Thorn (n.h)

XXIX

A verbal fight later, I am driving back to Nialls, a bag of clothing and homework in my passengers seat. Paige was told that I came onto Rick and when Niall showed up I made it seem like like he was on me. Then she was told, also by Rick himself that I was doing the same to Harry.

Perfect, really fucking perfect.

Rick makes it seem like I'm the bad guy, that I am the whore who dances between Rick, Harry, Zayn and now Niall.

Tears fall slower and slower, not that I was really truly crying in the first place, as I arrive to Nialls. I park and stay there for a few minutes, to collect myself. I go over how the conversation went down then just remember grabbing my things, yelling that I can't believe she would trust him over me and she told me to leave. So I'll either stick it out with her until the semester is over, or get a new dorm now which will be impossible, or move out.

I trudge up to Niall's apartment, my bag slung over my shoulder. It's nearly 4 am, I have homework and class tomorrow, well Monday if you're the type to say 'it's not tomorrow until I wake up'. I knock relatively loud, sure he is fast asleep. But not long after I knock, I hear the blots snap open.

"What are you doing here?" Niall scrunches his face up when he sees me.

"Paige kicked me out for being a whore, or whatever," I sigh and stand there awkwardly, waiting for him to usher me inside.

"What?" he runs his hand through is hair, still not letting me in.

"Well Rick told her I came onto him and Harry all the while I was seeing Zayn and you at the same time," I say quickly.

"Hold on, wait," Niall hold shis hand up, his eyes closed as he leans onto the wooden door, "you came onto Harry?"

"Niall, just let me in," I huff and he does. I drop my bag onto the floor and flop onto one of the couches. I hold my face in my hands, my elbows propped on my knees and sigh heavily.

"Okay, explain," Niall says firmly, his hand rubbing my back softly.

"Well according to Paige, Rick says I came onto Harry, him, you and Zayn all the while I was seeing you and Zayn," I look at him then laugh. I hadn't noticed the dark circles forming under his eyes and how messy his usually styled hair is. "This is ridiculous, I don't understand why she believes him and not me!"

Niall sighs heavily, looking at the wood floor then to me, "well she's a bitch anyway."

"You know that's all a lie right? You'd believe me over what Paige says Rick says, right?"

"Yes," his voice trailed off before his hand was removed from my back and I sat upright.

"You don't believe me," I state firmly, ready to bolt at any moment I feel unwelcome and make a long trek home for the week. Or for as long as I fucking feel like.

"I do, I do, just he has a point about bouncing between Zayn and I," Niall slouches back against the back of the couch and sighs yet again, throwing his arm out on either side of him, "I mean, you were with him."

"We were never in a relationship," I defend quickly.

"But to the main point I'm seeing here, before we get there, is why is he going around saying this so late in the game anyway? This isn't high school," Niall tries to joke but I don't see any humor in it. My best friend, well one of them, no a girl I thought was my best friend, believes someone else over me.

"I don't know or care at the moment Niall, why do you think I was bed hopping between you two?"

"I never said bed hopping," Niall points a bony finger at me and gets a stern look on his face.