Chapter Song: All Signs Point To Lauderdale - A Day To Remember
Friday, October 11, 2013
"Hey Irish!" Louis calls down the hall after Niall as he heads to English class. Niall looks behind him to see Louis forcing his way through the students headed in to opposite direction, who are protesting by swearing at him. Harry is following closely behind and nods to Niall once they reach him.
"I heard coach is planning to work us hard today because we just got our game dates!" Niall's face lights up.
"Really? When's the first one?"
"We have a week and we're playing here as home team." Niall lets out a hiss of 'yes!' excitedly as he imagines their first game of the season.
"Who are we playing?"
"Someone told me it was All Saints" Niall nods just as second bell goes and Louis begins walking with the 2 boys who were headed to the East wing for English.
"What class do you have now?" Niall asks him.
"English. I think Mr. Payne specifically asked for me to not be placed in his class though" Louis snickers and Harry lets out a snort, reminding Niall of his presence on the other side of Louis.
"Gee I wonder why" Harry states sarcastically. Louis grins.
"I only glued his pens to his desk once or twice..." Niall laughs as they reach the room and Harry continues on into it. Niall expects Louis to continue down the hall to his own classroom, but instead he heads into the room, Niall right behind him.
"Payno! Long time no see!" Louis exclaims, spreading his arms wide with a shit-eating grin in place, directed towards the teacher. Mr. Payne sighs and leans back onto the chalk ledge behind him as he sees his former student.
"Hello Louis, I don't know if you noticed, but we were kind of in the middle of a lesson before you interrupted." Niall snickers with Harry from their seats in the back of the room as Louis continues to grin widely and Mr. Payne continues to look vexed beyond comprehension.
"No worries Payno, I just wanted to pop in and say hi to my favourite teacher"
"That's very nice, and not that I'm not enjoying this little surprise visit, but I suggest you go to your own classroom now. And its Mr. Payne to you." Mr. Payne raises an eyebrow. Louis begins backing towards the door now, grin ever present.
"Alright Payno, no need to call security" Louis says, completely ignoring Mr. Payne's last comment. He ducks out the door, shutting it behind him, but not before shooting Niall and Harry a wink in the back of the room. Niall is silently shaking with laughter, but still notices the way Eleanor was staring after Louis like he was the funniest person in the world. Niall made a mental note to mention that to Louis later...
***
Niall, Josh, Zayn, Jade, Perrie, and Natalie are just getting back to the school after walking down to the plaza for lunch.
"Does it look like its going to rain to you?" Jade asks Josh. He looks up to the darkening sky and frowns.
"I hope not, we have footie practice after school" Niall and Zayn hum in agreement as the group reach the doors and enter the school. They are standing around talking in the hallway when the bell for class goes so they all disperse in various directions, Niall headed to Music Technology, Zayn and Natalie to Psychology, Josh to Biology and Eleanor, Jade and Perrie to PE. Classes seem to fly by because it is Friday, and before Zayn knows it he is behind Niall on their way to PE.
Harry had shown up in Psychology, reminding Zayn of his deal with Niall from the Thursday before. He grabs the blond boy by the arm, tugging him off to the side of the hall for a minute so he could ask. Niall looks a bit surprised as he waits for an explanation.
"So have you chosen?" Niall looks confused now and frowns at Zayn.
"Chosen... what exactly?"
"Natalie or Harry." Zayn says straight up. Niall seems to bristle at the reminder and glares coolly back at Zayn.
"This is none of your business so just step off, okay Zayn?" Without waiting for an answer, Niall turns and steps back into the steady flow of students on their way to classes, and has vanished in a moment. Zayn wants to say he is annoyed by Niall's sudden mood swing, but honestly, it really wasn't his business. Now if Niall continued to lead Natalie on, or he started cheating on her (of his own free will, not Harry forcefully kissing him in the hallways) it would become Zayn's business, and he would tell her.
Niall was angry now. Zayn didn't need to confront him like that. It was entirely up to Niall what he did with his relationships, not Zayn. On top of feeling like Zayn was his mother, Niall began to feel that underlying sense of guilt that had been slowly building as his relationship with Harry grew. Niall wasn't daft. He knew he had to break it off with Natalie soon, but like he had told Louis, he really didn't want to hurt her.
Niall steers clear of Harry and Zayn during PE, and continues avoiding Zayn into practice after school. Niall doesn't see Harry in the bleachers, so he breathes a sigh of relief when practice winds down and he won't have to walk to the bottom of the hill with the last person he wanted to see at the moment. Harry was the root of his whole problem here but it seemed like no one else could see that. The problem was always Niall to everyone else. Why couldn't Zayn confront Harry about pining for an unavailable guy instead of telling Niall to make a decision he obviously couldn't.
Niall rinses the soap from his shoulders as he thinks about all of this in the locker room after practice.
"See you Monday Irish!" Niall hears Louis call from the front of the locker room, being one of the last to leave.
"Yeah bye Louis!" Niall calls back as he shuts off the water and grabs his towel. As he walks back out into the main room Josh exits one of the locker rows, laughing with Jack and Ashton.
"Bye Niall" Josh says on his way by. Niall waves in response and sets about dressing. He notices Zayn leaving a moment later as well with Calum but ignores the wave Zayn offers. Soon Niall is dressed and grabbing his sports bag to leave.
"Hey Niall, wait up" Phillip calls from behind just as Niall is pushing the door open. Niall does and soon the pair are walking towards the car park around the side of the building.
"So did you happen to catch who we're playing next week when coach read out the roster? Finn was distracting me and I missed it." Niall smiles and tells him and they talk about how they think the game will play out until they reach Phillip's car.
"See you Monday mate" Niall waves and continues on, leaving school property now, just as the first raindrop hits his nose.
"Just great" Niall groans when he starts to feel more beginning to fall and watches glumly as the water dots the moving pavement beneath his shoes. By the time Niall reaches the bottom of the hill it is pouring and Niall is cursing the grey sky above him. He has pulled his blazer up to shield his head somewhat, but its not working much as his drenched hair plasters itself messily across his forehead. Niall groans and drops his arms, blazer hanging limply at his side as he give up his futile attempt to keep somewhat dry.
Niall is debating whether or not he should step into one of the shops he is passing and wait out the down-pour just as a familiar voice calls his name.
"Need a ride?" Harry offers. Niall looks up to see the boy he was hoping to not see again until Monday, in the drivers seat of a shiny black Escalade.
That's a really friggin nice car. Niall thinks to himself, but keeps walking, looking back towards his feet.
"No thanks" he declines Harry's offer even though the rain was icy cold and his fingers were beginning to become numb. Harry keeps the car inching forward to keep up with Niall and tuts.
"Don't be stupid, its pouring and you don't live the next block over." Niall frowns and stops walking, looking at Harry now, who puts his foot on the break pedal.
"How do you know where I live?"
"I don't. I just know you don't exactly live close to the school because I saw you the other day walking home form somewhere when I was on my way to work." Harry explains. Niall is still frowning though and Harry sighs.
"Will you please just get in? You avoided me all last block for no reason so you at least owe me this. I'm trying to be nice." Now its Niall's turn to sigh now and he glares down at his shoes.
"I'm sopping wet. I'll ruin your leather." Harry scoffs.
"Please do. This was my dad's shitty idea anyway." Niall is confused by that statement but decides to get in anyway as a particularly cold stream of water runs down his back. Once he slams the passenger door behind him Harry pulls away from the curb.
"What did you mean this was your dad's idea?" Niall asks, staring out the window.
"I wanted a different car but my dad chose this one. Said is was nicer and more expensive. It was just a way to ease his guilty conscience if you ask me." Niall is even more confused by that now.
"Guilty conscience?" Harry looks at him from the corner of his eye and shrugs.
"That's a story for another place and time." He replies, leaving Niall unsatisfied, but he drops the subject all the same. Niall takes in Harry's appearance now. He had a grease stained bandana tying back his unruly curls and was wearing minorly oil stained coveralls, unbuttoned down his chest, revealing an also oil stained white wife beater and brown work boots. Niall now notices the brown work gloves sitting on the centre console and raises his eyebrows.
"Where are you headed?"
"Got called into work last minute" Harry answers, flicking on his blinker as he turns.
"Where do you work?"
"That little garage near the edge of town." Niall nods, but is a bit surprised, not having pinned Harry as the messy work kind of guy.
"One of my neighbours work there" Niall offers and then points out his street with a 'turn down here' before Harry asks the question he had been dreading.
"So what did I do to get you avoiding me last block?" Niall looks away and back out his window, brow set and face stony.
"Nothing" he mumbles, once again put back into his foul mood. Harry snorts.
"That was so convincing. You should be an actor" Niall doesn't answer. Harry sighs, becoming annoyed.
"Oh come on Niall! I've barely talked to you all day and suddenly you hate me? What could I possibly have done?"
"I said nothing Harry, okay? You didn't do anything so just drop it!" Harry is silent after that and so is Niall until they reach his house and he has to speak up.
"This is me" Harry stops, pulling up to the curb and Niall grabs his bag with a mumbled, 'thanks' refusing to meet Harry's eyes before making to hastily exit the car. He has a foot and his head out, and is once again being assaulted by the icy storm, when Harry reaches out and grabs his wrist.
"Niall, wait" Niall's eyes are trained on the front door as he huffs in irritation.
"What?" He snaps. Harry lets go of Niall's wrist in surprise and Niall looks down at Harry, brow furrowed, but when he see's Harry's surprised face, his softens. Harry was right. He was acting like Harry had done something to him, but it wasn't Harry's fault. He didn't even know about Zayn's recent interference.
"Sorry. What is it?" Harry clears his throat nervously before looking down at his hands.
"I was just wondering... would you want to, uh, like, hang out tomorrow night, after I finish work?" Niall feels his heart rate accelerate.
"It depends, will this be a date?" Niall mimics Harry's question from the week before and Harry flashes him a grin before nodding. Niall smiles.
"Then yes. What time?"
"Around 7? I'll come pick you up." Niall's smiling face changes to stony in one second flat.
"Not here. Don't ever come here. I'll call you later and tell you where to pick me up." With that he straightens up and slams the car door and makes his way up to the front door, leaving Harry happy, but confused. Why was Harry not allowed to come here?
Niall reaches the front door Harry watches him open it. He is about to step into the house when his eyes widen and a hand reaches out and grabs him by the arm, yanking him into the house. Harry's pulse speeds up and he grips the steering wheel hard until he sees Niall's annoyed face in the door way again as he shuts the front door. Who was that? Harry pulls away from the curb with his brow furrowed, his mind racing.
