Sing With Me

Chapter Four

           Niall emerged from his room the next morning looking considerably better than either Harry or Louis had expected.

            “How are you feeling?” Louis asked nervously, watching Niall as though he would spontaneously combust.

            “Excellent!” Niall replied with a brilliant grin as he plopped down next to Louis at the counter.

            Louis and Harry glanced at each other with raised eyebrows. Harry shrugged and turned back to his pan of eggs that he was cooking.

            “Are you sure?” Louis asked.

          “Of course, why wouldn’t I be?” Niall chuckled, appearing sincerely confused by Louis’ concern.

            “Oh, well no reason I guess…” Louis replied.

            “The party has arrived!” A deep voice called as the three boys heard the front door slam shut. Harry scurried out of the kitchen to see who it was.

            “ZAYN!” He shouted in excitement as he ran into his best friend’s arms. “I haven’t seen you yet this school year! Where have you been?”

            “Detention…” He muttered with a grin, thrusting his hands into his trouser pockets.

            “Of course,” Harry laughed, rolling his eyes. “I honestly don’t understand how you always get yourself into so much trouble.” Harry continued as he strolled back to his eggs, while Zayn took a seat on Niall’s left side at the counter.

            “It’s what I do,” Zayn shrugged. “I always sleep through my alarm, so Mrs. Stevens marks me absent and I’ve gotten detention for every day that I’ve missed…which is every day since school started. They should really know to not give me a seven o’clock class, I mean you’d think they would’ve learned by now…”

            “Why don’t you just drop the class then?” Louis offered.

            “It’s a required class and I’ve already failed it twice, so I should probably at least try to pass it this time…” Zayn sighed.

            “Good luck with that,” Harry scoffed, scooping eggs onto four separate plates and handing one to each of the boys.

            “How did you manage to get up so early today?” Niall asked, mouth stuffed full with eggs.

            “Well, it was kind of an accident really; my alarm went off and it was way louder for some reason – I think it was my idiot roommate playing a joke on me – and it startled me so much that I fell out of my bed, and I figured since I was already out of bed I may as well actually get ready.” Zayn explained.

            “Why didn’t you ever think to turn your alarm up louder before?” Harry drawled.

            “I dunno…” Zayn replied.

            Harry rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything.

            “Well, I guess I better be off,” Niall sighed, pushing his plate away as he slung his backpack over his shoulder.

            “Where are you headed?” Louis asked, raising an eyebrow. “Your class doesn’t start for at least another hour…”

            “Oh…I’ve got to help Liam with music comp stuff ya know…” Niall shrugged as he quickly shuffled to the door. “Bye lads!”