Raven Boy

Chapter Four

                  

"Hey, Sweetie. How was school?" My mom asked when I walked into the door.

"It was pretty nice." I answered and raided the fridge for food. "Sorry, I was late. Louis wanted me to stay at his house for a while." I found some spaghetti and popped it in the microwave.

"Is he alright?" My mom knew Louis wasn't fond of his step-dad.

"Yeah, they had an argument, but what else is new?" I dryly chuckled.

My mom sighed. "I feel bad for him. Maybe I should invite him over for dinner."

"He can't, he has a family dinner." I took the noodles out of the microwave.

"What a shame." My mom shook her head.

I nodded and slurped down the spaghetti. "I'm going to finish some work in my room." I threw my bowl into the sink and raced upstairs.

"Okay, but dinner will be ready at six-thirty." She yelled after me.

I shut my door behind me and sat at my desk.

"Alright, I have to do Math, English, Science, and History." I said to myself.  So much work, so little. Better get started. I plopped in my desk chair and started my work.

After an hour or so, a rock flew into my window. At first, I thought it was an accident. But then another one came. I walked towards the window and peered out of it.

I saw Zayn with a handful of pebbles. He got ready to launch another one, I waved my hand and stopped him. I opened window and leaned out. "What are you doing?"

"I was trying to get your attention." He smiled and my knees went weak.

"Why didn't you just knock on the door?"

"That's too easy." He snickered.

I chuckled. "Now, how do you suspect you'll get up here?"

He put his finger to his chin. "Aha." He ran to the old oak tree in my front yard and started climbing.

"Be careful. That thing is old." I warned.

"I'll be fine. I do this all the time." He waved me after.

He climbed all the way up into my room and tucked and rolled onto my carpet. I clapped jokingly and he bowed.

"Thank you, thank you." He laughed. Zayn sat on my bed and I returned to my desk. "What were you doing?" He asked.

I shrugged. "Just some homework."

"For which subject?"

"All of them."

"That sucks. I'm horrible at Math and Science, but I'm pretty good at English and History."

"I'm basically the opposite. I hate History and English is confusing."

He walked over to my desk and I could see another bruise forming on his face. This one fresh and blue. And yet; he still looked beautiful.

"Here let me you." He sat on my desk and took my English and History paper and skimmed them.

His eyebrow furrowed in confusion then lifted in understanding. "See this where you went wrong." He pointed my mistake and I corrected. That's how it went on for the next few minutes. He would look at my work and I would correct the incorrect answers. We finished at six-twenty five.

"Thanks for helping me, Z."

"Z?" he smiled.

I blushed. "Yeah."

"It's cute." My heart quicken.

"Niall, dinner's..... oh." My mom opened the door and stop mid-sentence when she saw Zayn. "Hello." She greeted.

"Hi." He waved shyly.

"I'm Maura, Niall's mom. And you are?"

"I'm Zayn, Niall's friend."

My mom looked at me with one eyebrow raised. "Niall never told me about you."

"Mom."

"He never tells me anything really."

"Mom!"

"I guess we just aren't close."

"MOM!" she silenced herself.

"Alright, I'm sorry. Dinner is ready by the way." She walked out. "Your friend can join us of he'd like."

"Do you want to?"

"No, I should get home. My dad's probably looking for me." He climbed out the window.

"Bye." He shout and ran back to his house.

I went downstairs and sat at the dinner table. Mom brought out some garlic bread and egg-plant parmesan. I licked my lips and dung right in. Before I could take a bite of my food, the doorbell rang.

"Niall, can you get that?"

I groaned and went to the door. I opened it and was stare at Zayn. He was sporting a bloody nose and a black eye. "Zayn, what happened?"

He did nothing, but faintinto my arms.