Learn How to Play the Game

“You’re an idiot.” Louis shook his head and I groaned, “why did you drink so much?”

“Can you just help me please?” I asked as I inspected the cut on my leg.

Louis sighed before dropping to his knees to look at the cut.

“I think there is like grit in it or something.” I mumbled and Louis hummed.

“I think there is glass in their Blair.” He shook his head, “I can’t do anything.”

“What should I do?” I groaned, “it hurts.”

“We’ll have to take you to see a nurse.” He stood up and I groaned before following him out the bathroom, “does it hurt too much to sit through breakfast first?”

I shook my head grabbing my bag and walking towards the door hobbling pathetically. We made it to breakfast to see everyone else already sat around. I hobbled in and Niall started laughing so I flipped him off.

“What happened?” Harry stood up and looked at me.

“Fell over.” I shrugged walking past him.

“Oh.” He sat down and bit his lip as I sat next to Zayn.

“It was spectacular.” Zayn smiled and I rolled my eyes, “does that not help?”

“No.” I shook my head, “you two jerks could have carried me in you know.”

“We were drunk!” Niall defended.

“What did you guys do last night?” Harry asked playing with his empty teacup.

“Went out and got drunk.” Niall grinned.

“Not drunk. You guys were completely wasted.” Louis rolled his eyes, “El and I heard you coming down the hallway.”

“Where is El?” Liam asked.

“In bed.” Louis shrugged, “she got here late last night, we have this afternoon off so I’ll come back later.”

“Where did you go to get drunk?’ Harry asked.

“Just a bar,” I shrugged, “we managed to stay in the same place the entire night.”

“Good night then?” he asked.

“It was sick.” Zayn grinned at me and I nodded in agreement.

“Oh.” He nodded.

“What did you get up to last night?” Niall asked.

“Oh, just watched a movie and spoke to Taylor.” He shrugged and carried on playing with his mug.

I reached forward and took it from him placing it next to mine as I grabbed the teapot and made two identical cups of tea before handing one back to Harry.

“Thanks.” He smiled softly.

“No worries.” I bit my lip and looked at my tea for a minute.

I could feel the Louis looking at me curiously and I took a deep breath in before turning to Zayn and
Niall.

“So which one of you idiots is coming to the nurse with me?” I asked

“Why can’t Louis go?” Niall asked.

“She hates anyone doctor like.” Louis explained, “it’s not fun for whoever has to go and therefore as the two who were meant to look after her one of you has to go put up with her. As a punishment.”

“I’ll go with you.” Harry said and I bit my lip.

“Oh don’t worry about it Harry,” I shrugged, “I’m sure Niall and Zayn don’t mind coming.”

“I’ll go.” Zayn shrugged, “how bad can it be?”

Louis cackled with laughter and I glared at him.

“Oh shut up.” I rolled my eyes and threw a bread roll at his head.

We finished breakfast and Zayn wrapped an arm around me helping me walk to the cab to take us to see a nurse before meeting the guys at an interview.

“So it was awkward when Harry wanted to come huh?” Zayn chuckled as we sat in the taxi.

“Yea.” I bit my lip.

“What’s going on in your head about all of this?” he asked.

“I need to find a guy.” I told him, “someone to help me to move forward.”

“I don’t know if it works quite like that.” Zayn chuckled.

“I’m going to give it a go.” I told him and he rolled his eyes, “I don’t suppose you know of anyone?”

“I love you B but I am not getting involved in this.” Zayn shook his head, “Harry would kill me.”

“Harry wouldn’t have any right to do such a thing.” I pouted and Zayn laughed.

We sat in silence for a while just staring out the window content in each other’s presence.

“Did you know?” I asked, I turned to look at him curiously.

“About?” he asked and I raised an eyebrow.

“Taylor.” I bit my lip, “did you know he was seeing her?”

“No.” he scratched the back of his neck, “none of us did. Kind of out the blue.”

I nodded before looking out the window until we arrived at the surgery for the nurse to see me. I sat on the bed waiting with Zayn sat next to me laughing as I swung my good leg and looked around nervously. I was trying to even out my breathing when an angel walked into the room. He was stunning. I stopped fidgeting and Zayn looked at me amused.

“Blair?” the god asked and I nodded, “I’m Jack. What have you done to yourself.”

“I fell over.” I bit my lip looking from him to my foot, “it’s got loads of junk in it I think.”

“Let’s have a look.” He moved to prop my foot on his lap as he sat in front of me, “how did you do this then?”

“I was drunk.” I smiled slightly, “I fell asleep in the taxi and got out all disorientated and fell over.”

He smiled as his fingers traced the edges of the cut. As he looked over it I took the chance to admire him. He had the loveliest blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. He looked up and met my gaze smiling at me softly. My heart skipped a beat.

“So what’s the prognosis?” Zayn asked and I remembered why I was here.

“Please say I don’t need to be injected with anything?” I bit my lip.

“Scared of needles?” Jack asked slightly amused.

“Yep.” I nodded.

“I’d be gentle with you don’t worry.” He winked and I blushed, “but no don’t worry, I just need to clean it up and I’ll dress it. You should be fine.”

“Thanks.” I blushed again.

He reached across to the side table and started work. Zayn nudged me and I looked up as he wiggled his eyebrows at me. I rolled my eyes before looking back down at the gorgeous blonde boy in front of me.

“So,” I bit my lip, “Jack.”

“Blair.” He looked up briefly and my heart skipped a beat.

Come on Blair, I told myself, you can do this.

“I don’t suppose you fancy meeting up later?” I asked and he grinned.

“Sure.” He nodded.

“Oh, cool.” I grinned, “do you want to go out for a drink or something?”

“We could get coffee?” he suggested, “maybe you need to lay off the alcohol.”

He looked at my foot and I giggled.

“Yea, probably a plan.” I bit my lip.

After he finished with my ankle we swapped numbers and I arranged to meet up with him just after 2 at a coffee place. Zayn shook his head as we walked to the car.

“That was impressive.” He laughed, “though as one point I thought you were just going to stare at him.”

“He was beautiful.” I grinned and he rolled his eyes, “admit it!”

“Blair, I’m a guy.” He reminded me.

I laughed as we pulled up to the venue all the interviews were taking place. I walked in to see the boys sat around chatting.

“How bad was she?” Louis asked as we neared.

“She was fine.” Zayn shrugged, “turns out you just need a good looking guy and Blair seems to forget about the fear of hospitals thing.”

I shoved him blushing slightly.

“A guy?” Louis asked and I pursed my lips together nodding.

“She’s going on a date with him later.” Zayn laughed darting away from me as I went to hit him.

“A date?” Niall asked and I nodded.

Harry stood up and walked away, I looked at Louis curiously but he shrugged. I sat next to him and laughed as he started to probe me for details about the guy. As Louis turned to question Zayn my gaze wondered over to Harry who was leaning against the wall texting furiously on his phone. I bit my lip before standing up and walking in his direction.

“Hey.” I smiled softly as I reached him.

“What do you want Blair?” he snapped at me and I stepped back.

“Woah.” I held my hands up, “I just came to check up on you.”

“Why?” his jaw tensed as he narrowed his eyes at me making my blood run cold.

“You know what? I don’t know.” I shook my head and went to walk away but he grabbed my hand, “get off of me Harry.”

“No.” his voice was strained like he wasn’t sure how he felt, “don’t leave.”

“I said get off of me.” I glared as him pulling my arm out of his grasp, “don’t you have some country star to romance?”

“Don’t be a bitch Blair.” He narrowed his eyes at me.

“Don’t grab me like that.” I turned to face him properly, “and don’t talk to me like that.”

“Like what?” he crossed his arms.

“Like I’m…” I trailed off and let out a frustrated sigh, “like…”

“Your nothing to me?” he finished and I pursed my lips, “cause I’m pretty sure that was what you wanted.”

“Harry.” I shook my head.

“You told me to move on Blair.” His eyes bore into mine, “you wanted me to be with someone else.”

“I don’t care that you’re with her.” I spat.

“But I do.” He pointed to his chest, “I care that you’re going off on a date with that guy. I care that you’ve been with Henry. I care that you went out last night and got completely hammered and hurt yourself. I care that you didn't want me to go with you today. I care.”

I bit my lip.

“Just leave me alone Blair.” He shook his head and walked away.

I watched him walk away biting my lip. I glanced over at the guys who all quickly spun around and pretended they hadn’t been watching. I didn’t know what to do. I walked off in the other direction grabbing my cigarettes out my bag before walking outside. I lit one up and closed my eyes as I blew the smoke up, I felt someone next to me and I held the packet out as I felt him take one.

“So.” He looked over at me.

“So.” I looked up and met his gaze.

“That was intense huh?” he raised an eyebrow.

“Did I say anything completely out of line Zayn?” I asked and he shook his head whilst blowing smoke out.

“Nah.” He sighed before taking another drag, “he’s just a bit…”

“Of a dick?” I suggested, “an asshole? Unfair? Ridiculous? Stop me when I’m right.”

“I get it Blair.” Zayn chuckled, “but see it from his side.”

I pursed my lips together.

“Why does everyone feel sorry for Harry?” I asked

“Huh?” he furrowed his eyebrows together, “we don’t.”

“Everyone does.” I pursed my lips together and looked at the floor, “everyone is always trying to be like ‘remember Harry’s feelings’. What about mine Zayn? What about the fact that he completely destroyed me? Am I meant to just forget it and fall back in his arms because he’s Harry?”

“Nobody expects that.” Zayn shook his head.

I threw my cigarette on the floor and stamped it out.

“They do Zayn,” I tensed my jaw, “and you know it.”

I went to walk away but he called my name, I looked back.

“Come here.” He opened his arms and I shuffled into them, “we all care about you so much Blair.”

I didn’t say anything but wrapped my arms around him. The past couple of months Zayn and I had gotten a lot closer. Part of me thought it was because we smoked together but I knew that wasn’t really it. We just seemed to be drawn to each other after he split up with Perrie, we were like two kindred spirits and I loved how honestly he spoke to me. How he wasn’t afraid to ask me about Harry and never judged me on how I was feeling, which was a lot different to how things had been with Louis recently.

“I want him to be happy Zayn, I really do.” I mumbled into his chest and he stroked my back, “but I deserve to be happy too.”