R E J E C T S

CH.24: GENIUSES

*MONDAY*

"I've posted the top ten list for this class on the board and as expected, Louis Tomlinson ranks first." Our homeroom teacher announced.

"As expected." Louis repeated out loud.

"Who's second?" He asked.

"Um, let's see... it's Cher Lloyd."

WHAT? But I'm bad at my studies...

I saw Louis looking at me in a detesting way.

And to think that he has already forgotten about our brief 'moment' backstage last Saturday.

******

"You guys are here again?" I squinted my eyes at Zayn and Luke for sitting at my table the second time around.

"We can't find any other table available." Zayn shrugged.

"Then you guys must be blind for I see a lot of empty tables around." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, Cher, I happen to like this table A LOT." Luke says.

"Whatever. Hey, how come you didn't make it to our play?" I asked Zayn.

~FLASHBACK TO SATURDAY~

*ZAYN'S POV*

"Hey man, is there any other available changing room around here?" I asked Louis.

"Uh, yeah. Follow me." He led the way.

"After you." He opened the door for me.

"Thanks. Hey, it's dark in here..." I commented.

"Goodbye." Then he shuts the door from the outside and I heard the lock turn.

~BACK TO REALITY~

"Hello, everyone." Louis showed up by our table.

"Uh, I don't want to talk about it." Zayn told me before he returned to munching down his food.

"Are you lost, Tomlinson?" I asked the guy who sat down beside me.

"Hey, Cher!" Niall greeted as cheerfully as ever as he sat down beside Zayn from across me.

"Hello." I smiled at him.

"You are so playing favoritism right now." Louis rolls his gray eyes.

Is it just me or is my table getting more and more crowded?

"Well, it's obvious that I like him more than you anyway. Where's your glasses?" I can't help but notice.

"I decided to ditch it and just go with a 'ragged' look and the suspenders since it suits me the most." He explained.

"Why? Are you turned on by my new look right now?" He asked.

This almost made me choke.

"Get in line, man. Don't flirt with her while the rest of us are here." Luke said and I swear I caught him wink at Niall for whatever reason.

"Oh I'm not here to flirt with this girl. You see, I see her as a threat to my academic achievements... how did you get second place, Lloyd?" He inched closer.

"Must be a glitch or something. It happens all the time." I continued eating away.

"No, it doesn't!" He shrieked in my ear.

"Okay, you are officially annoying me right now." I stood up and decided to go sit with Rob and his friends instead.

"This is new." Rob smiled at me.

"It's too noisy back there." I glanced back at my table where Luke was blaming Louis on why I left.

******

"We need to talk." I told Robbie as he parked outside of my apartment.

"What's there to talk about?" He asked.

"About what happened at the beach..."

"What did happen anyway? All I remember is being drunk as hell." He asked.

"Oh. You don't remember anything else like saving Niall from drowning or---"

"There are vivid flashes of stuff that I probably did here and there but I can't really make out the details." He said.

"Is there something that I should know? I mean, did I do anything naughty?" He smirked.

"Um... nah." I decided not to tell him after all.

I guess we were just playing around without him knowing it.

"On second thought, there is something you need to know." I changed my mind rather quickly.

"Go on."

"I may have took advantage of your drunken state... I'm sorry. I didn't know what I was doing." I confessed.

"Oh my God, you raped me?!" His eyes widened.

"Not really. I mean, we were just kissing, I swear."

"Just kidding, girl! You need to loosen up a little. So what if we were making out? Friends sometimes do that when they're drunk so don't take it to heart." He chuckled.

"Okay. I just wanted to let it out since we promised each other no more secrets." I was finally able to smile in front of him.

"Right." He looked away.

******

"I've decided to go home." Luke stated when I entered my apartment.

"Okay."

"What? That's it?! You're not even curious as to why I'm leaving?" He sounded rather disappointed.

"Well, it's not my decision to make, it's yours." I put down my bag.

"Fine, I'll just tell you! It's because I can't bear watching through the window as Robbie takes you home every single day..." He sighed out loud.

"What are you trying to say, Luke?"

"I'm telling you to break up with him for good if you're only after the money." He said dead seriously.

"I can't."

"Why not? Is it because you've fallen for the guy?"

"No. Are you really going to make me choose between you and my best friend?" It took me a minute to answer his question.

"Oh. When you put it that way, I'm actually fine with it as long as you see him as your 'best friend'. Nevermind, forget what I told you about me leaving because I'm staying after all." He smiled so adorably with his dimple popping out.

His dimple is so distracting that I forgot to retort back to him...

He changes his mood and mind too quickly too. *sigh*