to it.

Niall immediately dug into the pile, separating each paper by the location of the school. Liam got some envelopes and labelled the mail addresses with the help of my googling. Zayn and Harry filed and stapled the essays. Because of their help, we were able to finish earlier than expected. I couldn't have thanked them enough.

"You guys are the best," I told them as I hugged Niall goodbye. Nothing beat a Horan hug. They promised that they would stop by the post office to deliver the letters. It was the greatest feeling in the world to have these guys as my friends even though the way we met wasn't really ideal.

***

DAY 6

At 3:30 in the morning, I was already wide awake and waiting for them to come pick me up. My dad had just arrived from his job as a pilot. I wasn't able to spend any time with him ever since the whole fiasco and I was glad we had this moment, even if it were just for a little while. "Hey, dad," I hugged him hello. "How was work?"

"I'm not sure if you wanna know," he sighed as he sat down on the couch. I could tell he was tired. I sat next to him and switched on the TV to ESPN. My father faced me instead if the TV screen. "What I wanna know is," he said, "What you've been up to. How're these superstars been treating my superstar?"

I scrunched up my nose. "Dad," I whined a bit, "You shouldn't be worrying. They're treating me really well, actually. So it isn't really awkward that I'm helping them because I'm doing it as a favor for a friend, not anymore as a solution to a problem I've caused, you know what I mean?"

"But you don't have to do whatever they want you to do," he advised, although it was unneeded. I knew what I was doing and I was being careful already. "Just because they're your idols doesn't mean you're their object." Even though I wanted to tell my father that he was being slightly overdramatic, I didn't because I can never get mad at my father even if he killed me.

The honk outside cut our time together short. I pecked him on the cheek goodbye and ran to the minivan parked outside my house. I was surprised to see that my usual spot next to Niall was taken by none other than Zayn's Atty. Castle. More bothered than shocked now, I scrunched my eyebrows at Niall, who just shrugged. Liam refused to look my way, most likely frightened by my deadly headlock.

Zayn had no choice but to answer once I caught his eye. "I told her not to go," he explained regretfully, "But there was no use in arguing with a lawyer especially at four in the morning." I crumpled my forehead in disbelief. I wasn't one to trust someone once they've already lost it once.

Castle was opening her mouth, about to say something, but I stopped her before she had a chance to start. "Don't say anything," I held a finger up. "Or so help me, I will grab you by your tight bun and bang your cranium onto the pavement until you bleed to death." She kept her mouth shut but looked at Niall for surety.

"She'd really do it, you know," he warned her. It was the truth. But Niall seemed to be not taking sides here as he eyed me looking slightly frosted. "Just get in." His eyes rolled as he said it and crashed his back on the backrest. As much as I didn't want to be within a three-feet radius with Castle, I got in the back seat and sat in between Zayn and Harry.

On our way to the Modest studio, I spotted Niall drift to sleep with his head resting on the widow. Liam as well. I tried so hard not to move when Zayn fell into slumber while my shoulder cradled his head. Harry craned his neck to give me a crooked smirk, but I shook my head as for him not to say a word. They might wake up.

We stayed in the minivan while Atty. Castle debated with the four members of the management we spoke to (or more accurately were scolded by) the day before. It was only me and Harry who were awake and could overhear every words they were saying even if there was glass separating and slightly muffling the sounds from beneath.

Castle went on, "We ought to sue Modest Management for insolence to your clients, mistreating the name of the contract, derision towards someone who caused no interference with the said contract and allegedly threatening SYCO Records!" Harry and I gasped as we widened our eyes at each other. How come we did not know about this? Why would they ever do such a thing?

"There's one thing you're forgetting here, Castle," one of them responded calmly and monotone. "If your lawsuit is pushed through, One Direction's record label here at Modest Management is to be terminated."