just the beginning ➣ one direction

chapter 18 // casey

so i didnt get into the hs i wanted to and so did dana so i'm doing this bc she's upset andddddd i promised her for an update since i havent for like 7 years so here ya go 

October 23, 2013 - Wednesday

It was the day after what happened between Emma and Zayn. I still can't stop thinking about it, I just felt bad for Emma, she was really upset. However, Rachel was pissed. She felt sympathy of course, but not for Zayn, she believed that he deserved to get a slap on the face. We didn't talk about it to each other, or to anyone else but kept it still in our minds, like it happened just about 2 minutes ago.

It was lunch, and Rachel, Emma and I sat down together alone on the usual table we sit. Emma wasn't like herself today, she was hollow, pained, trying to keep her head high but still has her stomach tangled in knots from what happened yesterday. Rachel and I would ask her what's wrong, but she wouldn't say anything. Rachel and I knew what was wrong, but we weren't ready to tell her so we just ignored her of being sad and decided to change the subject.

Most of our conversations today was just Rachel and I speaking, and Emma jumping in either adding something completely off the topic or silently giggling at a joke either Rachel or I made.

I looked up to see Niall and Harry walking towards us, and joining us at our unoccupied table.

They sat down in unison, and Rachel immediately invited them into our conversation.

"Hey, where's Naomi?" Rachel asked.

"Down the nurses office, with Hayley and Lou." Niall uttered as he played his food with his white plastic fork.

"Did you guys know what happen with Zayn?" Harry engaged.

Rachel and I stood stiff, and glanced at Emma to see her reaction. She stood silent, just staring at him with her balded dark brown eyes. She took a bite out of her cheesecake, and gulped a big one down her esophagus. She sipped continuously from her water bottle avoiding eye contact with the rest of us. 

"Do you?" Rachel hesitated, without answering his question.

"I just saw him enter the nurse's office," He continued, "with this big ass red mark on his cheek."

"He came out with an ice pack placed firmly on his cheek," Niall resumed for him, "I wonder what happened to him though."

Then again, Rachel and I glanced at Emma who made a face like she was slightly amused. She didn't look at us, nor spoke. Stood quiet, sinking in every detail each one of us says. The three of us didn't say anything, instead, responded with silence. Niall's phone vibrated in his back pocket, breaking the still air between us and them. He grabbed it out of his pocket, and checked his new message.

He typed on his screen, tapped sent, and turned off his phone. He looked back up to the three of us, and sighed.

"Naomi said he tripped on the pavement coming home from school." Niall said, as he shoved his phone back inside his pocket. Another one of Zayn's legendary lies, this is one for the history books.

I looked at Emma, who rolled her eyes, and kept an exasperated look on her face. She swallowed her last piece, and finally looked back at us. We all looked at her.

"Who would be stupid enough to fall on the fucking floor?" She snapped.

No one answered but she continued, "His fault for having such a clumsy ass."

"Why are you being so rude?" Harry defended, "What has he ever done to you?"

Emma stood up, her hands planted on the table looking down. She looked back at him, her eyes glossed as tears started to form. She blinked them away, dissolving them into sheer laughter. She laughed, and just laughed, coughing in between. She sniffed up her nose, and rubbed her eyes aggressively. 

"I'm going to class." She carelessly grabbed her bookbag that was on the floor, as we watched her leave the cafeteria. The bell rang, and I was relieved.

I didn't want to see Niall and Harry's expression right after Emma left the building. They both stormed Rachel and I with questions, asking why was she crying and why was she being rude all of the sudden. Of course, we knew all the answers, but Emma doesn't even know we do.

2 hours later, dismissal came, and we all began to go home. I was walking out of the classroom till I saw Zayn brush pass me planting an ice pack directly on his left cheek. He turned his shoulder to look at me, and looked away and disappeared into the hallways. I left the building, and walked down the pathway to the exit of the school. I had to pass by the football field, and today they were having practice. 

I glanced over the football players, as they scattered the field doing all sort of things. I spotted my brother talking to the coach, and Niall spotted me before I could spot him. He waved, and called my name 4 times. It took him the 3rd time, for me to actually notice. He jogged towards me, we were standing about 2 feet away from each other. The only thing that kept us separate, was the chain linked fence. Niall clutched on the chains, and looked at me.

"So, about the favor I asked you about," He informed, "the carnival thing.."

"Yeah."

"We start this Friday," He said, "Meet me at the exact spot you're standing in after school?"

"Yeah, sure."

He smiled, and nodded. He went jogged back to the field and gave me a quick wave and left.

I waved back, and stood there to watch him practice for a good 2 minutes. Then, I went home.

end of chapter 18