Every Lonely Place

Chapter 1: What Makes You Beautiful

"Shit," Lily said to AJ, who was standing next to her.

"What is it?" AJ asked.

"You didn't see that?" Lily replied. "That Zayn guy just rejected Marissa."

"What!?"

"That's what it looks like. Look at the look on Marissa's face."

"Man, she does look pissed," AJ observed.

"This can't go well."

AJ and Lily watched Zayn offer Marissa one last awkward smile and turn back to the girl he was talking to. Marissa turned around, a look in her eye that neither AJ nor Lily had ever seen before. They watched as Marissa stormed upstairs.

"Should we go after her?" Lily asked.

"Let's go," AJ decided.

The two of them quickly followed Marissa up the stairs and into her dorm room.

"Get the fuck out!" she yelled to a couple making out on her bed.

The couple unlocked their lips from one another and looked at Marissa like she was crazy, then left the room.

"Marissa!" Lily said, concern evident in her voice. "You okay?"

"Do I look okay?" she exclaimed, eye liner bleeding down her face. "Stupid British fucker said I 'wasn't his type'."

"Look," Lily began, "there's a lot of other guys who are bowing at your feet. You don't need Zayn."

"Why the hell am I this way?!" Marissa shouted, knocking some things off of her shelves, which AJ quickly caught and picked back up, putting the objects back in their places. "Why am I such a god damn slut?!"

"You're not a slut, Marissa!" Lily said. "You're just a girl, and you're beautiful."

"Yes, I am, Lily," Marissa said. "You don't need to lie to me. I'm a slut. I'm a bitch. I'm everything everyone hates!"

"Marissa, why would you say that?" AJ said. "I love you. Lily loves you. Taylor loves you. Carrie loves you."

Marissa scoffed. "You shouldn't. No one should love me. My parents can't even love me, how are you supposed to?! Huh?!"

"Marissa, just calm down," Lily said.

"Just leave me alone," Marissa said as she lied down on her bed.

"We can't leave you like this," AJ said.

"No," Marissa breathed. "You need to go. You should be downstairs at the party. Having fun. You deserve it. I don't."

"Of course you do," Lily said.

"You're a wonderful person," AJ said as she sat down on Marissa's bed. "You're beautiful, and you're so strong."

"You're strong as hell," Lily added. "More than any of us ever could be, and you don't need Zayn. I think Harry likes you."

"I don't want Harry," Marissa sighed. "I don't want any stupid fucking boy right now. Just leave me alone."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What'd you say to her?" Harry asked, walking over to Zayn.

"Who?"

"Marissa," Harry answered. "The girl who just talked to you."

"I just told her that she wasn't my type," Zayn said.

"Well, she was crying when she walked away," Harry reported. "What do you mean she's not your type? I've seen you with girls like her before."

"I'm over those girls," Zayn said. "I want a girl who I can settle with. A girl who could be a mother and a wife. A girl like her."