After // ziall

Chapter 42

After Steph plucks my eyebrows, which hurt worse than I ever imagined, she turns me around and refuses to let me see myself until she is done. I fight the nervous feeling in my stomach and remind her to not over do anything. She promises that she won't and brushes my hair before sprayng it and half of the room with hairspray.

"Eyebrows and hair are done! Let's get you changed then you can see yourself." She is obviously proud of her work on me. I just hope that I don't look like a clown. I follow her to the closet and try to sneak a peek in the small mirror but she yanks me away.

"Here, put this on."

"Out, you!" She tells Tristan and he laughs but graciously leaves the room.

"Just try it, please?" She pleads as she hands me an outfit I have never seen.

I oblige and take my comfortable pajamas off and fold them into a neat pile. She rolls her eyes at me playfully and I smile while stepping into the clothes.

"I can't wait any longer! Look at yourself!" She smiles and opens the other closet door. I look in the full body mirror and gasp. Who the heck is that? My reflection looks just like me, but a lot better. I know that there really isn't much difference but I feel so different, my eyebrows plucked, hair done, tight fitting clothes.

"I am impressed." I smile and look closer. I poke my cheek to make sure what I am seeing is real.

"See, you are still you, just a more sexy, well kept you." She giggles and calls for Tristan to join us. He opens the door and his lips part.

"Where is Niall?" He asks and looks around the room playfully. He picks up a pillow and looks under it.

"What do you think?" I ask.

"You look great, really great." He smiles and wraps his arm around Stephs waist. She leans in and I look away.

"One more thing." She says and reaches over to the dresser. She pulls out a tube of lip-gloss and puckers her lips. I close my eyes and do the same while she rubs the sticky gloss across my lips. I know it is not considered normal for a boy to wear lipgloss but I let Steph do whatever she pleases, I have nothing to loose anymore.

"Ready?" Tristan asks and we nod.

During the drive I sit in the back and stare out the window. When we arrive at the restaurant I cringe at the number of motorcycles outside. I had assumed we would be going somewhere like Fridays or Applebee's, not a biker bar and grill.

When we walk inside I feel like everyone is staring at me, even though they probably aren't. Steph grabs a hold of my hand and pulls me along as they walk to a booth in the back.

"James is coming, that's okay right?" She asks as we take out seats.

"Yea, of course." I tell her. As long as it's not Zayn I don't mind. Besides, some company would be nice because right now I feel like the third wheel.

A woman with even more tattoos than Steph and Tristan strides over to the table and takes our drink order. Steph and Tristan both order a beer. This must be why they like to come here because they can drink underage. The woman raises her eyebrow to me as I order a Coke, but I don't want to drink. I have studying to do when I get back to my room. Minutes later she brings our drinks and I hear a wolf whistle as a group of people walk towards our table. I recognize James and Harry and as they get closer Molly's pink hair comes into view, followed by Zayn. I spit the coke back into my cup.

Steph's eyes widen as she lays eyes on Zayn and she looks at me. "I swear I didn't know he was coming, I have barely seen him all week, we can leave now if you want." She whispers as Harry slides in the booth next to me. I have to force myself not to look towards Zayn.

"Woa Ni, you look super hot." Harry says and I blush. "Really, like wow! I've never seen you like this." He compliments and I thank him quietly. James, Zayn and Molly sit in the booth behind us. I want to ask Steph to trade seats with me so my back will be to Zayn but I can't bring myself to. I will just avoid eye contact the entire time. I can do it.

"You do look smokin' Niall." James says and I smile at him. I am not used to all this attention. Zayn hasn't commented on my new look but I didn't expect him to, I am just glad he isn't insulting me.

Zayn and Molly are sitting right in my eye range, I can see Zayn's entire face through the space between Steph and Tristan's shoulders. If I just look once, it couldn't hurt. I look at Zayn before I can stop myself and instantly regret it. His arm is hooked around Molly's shoulders. Why did I have to look? The pang of jealousy I feel is my punishment for looking at him when I shouldn't be. Of course they are probably messing around again, or still. They probably never stopped. I remember how comfortable she was straddling him at the party and I swallow the bile rising in my throat. Zayn is free to do whatever or whoever he pleases.

"He does look great, doesn't he?" Steph asks and they all nod. I can feel Zayn's eyes on me but I can't look at him again. He is wearing a white t-shirt that I am sure his tattoos are visible through but I don't care. I don't care how good he looks or how skanky Molly is dressed. She really could wear a little more clothing. She is irritating with her stupid pink hair and her skanky clothes, she is a slut. I am surprised by my thoughts and anger towards her but it's true, I don't like her. I don't think I have ever called anyone a slut, even in my head. I almost feel guilty until she calls my name.

"You do look good, better than ever before." She says and leans into Zayn's chest. I make eye contact with her and fake a smile.

"Mind if I have a sip?" Harry asks and grabs my cup. I allow him to drink out of my glass, which I usually am against but I am so uncomfortable right now that I can't think straight. He gulps down half of my drink and I nudge him.

"Sorry babe, I will order you another one." He smiles. He really is attractive. If he didn't have those tattoos he probably would be a model. A noise comes from the other booth and my eyes dart to Zayn. He knocked over a salt shaker onto the table and is staring at me with blazing eyes. I want to look away but I can't, I am caught in his gaze as Harry shifts his arm up and rests it on the back of the booth, directly behind me. Zayn's eyes narrow and I decide to have alittle fun. I doubt Zayn will care but he was pretty adamant about me not hanging out with Harry before so it may work.