The Exchange

Chapter 42

I do what I can to drop the magazine and let the boys take care of it. It's not too hard since Harry actually demands to have my phone when I come home from school everday. A few people from school thought they noticed me but I got through it with an,

"I wish I was holding Louis hand." which made everyone laugh but I don't really know why. Maybe it's the accent.

Every once and a while it worries me again but I know that I won't get away with any dumb or childish excuses for my worry and try my best to forget about it again.

The wind lifts the ends of my hair that are falling out of my hat. The wind tries to carry it as I push against it and skip up the steps to the door.

"Hey!" I call cheerily, immediately dropping my bag and removing my coat.

"Hey." Harry calls from the kitchen. I peek in and see they're sorting the mail. Niall, Liam and Zayn are watching a hockey game on TV and looking bored. The hockey game reminds me of all the times I complained when Hayden turned the channel from my soap operas. I smile at the memory.

"How was your day?" I ask walking into the kitchen and taking a cookie. It crumbles in my mouth as I bite down I it.

"Pretty good, yours?" Harry asks, texting on his phone.

"The same." I reply.

"Mira, you got mail." Louis announces, handing me two envelopes. That's weird. Who would send me mail? Looking down I see both return addresses are from home. One I know is Britney's and the other looks familiar but I'm not sure.

"Who would send me anything?" I ask, ripping the anonymous one. "No one even knows my address."

"Do you recognize the name?" Louis asks. I look down at the lined white paper with perfect, loopy, cursive writing. The name says Marley.

"Is it a friend?" Harry asks and both boys suddenly look interested.

"Yeah, from home." I reply kind of happy. I haven't talked to them in forever! How did they find me though?

Girl as if you didn't tell me! Your face is all over the magazines here. I thought you didn't want to even go there and you're living the dream life. Some friend you are. I can't believe I ever trusted you! I hope you stay where you are because you are not welcome back home.

I look up stunned. Marley wrote a second paragraph all about how she feels betrayed and what not. What is this?

I grab Britts letter off the counter and tear it open.

Dear bitch.

Ouch, that stings coming from my best friend.

As if you would do that to me. We have all been here supporting you for the last six months and then we see your face on tabloids and late night celebrity gossip shows. Did you really think you could hide forever? Did you really think you could keep something so huge from us? It hurts more than anything that you would blatantly lie to us! To me! I thought we were best friends Mirabelle but obviously you dont know what being a friend is. You horrible skank! Do you remember when you said in my room last summer when we thought about the future. Remember when we made that stupid childish pact neither of us believed? Remember our deal that you would get Harry and I would get Liam? remember how we thought that was all just childish fun? You could of at least told me! I had to find out from selfish reporters that you're actually seeing Louis Tomlinson and living the dream life when you told us months ago you despise being over there.  I hope you enjoy being with them because we obviously aren't your true friends anymore.  That obviously means you were never one of mine.  

That hurts and it's even worse that this one is coming from Britt.  We practically spent all our time together.  Does everyone at home think the same way?  Does everyone feel this way?  Do I have any friends left at home?  Have my parents seen this?  

"Do you know this girl?"  I nod to Louis question as I feel tears prickle my eyes.  I look deep down past Britts letter in my hands.  How many times do I have to say this hurts? 

"I used to."  I reply quietly, looking at Marley's note in his hand.  I used to.  Once before.  In the past.  It's over.  Finito.  We're done.  Fury steams through my veins and clenches my teeth so hard they're about to break.  I grab Marley's note from Louis hand and line it up with Britts.  In a second I rip them both perfectly in half.  Then I rip them into four pieces each.  Then eight, sixteen.  I turn them into little snowflakes beneath my fingers wishing they would melt rather than be a victim of this vengeance and pain.

"Done."  I say as I toss the pieces into the recycling bin.   Nothing is holding me back.  Harry looks at me and nods proudly.  

"Don't take any bullshit."  He says smiling.  I nod knowing he's right.  

***

"Perrie?"  Zayn speaks quietly through his phone, surprised to hear her voice.  

"Zayn!  I need to talk to you, is there still no background to who sold that photo to the magazine?"  

"None, the magazine is annonymous."  Zayn replies keeping his voice low so Mira doesn't hear from the kitchen.  

"I heard something, can you come over?"  

"Who told you something?"  Zayn asks unsure.  He doesn't want to go chasing false leads.  They agreed to let their manager handle everything.  

"I don't want to say over the phone but how fast can you be here?"  Perrie asks, sounding desperate to see him in person.  

"I guess I can leave now."  Zayn replies looking out the window at the bus stop.  

"Okay perfect I'll see you soon."  Zayn and Perrie hang up and he looks at his phone for a moment.  He doesn't really want to go in case it's nothing but he knows it's probably just best to trust her.  

Zayn gets up and moves to the front to put on his coat.  

"I'm going to see a mate, I'll be back soon."  He calls wrapping a scarf around his neck and pulling on a toque and sunglasses as a 'disguise.'  

"K have fun!"  Mira calls from the kitchen, less cheery than usual.  Zayn opens the door and bounds outside to catch the bus.  'This better be worth it.' He thinks standing in the bitter, winter cold.  

Zayn mounts onto the bus and sits in the back where less people are located.  He takes a deep breath as the vehicle lurches forward and brings him his girlfriends flat.  

"Zayn!"  Perrie says urgently, opening the door to her boyfriends bundled figure.  She wraps her arms around him and gives him a quick peck before pulling him inside.  

"Hey, how was your day?"  Zayn asks like the gentleman he is.  

"Fine and yours?"  Perrie asks, taking his coat and hanging it on a hanger in the closet.  

"Great, now that I got to see you."  He says cheesily.  Perrie hits him lightly on the arm and leads him to the kitchen where she pulls out two mugs.  

"Tea?"  She offers, already pouring him a cup.  

"Thanks."  He chuckles pulling out a chair, "So why did you call me over here so urgently?"  

"Well,"  Perrie stutters pouring milk and sugar in both cups, "It's about the magazine."  

"You already told me that, love."  Zayn jokes easing the atmosphere.  Perrie seems nervous and paranoid with the way she's busily making tea.  She doesn't usually do this.  She awkwardly places them down on the table and sits across from Zayn.

"Okay, well Danielle called me today wanting to talk and she knows who gave the story to the press."  She says looking into her tea.  

"What did she say?"  Zayn prompts suddenly realizing how much this piece of information is bothering Perrie.  

" She said It was Eleanor."