One Thing (A Louis Tomlinson Fan Fiction)

Chapter Eight

I apologize for the random flashback, but this will make a whole lot more sense to you once you read it.

*Becca's POV*

*Eight Years Ago* 

Everyday since I was six Mariana taunted me. It didn't matter how good I felt about myself, she always brought me down. I didn't really have friends except for Niall.

Somehow I managed to keep Niall out of her grasp. I could take the bullying, but I couldn't bear letting her torture my brother. Niall didn't know about her, because his brother instincts would try and protect me. I couldn't risk his happiness as well.

The first day of fifth grade I woke up hoping that this year Mariana won't be in my class. I put on my white shirt and tucked it into my navy skirt. I picked out my lucky green necklace that Niall had saved up money for an gotten me on our birthday the past year. I smoothed out my skirt and looked in the mirror. My long brown hair reached the top of my ribs. I quickly braid it an tie a ribbon on the end. I smile reminding myself to be nice to everyone. That's how you make friends.

I walk downstairs to the smell of waffles. I smile. "Daddy!" I call out to the master chef. "Waffles for breakfast! Thanks!" He chuckles. "Anything for you Rebecca."

Niall walks in and sits down at the table. We eat and run out the door to walk to school.

When Niall and I get there, I see Mariana and her clique standing by the front door. I twirl my necklace in my fingers, something I do when I'm nervous. "Well hello Rebecca," one of Mariana's friends sneers. "And who is this?" Mariana pointed to Niall. "One of your pathetic boyfriends?" They all laugh.

"I happen to be her brother!" Niall says sticking up for me. "Niall. Don't."

"Yeah Neil. What are you going to do?" Laughs yet another member of the group. "Fight us?" Niall stays silent. "Thats what I thought," said Mariana, flipping her blonde hair and turning on her heel to walk to class, her group following.

"Who is that?" Niall demanded. "Oh no one," I reply looking down at my worn out shoes. "Seriously, Rebecca. What's going on?" Niall asks, really concerned. The bell rings. "I'll tell you later," I say and we walk inside.

The classes are posted outside the front office.

"Horan...Horan...Horan...Horan! Ms. Stanley!" Niall says cheerfully. I look over the list and see Niall's name but not mine. "Niall...I'm in Mr. Brucewell's class. We aren't together."

He looks the list over again and realizes what I said was true. "Well at least we can eat lunch together, he said, trying to find the bright side of this. "Yeah..." I say slowly. We walk down the hall to rooms 501 and 507. "Bye Niall," I say as I walk into class and find my assigned seat. I walk up and down the rows and find my seat all the way in the back. Luckily I recognize Ella who sits next to me. I smile at her an she smiles back. We aren't exactly close, but we aren't rude to each other.

I sit down and open my book. I'm rereading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I have a bit of an obsession with Harry Potter, but Ron is my favorite.

"Good morning! I'm Mr. Brucewell." He writes his name on the board as I dog ear my page and open up my new notebook. I copy down his contact information to give to Mom and Dad tonight.

The door opens and in comes a girl with long legs and a skirt way to short for school. I look up to see the blonde hair and sly smile as I realize Mariana is in my class. She walks toward me and I shrink into my seat. She passes me and sits in her seat. Behind me. "Hey, Rebecca." I will defiantly have to change seats. "You didn't say hello, Rebecca," Mariana whispers evily. "Hi."

"What was that?"

"Hello Mariana."

"Ladies in the back. Not a good way to start off the school year," Mr. Brucewell said to Mariana and I.

I sit up straiter and listen to Mr. Brucewell drone on about the novels we will read this year.

I feel something jerk on my neck. My necklace, someone is choking me with my necklace. I turn around to see Mariana smiling as she drops the chain. "Where did you get this? Goodwill?" Mariana laughs cruelly and I blush and turn around. "Ladies." I look up to see Mr. Brucewell standing there. "Anything you want to say?" I shake my head. "Thats what I thought." He walked back to the front of the class.

I feel water running down my back. Not again, I think. I ignore it. I have a jacket to put on. Mariana doesn't stop. I turn around, "Mariana. Would you please stop?" I whisper.

"LADIES! One more time and then I'm moving you two!"

I feel my eyes tear up. No. I'm not going to cry. She's just messing with me. Trying to get me on the bad side of the teacher, somewhere I've never been. I try to calm myself down as I twirl my necklace. I nod and start taking notes again.

I feel someone playing with my braid. I don't even turn around. "Mariana," I whisper. "I'm begging you just leave me alone." She doesn't stop. Fine whatever. What's the worst she can do?

All of a sudden, I feel a weight lifted from my head. Instinctively my hand shot back to my braid, or should I say, stub of hair. I whip my head around to see her triumphantly holding my braid in her hand.

I stand up and run out the door. "I'll go check on her," I hear Ella say. "No. I will," Mariana interjects.

The tears are streaming down my face as I pass Ms. Stanley's class in the hall. "REBECCA!" I hear Niall yell but I just keep running. Now I hear two sets of footsteps running behind me and I knew something bad was going to happen. I cry harder as I run out the front door and into the bushes.

As I sit down, Mariana approaches me. "So now I know how to make the baby cry," she said. I reach for my necklace on instinct, but it wasn't there. Mariana holds up my necklace with a smirk plastered on her face. I bury my face into my knees. "Are you looking--" I hear someones nose pop and a cry of pain. I look up to see Niall with blood on his hand...Mariana's blood.

"ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY, MARIANA?" Niall screams at her limp body, infuriated.

"Its...not...over...Horan..." she says slowly, cradling her broken nose. "Oh, but I think it is, Mariana. Let's go home Rebecca," Niall says and we run home, not caring that we left both of our backpacks at school.

I go to the back door and grab the spare key to unlock it. We walk in and Niall stares at me. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" I ask.

"I'm NEVER going to let anyone do that to you again. Never."

So that explains why Niall is so protective of her and who Mariana is. I will try to have an update soon:) xox Hana