Anonymous

"Not again..." I sigh heavily. I look down the hallway, then quickly rip the note off my locker.

I frown at the note and shove it in my bag. I open my locker and a couple pieces of heart confetti flutter out. What the heck? I kicked at the confetti, scattering it away from my locker.

"Why the long face?" a voice chuckled. I looked up to see a very cheerful blonde. My best friend, Niall Horan. He ruffled his hair slightly, and continued smiling at me.

"No reason," I force a smile. I hadn't told anyone about the weird "secret admirer-esque" messages. They started up a few weeks ago. Not your typical check yes or no note. Every note had some sort of love-related quote. And they were all typed. So it's not like I could go and analyze people's handwriting. I'm convinced someone is just messing with me. Probably the girls on the softball team. None of them like me since I replaced someone on the team. I didn't even replace her, actually. She graduated. but lo and behold, just because I made the team, they all ostracized me. Isn't high school just great?

"Don't give me that fake shit," Niall says, "Either real smiles, or don't smile at all." I roll my eyes at him. He can read me like a book. Niall was my little leprechaun. My good luck charm. He's originally Irish, and he came here a couple years ago with his family. He still has a pretty thick accent. It's always funny to hear amongst all us Americans.

"Ni---" I was cut off by some very boastful laughter. Niall and I, along with everyone else in the hall, looked towards the sound. Strutting down the hallway, as if they owned the world, was Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson. Harry was laughing at something that Louis had said. They walked further down the hall and stopped at my locker. Or rather, stopped by Niall.

"Nialler! What's the craic?" Louis asked my best friend. Niall punched him lightly on the arm.

"don't mock me, Tomlinson," Niall smiled. Everyone loved Niall. He was impossible to hate.

"Will you be at football...er, soccer practice?" Louis asked. Niall smacked his forehead, "Argh! I completely forgot." He looked at me with sad eyes. I tried to keep the frown off my face. I knew what was coming.

"Jai..." he said sadly.

"Don't worry about it, Niall," I smiled sadly, "I have a lot of homework tonight anyway. We can hang out another time." Lies. Lies. All lies. I had already finished all my work in class. I was a free agent for the rest of the day. Niall frowned at me slightly. He most likely could tell I was lying.

"Right then, see you on the field, Horan!" Louis said as he turned to walk away. Harry turned towards me and smirked slightly.

"Sorry we're stealing Niall from you. Jaice...right?" He turned away before I could even confirm that that was indeed my name. Harry just spoke to me. That never happens. A lot of people talk to me because I'm friends with Niall. That's probably the only reason why he said anything. I mean, you see Louis didn't acknowledge my presence

"Please don't be mad." I looked away from Louis and Harry's retreating backs. Niall looked like a puppy that'd just been kicked.

"I'm not mad! It's fine, really."

"You're a terrible liar, Jaice Renae."

"Don't you middle name me, Niall James. Now get to practice." I made a shooing motion towards him. He smiled slightly and grabbed one of my hands. He yanked me towards him and pulled me into a hug.

"I'll call you tonight. I promise," he says softly.

"You assume I'll want to talk to you," I scoff.

"Why wouldn't you?" he winks. He walks away chuckling. I shake my head at him, smiling. I threw my books in my locker and shut it, then walked in the opposite direction.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

BZZ! BZZ
BZZ! BZZ!

I eye my phone that is sitting on my dresser halfway across the room. It seems so far away from my very comfortable bed. Maybe if I just ignore it, whoever's calling will get the hint.

BZZ! BZZ!

Suddenly, my brother comes into my room. He picks my phone up and chucks it at me. It lands on my stomach. Hard.

"OW! Parker!"

"Answer your damn phone. I can hear it buzzing from my room," he says before leaving. I rub my stomach where my phone hit it and check the caller ID. Niall.

"Hey Ni," I answer.

"You were going to ignore my call," he states.

"What!? Me? No! Never," I scoff.

"I know you, Jai," he laughs, "And you know me. I would've just kept calling."

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing Parker threw my phone at me."

"Parke! How is the lad? Has private school made him a sissy?"

"He's been keeping to himself a lot more. Hopefully he'll come to my game Saturday. i already know my mom won't be there..." My mom is a single parent. It's always just been her as far back as I can remember. And also as far back as I can remember, it's really just been me and Parker. Parker is only a year older than I am, but he takes his role as big brother seriously. When he's not chucking phones at me anyway. My mom is always working. At times, she's only home for like a couple hours and she uses them to sleep. She literally walks through the door, waves at us, then locks herself in her room.

"I'll be there," Niall promises, "Right after practice, so don't mind the sweat and mud."

"Thanks, Niall. You're the best." We talk for a few more minutes and then we hang up. I reach down towards the floor for my bag. I dig down towards the bottom and pull out the note that had been taped to my locker earlier. I reread it, and stand up, walking over to my closet. I kneel down and grab a shoebox that is wedged way in the back and under some random clothes. I take off the lid and peer inside. I glance over the contents inside quickly, then drop the piece of paper inside. I put the lid back on the box, and put it back in it's spot.