See My Demons (Zarry AU)

Chapter 4

It was all but a relief when the final bell rang, signaling the end of the first day of school. Everyone was practically running out of the building and down the front steps. Zayn, however, was making his way to the locker rooms. All summer he'd been dying to start soccer tryouts for the school team. Since it was his last year, he was determined to make it on the team. It was all part of his 'plan'. Make the school soccer team, get straight A's, and graduate before going off to a great college. All the while making his dad proud, because honestly that's all he really wanted. For his dad to be proud of his only son.

The boys' locker room was packed. Voices echoing off the stone walls, boys changing into their soccer attire. Zayn found himself staring when one boy pulled his shirt off, revealing an impressive six pack. He blushed and diverted his eyes quickly, his cheeks heating up. It wasn't long before he spotted Liam and a relieved breath escaped his lips.

"Thank god, I thought you didn't show." Zayn said after he'd practically run up to his best friend.

"What? Are you crazy? Of course I didn't skip." Liam elbowed him before sitting down to pull on his shin guards.

"You better hurry though, man. They're starting in like 5 minutes."

Zayn blinked and set his backpack down quickly. Shit. He'd completely lost track of time. All he'd been thinking about was how excited he was to play. Taking his damn time. He pulled out his crumpled up soccer clothes from his bag, pulling his shirt off to change.

"Don't tell me you're trying out for the team." His voice sounded from his right.

The voice was deep, slow. It belonged to the one person he wished would fucking disappear already. Harry was standing above him, arms crossed, fully dressed in a uniform with his hair pulled back into a bun.

"You're going to be plowed and broken like a toothpick." Harry laughed, his dimples showing in his cheeks.

"I've played soccer for years, thanks."

Zayn rolled his eyes and pulled his shirt on, wishing Harry would fuck off so he didn't feel so uncomfortable changing. He changed into his shorts quickly, blushing slightly before sitting down to get his shin guards and sock on.

"Yeah, okay. My previous comment still stands." He glanced at Liam, cocking a brow. "Can I help you?" He snapped.

Liam held his hands up and turned, shoving his things into the locker behind him. 

"C'mon, Zayn." He said simply, watching him as he hurriedly put his cleats on and put his own things into the locker beside Liam's.

The two of them pushed past Harry, walking swiftly out toward the field. 

"I can't believe he's trying out for the team." Zayn muttered.

Obviously he didn't know a lot about Harry. He didn't need to, he hated the guy's guts. But still, they'd been enemies since they were kids. He thought he'd at least know something like this. Like he knew that Harry's parents were divorced, and he lived with his mom. Or that he hung out with Jared Hayes, the school's quarterback, and had since middle school. 

"I can. He ruins everything, doesn't he?" 

"Yeah, he does."

"C'mon, let's warm up." Liam nudged him with a light smile before jogging off.

Zayn took a deep breath, glancing over his shoulder to see Harry walking onto the field, chatting with a large group of guys. How was it he was so likable but so unlikable to Zayn? He sighed, deciding not to dwell on it as he went and grabbed a soccer ball, dribbling it out to the middle of the field where Liam was waiting to pass with him. 

The entire practice was pretty good, all around. The coach had them do a few drills where they would pass to one another. Then they had to dribble while running through an obstacle course of cones. Zayn was feeling pretty great about his performance, and there were enough boys there that he didn't even run into Harry once. Not that he didn't notice him from afar, clearly showing off and being a complete asshat. The way he was trying to sprint faster than everyone else, or do complicated footwork with the ball. He voiced how stupid these things were to Liam, who continuously told him to just ignore it. Zayn still noted, despite the fact he was supposed to be ignoring Harry, that he looked like a giant child...

Once practice finally came to an end, everyone chatted with one another before making their way back to the locker rooms. Zayn took his time, telling Liam to go ahead. He stuck around on the field a bit longer, dribbling and shooting goals until he was sure everyone had probably left. He sighed as he carried a soccer ball under his arm, walking into the now empty locker room. 

Except for the faint sound of the shower running, anyway. Zayn didn't pay much attention to it as he opened his locker, pulling his backpack out to change out of his socks, shin guards, and shoes.

Just as he pulled his backpack over his shoulder, prepared to leave, he realized the shower wasn't running anymore and someone was standing at the end of the aisle of lockers. 

And there he was.