Contrary || l.p.

4. I Heard

"I really wish that you came yesterday," I muttered to Ava as she finished scanning the items of the last customer.

She blew a strand of hair out of her face. "I wish I did too. You don't know how many times I almost cried because I didn't go," she pouted, pushing her glasses up her nose. "Anyways, how was it?"

"It was really-" a customer stepped up to my register, causing me to stop in the middle of my statement, "Good afternoon, sir. Would you like to sign up for a Barnes & Noble membership? If you already have one, I can ring you up for it." I smiled politely.

It was after school on a Monday, and I filled my shift at the local bookstore with Ava. She and I got this job together, which resulted in growing closer in our friendship, and I took this moment today to tell her about what she had missed in the bonding banquet yesterday.

I finished scanning the book items of my customer and turned to Ava once again.

"As I was saying, it was really fun! I hung out with Louis and his friends," I told her and brushed through my braid with my fingers, making my hair fall into soft curls.

She smiled. "That's nice of them to let you tag along. What did you guys do?" she asked as she closed the register from her last purchasing customer.

"Oh, you know...we played games and stuff." I shrugged. "Oh! And something interesting happened to me. I kinda met someone," I told her, smiling down at my register.

She gasped. "You did not," she said lowly and leaned closer. "Who is it?"

"He's Louis' friend, Liam," I told her with a smile as I remembered the rollercoaster of events the night before.

Her smile faded and she held up a hand. "Wait, wait...Liam Payne?"

I scrunched my eyebrows at her reaction. "Yeah, what's wro-"

"No no no no no no NO!" she shouted and pointed a finger at me. "NO!"

I widened my eyes. "What? Why? Huh?" I jumbled, confused.

She looked around and leaned in close. "I just heard some things about him... you know, sleeping with multiple girls."

"WHOA!" I exploded and pushed her away just a little bit. "Okay," I laughed breathily. "I didn't mean I met someone like that! He's just a new friend of mine! Calm down!"

She sighed in relief. "Well you made it sound like you had met him and started talking, you know?" She shrugged and sighed. "Just please be careful if you're gonna be around him a lot more. I know I am not supposed to be listening to rumors, but he does seem like someone who would do such a thing. I know his personality; I worked with him on a project once." She shuddered and returned her attention to me. "He's a nice, funny guy, but he can be kind of a...umm...what's the word?" she thought, snapping her fingers a few times.

"Bitch?" I asked her.

"A little," she squeaked, cringing at my language. Ava wasn't one for cursing.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I know. But maybe he'll turn out to be different if I get to know him more. Harry is a nice person, and if he can handle Liam, then I can as well."

"I just don't want you to get hurt like last time. That ruined you." She rubbed my arm with a sympathetic look plastered on to her face. "But if you stay friends with him, then okay. I am okay with that. Just..." she shook her head, "don't date him."

I laughed at her ridiculousness and rolled my eyes. "Please. That's never going to happen, like ever. He and I are two completely different people. It would never work out between us. If it does ever happen, you have the right to kill me."