Canon

I stare at the address Louis slipped in my locker as promised. My eyes glance at the time on the cable box in front of me. 10:34. We had already finished dinner in silence before I excused myself to my room. Right about now my mom would be in the nursery with Elijah while my dad would be drinking his beer watching college football game he recorded over the weekend. All I had to do was sneak out the back door and around the corner where Zayn and Rose would be picking me up. It was after 10:45 when my parents went to their room for the night. I hesitantly pull my bedroom door open and tiptoe out of the back door locking it as I go. Zayn's Jeep waited alongside the dark corner.

‘Bout time.’ Zayn taunts as I crawl into the large backseat, ‘Rose was beginning to think you wouldn't show.’

‘I thought you backed out.’ She confirms with a nod, ‘Lizette Matthews was never the one to sneak outside against her father's wishes.’

‘Some things change.’ I reply buckling my seat belt just as Zayn pulls away from the curb.

‘You two stay close tonight, all right?’ Zayn speaks placing his eyes on Rose, ‘Some of Louis’ friends can be a bit extreme when alcohol's involved.’

‘How extreme?’ I wonder leaning into the front seat.

‘Let's just say Niall would kick my ass for even driving you here.’

‘They're that bad?’ Rose inquires pulling out her phone.

‘Just stay close to me and if anyone asks you're both with me, all right?’

Once we were at Louis’ place I walk closely behind Zayn and Rose, whose fingers were intertwined tightly. I swear my feet shook because of the vibrations of the music coming out of his house. Empty red plastic cups and beer bottles were scattered along his front steps. Zayn grabs the doorknob and pushes it open. Several slanted eyes fall on us as we walk through the room. The smell of alcohol and marijuana strongly circled the air. Louis spots us and stumbles onto his feet.

‘Hey bro.’ He slaps hands with Zayn cheerfully, ‘Bit late aren't you?’

‘Nah, everyone else just came early.’ Zayn stiffs out a laugh gripping Rose's waist.

‘Lizette. Glad you could make it after all.’ Louis places his lips on the brim of the red cup, ‘How about I show you around?’

‘Okay.’ I agree following Louis through the mass of people passing around a joint.

Niall's Point of View

It was after eleven o'clock when someone was banging on the front door. What the hell. I swing the apartment door open only to be pushed against the wall by Lizette's fucking father.

‘Where is she?!’

‘What the fuck is wrong with you?!’ I shout in response pushing the huge asshole off of me. ‘How the hell did you find out where I live?’

‘Listen I know she's here.’

‘Yeah she's in the bedroom.’ I watch as he storms through the house just to see Lizette wasn't within one hundred yards of me right now. ‘You're clearly fucking psychotic. Maybe you finally drove her away.’

‘I swear if I find out that she's been here I will take you downtown.’

‘Oh really? On what charges?’

‘Maybe I can't touch you but your father stumbling around drunk in the wee hours in the morning is fair game.’

‘Like I give a damn.’

He leaves out of the door slamming it behind him. I immediately go to my room and grab my phone to call Lizette. She doesn't answer. After calling ten times I finally pull some clothes on. I grab my car keys and dial Zayn peeling out of the parking lot. Of course the background is full of drunken laughter and shitty music.

‘What's up man?’

‘Where is she?’

‘She's right here.’ He answers cautiously.

‘Well where the hell are you?’

‘At Louis’.’ Fucking Zayn practically whispers.

I didn't bother to listen to anything else before I hung up in his face. Fucking Louis. Fucking Zayn. And fucking Lizette. Here her dad was banging on my door when she's with fucking Louis of all people. What the hell is wrong with her? I specifically told her to stay the hell away from him. I make to the shack Louis calls home and push the door open. Just when I thought Zayn's parties were as low as anyone could get but Louis takes the cake. I walk straight through a smoke cloud bumping into drunks as I walked.

‘Where's Lizette?’ I shout over the music to Rose.

‘She's with Louis around her somewhere!’ She shrugs in response standing strangely close to Zayn.

‘I'm going to kill him.’ I mutter to myself tightening my jaw.

I push his bedroom door open so hard that a new hole was formed in the cheap wall. Lizette jumps startled while Louis glared at the door. Lizette stares at me unsure what to say once I'm standing a few feet away from her.

‘Oh, you're going to have to pay for that.’ Louis nods towards the fresh hole.

‘Shut the hell up,’ I growl, ‘come on Lizette - now.’

‘Niall I-...’

‘Your goddamn dad came to my house looking for you. It's time to go. I'm not asking again.’

‘Sorry mate, I don't think she wants to go with you.’

‘I'm inches away from kicking your teeth in.’ I warn feeling my fist tighten.

‘Like to fucking see you try.’

‘Niall, no!’ Lizette grabs my arm holding me back from smashing another hole in Louis' wall with his face. ‘Please don't do this.’

‘Move Lizette.’

‘I’m not going to let you do something that you’re going to regret.’ She whispers clutching onto my tee shirt.

As pissed off as I was at Lizette she was standing in front of me, this small delicate girl trying to stand up to me. I loved it. I take a minute to study her face and clothing. She was wearing a simple pair of shorts and a plain top with some kind of flip-flops. Her hair was piled at the top of her head showing off in my opinion, her perfect features. Louis was standing in the corner of the room running his mouth about something I didn’t care to listen to.

‘The only thing I regret is not beating the hell out of him weeks ago.’

‘Come on bad boy, put a bit of action behind that talk.’

I break past Lizette only to have her grab my shirt to the point I felt it rip from the stretching.

‘Please.’ she whimpers quietly tugging on my arms.

‘I’ve been waiting for this for ages.’ Louis continues to run his mouth.

‘ZAYN!’ Lizette shouts, ‘ZAYN!’

Zayn rushes into the room with Rose and his flunkies behind him. I feel Harry grab me while Liam and Zayn push back Louis into the corner of the room.

‘Just go, man.’ Harry speaks cautiously pulling me towards the door.

‘I swear on my life if you come near her again I will end you. Don’t fucking test me.’ I snatch Lizette’s arm and pull her out towards the living room.

While I’m walking out I knock over all of the alcohol when I kicked the thin table that supported their drinks. The room is filled with upset groans and the usual profanity.

‘Oops.’

Lizette holds her large purse in her hand like it was some kind of baby as she walks beside me in silence. I unlock the door and she slides inside of the car closing the door firmly. As I’m driving down the street I stop to look over at her still feeling pissed off.

‘What is wrong with you? I specifically told you not to go anywhere near that asshole and I find out you’re at his goddamn house?! Was this your sick way to get back at me for the other night? If you had any idea what those people do you wouldn’t dare be in the same room with them. I didn’t tell you to stay away from Louis to be an asshole I told you to protect you! I’m livid at the fact that you deliberately went against what I asked you.’

‘I was doing it for you.’

‘How the hell were you doing it for me? Please tell me how you hanging out with Louis benefits me in any way shape or form?’

‘This is how.’ She digs in her purse and pulls out my camera and places it in the glove department, ‘Somehow Louis got it. I went there tonight because he said he would give it back only if I came to his house.’

‘And you did it?!’

‘I thought you'd be happy, or grateful even.’

‘Thanks. Just don't do any thing like that again without me.’

Lizette's Point of View

‘I think it'd be best if you just drop me off down the street or something. I don't think it'd be smart for my dad to see you especially if he came to your place looking for me.’

‘I'm not dropping you off down the street from your house at one in the morning. I don't care if your dad sees or not honestly.’

‘I just don't want him harping on you because he sees you drop me off.’

‘Let him see this.’ Niall speaks before pressing his lips to mine.

The kiss was slow and sweet. Niall takes his time deepening the kiss placing his hands on my face.

‘I'll see you tomorrow.’

‘Bye.’ I smile sliding out of the car.

I make it inside of the house to see my parents sitting on the sofa with matching expressions, disappointment. My dad grips the arm of the sofa while my mom holds his other hand.

‘Do you know how worried we’ve been?’ mom speaks first with a low sigh.

‘I nearly had every officer looking for you, do you know that?’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Your keys.’ Dad points to the keychain dangling in my palm.

I watch quietly as he removes the car keys from key chain before handing me back the house key.

‘We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Go to bed.’

And that’s exactly what I did.