Canyon Moon | H.S.

Frenemies (4)

"Morning all." I say as the boys come trudging in to join Zayn at the kitchen table. They're down a bit later this morning, though I was still up and doing, enjoying the quiet as the rest of the boys slept in.

"Morning." Came a chorus of tired voices. I place mugs of coffee on the table and serve up the bacon and eggs I've been preparing.

"What's all this?" I hear Liam ask, and look around to see him gesturing to the sketchbooks and pencils on the table.

With the extra time before the boys woke up, Zayn and I did some sketching together, which was the most pleasant human interaction I've had all week.

"Oh, Natalie's an artist, so we were just doing some drawing and stuff together." Zayn replies, shuffling the things out their way.

"Oh good, I'm so glad she's being paid to sit around and draw." Louis mumbles sarcastically, just loud enough for me to hear him.

I freeze at his words and turn round to face him, jaw clenched.

"Excuse me?"

He makes eye contact with me and folds his arms, effectively squaring up to me.

"You heard me." He says with a sneer, and I feel my face get hot.

The rest of the boys are silent, glancing between the two of us.

"God forbid I do something I enjoy when I'm not busy picking after you lot," I say sarcastically, "I'm not a fucking cooking and cleaning robot."

"I'm well aware of that. I'd probably actually tolerate you if you were."

My jaw clenches and entire body tenses at his words. What the fuck is his problem? I hold his eye contact as I subtly take a deep breath, not wanting to lose my head.

"I'm really sorry, by the way," I begin, my voice dripping with fake sympathy, "that must be terribly uncomfortable for you..."

I see his eyebrows twitch in confusion.

"What are you on about?" He spits defensively.

"That massive fucking stick up your arse."

I hear some muffled snorts at my words and watch as his face gets red. He looks livid, but I'm not done.

"I haven't done a fucking thing to you," I continue before he can open his mouth, "I've been nothing but polite and just done my fucking job, and you've been a massive prick from day one. You don't have to be my friend, quite frankly with the way you act I don't want you to be, but you don't have to be such a rude, egotistical wanker either."

The kitchen is silent when I pause for breath. Weirdly, I don't even feel angry any more, I just feel... I don't know, sorry for him, I guess. Him and his weird, pitiful attempt at marking his territory.

"I feel sorry for the women in your life if this is how you behave," I finish, and can instantly see him react to that, "and the rest of you for just sitting around and letting it happen."

I glance at Liam, Harry and Niall, purposefully not looking at Zayn, and take in their sheepish expressions. Without another glance at Louis I leave the room, heading straight upstairs to my room and shutting the door behind me.

I can hear muffled voices from downstairs as I step out onto the balcony. Obviously they're talking about me and for once I'm actually pleased. My heart is beating ridiculously fast so I take a deep breath to steady myself, thinking back through what just happened. I am not a pavement to be walked all over, and international popstar or not, those boys can bloody well realise it. I think, finally, I might have made somewhat of an impression.