|| Br{ok}en || Z.M. ||

|chapter 1.|

ELLES POV

The first day of school is always the worst. It's inevitable to hate school, or at least it is for me. I honestly don't know how anyone likes school. I hate it.

Everyone's so excited for their first day of senior year, but me? I'd much rather stay at home, in my bed all day, away from everyone else. I mean, I already know how this year's going to go, exactly like last year. Just like last year I won't talk to anyone, I'll be completely closed off, sit alone at lunch, and ignore the world around me.

What's the point of talking to anyone? Making friends? I'll just grow attached to them and then I'll do something to fuck it up like always. I'll do something to let the other person down. I always do. I'll never be good enough.

My alarm starts going off and I realize it's already time to get up and get ready for school. I haven't slept all night. I just laid there staring off into space and thinking about how fucked up life is. I don't know how the time passed so quickly, last time I checked it was midnight and now it's 7:00 am.

I get out of bed and jump into the shower. After my shower, I quickly dry my hair and leave it natural. I do my makeup next, which really only consists of bronzer, eyeliner, and mascara. Afterwards I go into my closet and grab my ripped black skinny jeans, and my black 'The 1975' muscle tank and throw it on. To finish it off I put on my black Dr. Martens and my tan leather cross body bag. A lot of black, I know. Black is my favorite color and that's what most of my wardrobe consists of.

I go into the mirror to check myself before I leave. I stare at my body for a while and see all the bruises that are visible on my arms, and think about changing from my tank into a long sleeved shirt, but talk myself out of it because I shouldn't care what anyone thinks. But just incase, on the way downstairs I grab a jacket.

On my way to the door I run into my mom. Fuck, I really wished I didn't have to see her right now.

"Oh wow, you're actually up and ready for school? I thought you'd still be sleeping since it's all you know how to do." She spits with a smirk on her face. God she's such a bitch. I hate her. I just ignore her and head to the door and right before I close it I hear her screaming, "Hey, who the fuck do you think you are, ignoring me like that? I was talking t-" I quickly close the door and start speed walking down the sidewalk. I put my headphones in and am immediately glad that I didn't wear long sleeves because it was really hot. It's a given because summers just ended here in LA so it's still hot. It's only August right now and I hope winter comes soon because I hate the heat.

I get to school in like 10 minutes and as soon as I see the school I want to turn around and walk right back home. I know that when I walk in everyone's just going to stare and I'm going to get the same looks that are filled with judgement and disgust that I always get. I'm so tired of it. Every time people see my bruises or cuts they think I'm some attention whore that needs their pity when really I couldn't give less of a fuck if they care about me or not. Because I know that they don't, no one does. I hate it.

Just breathe, I tell myself. I walk towards the school and through the doors. I ignore everyone and go straight to the main office to get my schedule. When I get into the office I walk up to the front desk and an old lady, who's a bit too happy on a Monday morning, looks up at me smiling. "What can I do for you my dear?" She says. "Can I get my schedule please?" I ask, trying to be as nice as possible. "Of course! Can I get your name?" "Elle Sanders." I reply. She looks through the stack of schedules and hands me one. "Here you go!" "Thank you." I say and start walking away. "No problem, have a good day!" She calls. I turn around and give her a small smile before making my way to first period.

Gladly my first period is art. I love art so much. Art and Music are my two favorite things in the world.

I walk into class and there's only about 4 or 5 people in there since class hasn't started yet. I give the teacher a smile and walk to the back of the classroom and sit down at a table. The desks in the art room are set to where there has to be 2 people per table, that means there's a chance of someone sitting next to me and I really hope that doesn't happen.

Slowly the class starts filling up and no one has sat beside me thank god. The bell rings signaling that class has started and the teacher gets up quickly from his desk and makes his way to the front of the class room.

"Hello, my name is Mr. Frank and I'm going to be your art teacher for the year. I'm so glad to have you all in my c-" he's cut off by someone entering the classroom. "Is this the art room?" I hear a thick British accent ask. "Yes! And you must be Zayn? The new student?" Mr. Frank replies. "Yes sir." I hear the same British accent again. "Alright, you can just go have a seat anywhere you'd like, I was just getting started." Mr. Frank tells the new kid. "Okay." He replies and turns around starting to walk to the back of the room and that's when I fully see him and I can't lie he has to be the best looking human being I've ever seen in my life.

While I'm still taking in how good this guy looks, I don't realize that he's coming to sit beside me. Fuck, fuck, fuck. No please don't. But before I can even react he's already sitting next to me. Shit man. What if he tries to talk to me? I don't want to talk to anybody. Ugh.

A couple minutes go by before he turns to me, shit. "Hi, I'm Zayn." He smiles. I turn to him, "Hi." I reply and turn back around. "And you are?" He pushes further. "Elle." I quickly reply not even looking at him. "Elle." He repeats as if trying to get used to my name. I just nod and put my headphones in getting back to my art work. He probably thinks I hate him.

Mr. Frank said that for the first few days we can just free draw so I was currently working on my drawing which was of a girl. Half her face happy and lit up, how I wish to be and half her face sad and crying, how I am. That half of the face represented me, how broken and empty I was and how much I didn't want to be alive.

•••

ZAYNS POV

I sat there, just staring at this girl beside me. She was beautiful, even with all her flaws. The dark circles so prominent under her eyes, you could tell she hadn't slept in days. The cuts and bruises that covered her body, letting you know that she was in a bad place. Her body seemed so weak and fragile, bones sticking out, it looked like she hadn't ate for days. And the worst of all? her eyes. You could look into her eyes and tell she was broken and empty and hurt. But despite all that, she was still the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.

I didn't even know her and it was killing me to see her this way. I wanted to get to know her, to figure her out. I wanted to help her.

Elle needed to be saved, and I'm gonna be the one to save her.