Alter Ego (Veronica/Zayn)

Chapter Two

Note: One Direction and others associated with them are not famous (ex. elenor calder).

"C'mon, lad, it won't be that bad."

I didn't answer Niall as he halted to a stop at a red light. He stopped so suddenly, a few cars behind us honked. I just crossed my arms over my chest.

"'won't be that bad'?? How would you like to lose your masculineness for almost a year?" I snapped, and let out a loud obnoxious sigh. Niall cleared his throat and turned his focus to the busy streets of London. Good thing too, since he isn't the best driver and I wasn't in the mood for a chat.

I fumbled around in the black leather Fendi purse that Osborne had given me and pulled out my iPhone and earbuds. Scrolling through my music, I searched for a song that would channel my inner, erm, feminine.

We clawed, we chained, our hearts, in vain,

I hummed along the the song.

We jumped, never asking why.

I waited for the chorus.

Don't you ever say

I just walked away

I will always want you

I can't ever lie

running for my life

I will always want you.

I opened my mouth and screamed the words in a high-pitched, girly voice.

I came in like a wrecking ball,

I never hit so hard in love.

Niall swerved the car as soon as I started 'singing'.

"For Pete's sake, Zayn! Shut up!"

"Sorry, not sorry," I said, laughing, and started whispering the words before going quiet. I looked out the window and saw that we were pulling up to the school. Nervousness rippled through my stomach, and I broke into a sweat on my palms. Worried thoughts ran through my brain. What if my disguise isn't good enough? What if I don't find the killer? What if I fail?

"Dude," Niall says, and I look up from where I've been nervously twidling my fingers. "You'll be fine."

I give him a small nod and get out of the car. My high heels don't hold me up well on the pavement, and when I stand up, I wobble and hold onto the car for support. When I regain my balance, I push my glasses furthur up the bridge of my nose and smooth out my skirt. I glance over at Niall and see that his face is contorted with held-in laughter.

"Shut up," I tell him, and he looks down at the ground and purses his lips.

After hauling all my floral printed suitcases out of the trunk, we make our way up to the main building of the academy. It's an old, historic campus, with buildings that look like castles and churches and were definatly handcrafted with care. Some of the grey stone of the buildings is streaked with darker shades of grey and black from weathering, but it makes them look more beautiful. Niall and I walk along a narrow cobblestone path that leads up to a glass door, that's like a sore thumb compared to the old stone building it's attached to.

"Ladies first," Niall says with a smirk, and holds the door open for me, and I reluctantly go inside.

The administration office is simple, with a trickling fountain in one corner and a grey haired lady sitting behind a counter, looking bored, scrolling on a computer.

"Can I help you?" She asks, and Niall and I glance at one another.

"Erm, I'm a new student, do I just fill out a form or--" I start to say.