Love Thy Neighbour *editing*

"He shouldn't get credit for my effort."

It was like I was just part of the background. Everyone bustled past me, slamming me into walls and moving me along in the crowd. It was my first day back and already I wished that I was in my bed with the remote, watching crappy daytime television. I had never noticed how noisy people could be. I turned into my classroom, grateful for the warm calmness that fell over the room. What I wasn't grateful for, was the fact that everyone looked up when I entered, their faces a mixture of emotions. Some of the girls whispered behind their hands, casting smug smiles in my direction. I sighed and sat down in my seat, ignoring Niall's looks of concern.

"Are you alright?" he whispered, as the teacher began to call out the register. I nodded. Staring at the front wall. Niall still watched my every move through, so I turned to him and touched his hand lightly.

"I'm fine," I murmured, nodding my head and forcing a smile. "I'm okay." He still didn't stop looking at me. It made me feel self-conscious and I tucked my hair behind my ear. The teacher left the room, mumbling something about needing to speak to someone. As soon as his footsteps faded down the corridor, the noise started up again.

"Evie!" Billy shouted across the room. "Fancy giving us a shag; the way you've been putting it about, seems like a pity to waste it." I snorted at the remark and looked down at the floor. I felt Niall stiffen beside me and I knew he was about to get up and start causing a scene. I took his hand in mine underneath the table, and squeezed it. Then I looked into his eyes.

"It's okay," I breathed, to myself more than him. Niall was glaring over at his friends.

The bell rang out and I dropped Niall's hand. I got to my feet and took my bag from the floor. Almost instantly, someone walked straight into me. And it wasn't a frigging accident. I whipped around and saw Kylie sneering at me, her eyes alight with spite.

"Hello, slag," she hissed.

"Hello," I said back. "That was very original; did you think of it yourself?" I wasn't in the mood for her bitching. Whatever she had to say to me, would go right over my head in terms of caring. Niall was waiting for me by the door, watching the scene unfold.

I tried to walk away, but Kylie grabbed my arm and pulled my head next to her ear.

"Wait until Denny hears about this one." I couldn't stand the knowing in her voice and I couldn't stand that she was so malicious about it. I was just about to hit her when the teacher came back into the room. I just glared at Kylie and walked out of the room. I could hear Niall walking behind me, trying to keep up as I dodged through the many bodies. I would have to walk with him soon; the crowd would have dispersed by the time we got to History. I reluctantly slowed and let him catch me up.

"What was that about?" he asked me.

"Nothing," I lied. I couldn't speak to him about Denny; it was just too hard. I really needed to talk to Sian; at least she would know what I should do. I mean, Niall and I had made up from Sunday's argument. I had just been like every other one; we were speaking to each other within a few hours. He had come round after dinner with a guilty smile on his face, and apologised profusely about what he had said and I had said sorry for being so quick to fly off the handle. At the end of the day, we were just as bad as each other, except, instead of shagging when I got angry, I just shouted.

Just before I was about to walk into History, Niall took hold of my hand and turned me around to face him.

"Are you alright to go in there?" he asked. I was about to ask him why I wouldn't, when I realised. It had been in that very History classroom I had dropped like a stone and miscarried. I felt my heart rise up into my mouth and thought about throwing up.