Never Gone (One Direction x Reader)

Chapter 3

-One Way or Another-

I practically launch myself from my bed and scatter to get ready for the day. How could I be so irresponsible? So forgetful? So distracted? I've only been working and stressing about this project for a month! I cannot be late, especially after everything I've done, my team is counting on me. My mind spins inside my head as I try to pull some decent pants on. I thrash my bedroom door open and wobble into the kitchen. If I'm going to be functioning with an hour of sleep, I'm gonna need coffee and lots of it. How many shots of espresso did Mick say was in one large coffee cup?

As I wait for my brew to finish, I disorientingly fling myself from room to room, getting all of my clothes and items ready to leave. Shoes! Where did I leave my shoes? Forget the shoes, do I have any clean socks left? Did I charge my phone last night? Where even is my phone? I begin to regret my marathon of tween youtube videos from the night before. When has it ever been a good idea to stay up all night..? Great, now that song is going to be stuck in my head for the day.

I snatch my to-go cup from the counter and leave in a haste. Being drunk on coffee is my only chance of staying awake for class right now.

{...}

 I arrive just in time. Only a few stragglers remain in the carpark, jogging to their class, coffee cup in hand. At least I know I'm not alone in this situation. I begin speed-walking to my class and check the time on my phone. 5 minutes late to class isn't too bad, is it? As I turn a corner into a corridor, I hear the muffled footsteps of someone approaching behind me. They clear their throat once. Maybe this person just has a raspy morning throat? They clear their throat a second time, more distinct and louder. While not stopping my pace, I turn around to find out who is trying to get my attention.

"Oh, Sienna!" I blurted. She catches up to walk beside me.
"You better have checked the slides." She says as a greeting. I do a mental groan of annoyance, did she even read the text I sent everyone?
"As I said, I couldn't have a chance to look at it all yesterday but I did a quick leaf through the presentation on my way here," I explain as friendly as I can manage.
"Which is probably why you're late but I'm late too so, I guess we're twinsies." She giggles. I fake laugh along with her. Just a few more hours, you can get through this.
"But actually though, I had to edit some of your information just so it could link back to my kind of stuff." I tilt my head in slight confusion.
"I thought you were doing question 15 and 16? What was there to link to?"
"I switched questions, I'm doing Peter's content now. I think he likes me, he always wants to talk to me and ask me questions." Sienna gushes. She couldn't be further from the truth, Peter is just too nice to get away from her. But I'll let her figure that out on her own.
"So, what kind of edits exactly, did you do to my part of the task?" I inquire.
"Nothing too drastic. Probably like a paragraph difference. You can handle it though."
"How kind of you to assume I know improvisation, Sienna. But next time-" I desperately hope there is not a 'next time' "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't go ahead and make last-minute edits to my content and tell me 5 minutes before presenting time." Sienna's nonchalant and chummy expression instantly switches to an offended stare. Oh boy, here we go.

"Well, excuse me for trying to improve our presentation! You never listen to what I have to say or what I want to do anyway. You would prefer if you just did everything your way and made me sit in the sidelines. Maybe if you'd let me edit and tweak everyone else's work, you would realise how much easier I could've made things." Sienna whines.
"I never said I don't want you to collaborate or edit other peoples part of the presentation, I'd just prefer it if you told us first." I keep my composure. She makes an audible groan.
"You're so lucky I can handle working under pressure. You wouldn't care though, considering how selfish you were yesterday." Sienna huffed as she entered the room where we would be showing our presentation. I stop at the door dumbfounded at her words.