Canon

It was around six in the morning when Niall was rolling out of the bed to put his clothes on. I rub my eyes rolling over to touch his warm arm. He sighs lowly as he leans down to kiss my forehead.

‘I didn’t mean to wake you.’ He whispers once he pulls away from my skin. ‘I better get going before your parents wake up.’

‘See you at school?’

‘See you then.’ He nods grabbing his phone and wallet from the nightstand before slowly walking out of the room.

Niall’s Point of View

I close Lizette’s front door tightly behind me as I make a break for my car, going unnoticed by her father, with the gun, and handcuffs, and whatever else he had lying next to him. I make it back to my apartment to see the door slightly left open.

‘What the hell?’

Fucking Greg better not let one of his junkie pals break in. I swear to God if anything of mine is missing. As soon as I step through the doorway I’m knocked to the ground and someone rifles through my pockets grabbing my phone.

‘What the fuck?!’ I shout attempting to yank my arms from John’s big grasp.

‘Pipe down.’ Goddamn Louis takes a fucking cheap shot hitting me in the face.

‘Did you have a lovely evening Niall?’ Damon asks holding my phone into the air, ‘With your lover? We’ve waited all night long for you to come back. Your ol’ addict of a brother hasn’t made an appearance either.’

‘I swear to God I am going to make every single one of you pay.’

‘Don’t go making promises that you can’t keep.’ Damon snickers shaking his head at me, ‘Ssh, now. I need to make a quick call.’

He places the phone on speaker and holds it in the air. I stare close enough to see that he was calling Lizette.

‘Hello?’ she answers happily on the second ring, ‘Niall you there?’

‘Hello love.’ Damon announces with a crooked grin. ‘I’m just here with your boyfriend.’

‘What do you want?’ she inquires softly and I could practically see her eyebrows knitting together with worry right now.

‘I’m just calling to let you know that he will not be in class today therefore you will have to find some other kid to make out with along the dirty gym walls.’

‘Where’s Niall?’ she squeaks uneasily.

‘He’s right here. I’m afraid he’s a bit tied up leaving him unable to talk at this very moment. Being the caring guy that I am, would you like me to pass along any message of some sort?’

‘Niall?’

‘I’m right here Lizette.’ I groan growing restless from trying to fight John’s Hulk-like grip.

‘Is everything okay?’

‘Everything’s fine,’ I promise, ‘I’ll call you as soon as I can.’

‘But…’ she speaks before Damon hangs the phone up with an exasperated sigh.

‘Get off the goddamn phone!’ he laughs and so do his sick cronies, ‘It did sound as if she was on the verge of tears however. Lovely girl. If only I could have deflowered her pure frame first though.’

With all the adrenaline and anger inside of me I charge Damon tackling him onto the floor swinging on him. Just as I go for the second hit John and Louis pin my arms back to the point that I swear they’re going to snap. Damon wipes his mouth and closes his fist tightly sending it crashing into my stomach. And again. And again. And again. My head hangs lowly with exhaustion and pain before I hear Louis of all fucking people say something along the lines of “that’s enough – he’s not worth the sweat”.

‘Don’t make that fucking mistake again.’ Damon spits in my direction, ‘Get em to the car, now.’

Lizette’s Point of View

My hand shakes uneasily as I set my phone down after the call was ended. An unsettling feeling rested in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t like it at all. Damon was with Niall and something seemed wrong. I glance out of my window to see the sun has made an appearance loud and clear. I couldn’t go to school with this feeling that Niall was apart of something that he’s going to regret. I get dressed and head out of the door without saying goodbye to my parents then drive to school. I search for Zayn but Rose said he wasn’t going to be at school today either.

‘Will you tell me what’s wrong with you?’ Rose pleads jogging down the empty hall with me.

‘I think something’s wrong.’

‘Wrong with Zayn? What did Niall say?’

‘It’s everything he didn’t say. I think Damon may have them doing something they don’t want to do.’

‘Damon? That creep that’s always lurking around Zayn’s place? What does he have to do with anything?’

‘I think there’s some stuff that you and Zayn need to talk about but first you have to help me find them.’

‘You mean skip homeroom?’

‘I’m not going to any class until I find Niall – are you in or out?’

‘God, Lizette you know I wouldn’t let you go off on some secret mission alone.’ She agrees following me right out the double doors and not looking back.

…

Rose and I spent all morning trying to call both Zayn and Niall with no luck. We first stopped at Zayn’s apartment only to find that it was empty then we headed over to Niall’s.

‘What are we supposed to be looking for again?’ she wonders looking up from Niall’s drawer.

‘Anything to do with Damon.’

‘What if you’re just overreacting and they all went off somewhere to get high for the day?’

‘No, it couldn’t be that Niall’s not into that stuff anymore. I don’t know I just heard him on the phone and it didn’t sound right at all. He sounded – different. None of it makes any sense. Why on earth would Damon be at Niall’s place at six in the morning? Why would he call me to say that Niall wasn’t going to be in class? Niall had just told me thirty minutes before that he would see me at school. If I thought I was overreacting there’s no way that I would be going through his things.’

‘Did you hear that?’ Rose whispers tiptoeing over to the door slightly closing it.

‘Maybe it’s Niall.’ I breathe hurrying out of the room and down the hall only to find Greg.

‘Lizette, aren’t you supposed to be in school or something? Where’s Niall?’

‘I don’t know! Damon was here early this morning and he called to tell me that Niall was missing class today.’

‘Wait – Damon was here? Again?’

‘Apparently so. I’ve been calling Niall for hours and he hasn’t answered.’

‘Niall hasn’t missed class in years since he got his act together. Why would he start now?’

‘That’s what we’re trying to figure out?’

‘We?’

‘Hello.’ Rose chimes waving her hand from the hallway, ‘I’m Rose.’

‘Zayn’s girlfriend.’ I conclude with a slow nod.

‘Oh Zayn I know him.’ Greg runs a hand across the scruff of his skinny chin. ‘Him and my baby brother used to be inseparable.’ Greg taunts taking a moment to let out an amused laugh, ‘So back to Damon – I think I know something that’s still in his inner circle and he could probably tell me what’s going on.’

‘Alright let’s go.’ I nod grabbing my jacket from the sofa.

‘Whoa whoa whoa – when did this become a group mission?’

‘Ever since I cared about your brother.’

‘All right come on angels. Just call me your Charlie.’

The three of us file out of the apartment and get into my car to find Greg’s unnamed pal. Greg gives me his idea of directions which was him shouting out at the last minute to make that right or merge over into the furthest left lane causing cars to blow at me in the process. We finally arrive at the small brown house with crooked done-by-hand steps. Empty Keystone Light cans were crushed scattered throughout the yard. A scrawny blonde with holey jeans and prison tattoos stood on the porch curiously peering at the car.

‘Do not get out of the car.’ Greg advises before sliding out of the car and jogging over to the guy.

I watch silently as they slap hands and exchange words that I could process. Rose leans her chin on the passenger’s seat with a low sigh.

‘Do you think this is going to work?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean even if we do find Zayn and Niall how do you know that they’ll listen to us let alone come with us? I don’t know, ever since this Damon’s guy’s been around Zayn has acted like he was under this sort of spell. I just don’t feel right messing with fire.’

‘If I get Niall back then it’s worth the burn.’ I mutter just as Greg jogs back towards the car. ‘Any word?’

‘Found out Damon’s temporary place of residence.’

As Greg sloppily feeds me directions Rose’s words burn into my mind. My sweaty palms slip against the steering wheel. I look at the digital clock before me – 2:21. Niall and I should be in P.E. right now. I’d listen to him talk shit about the coach while half-ass doing every single thing. But instead I’m skipping school to trying to track him down.

‘Right there. Right there.’ Greg whistles loudly causing Rose and I to wince in unison, ‘Sorry about that loves. I don’t know my own strength.’

‘Is that Niall’s car?’ I chime pointing at the narrow gravel driveway.

‘And Zayn’s jeep!’ Rose gasps reaching her hand for the handle.

‘Wait here.’ Greg commands shaking his head, ‘I know these guys – and they can be a bit unpredictable.’

‘No!’ I hiss leaping from the car before Greg could refuse.

I make my way to the door and knock on it with three hard, long taps. I hear shuffling from beyond the door and muttered curse words in the background. John answers the door with wide, unexpected eyes.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’

‘I’m not here for you, clearly.’

‘Ah,’ Damon smirks from behind John’s large shoulder, ‘I know that sassy, snarky tone anywhere. Hello, Lizette.’

‘Is Niall here?’

‘Just a moment.’

Niall emerges from the house staring at me curiously. A redish bruise marked the creamy skin of his face. His dyed hair was shoved under one of his many baseball hats and he was dressed in a simple pair of ripped black jeans and a light grey sweater that I had never seen before.

‘Your face.’ I frown reaching forward to lightly brush my thumb against his cheek. ‘What are you doing here? What’s going on?’

‘No, what are you doing here Lizette?’ Niall whispers pulling me against the side of the house, ‘This is the last place I want you to be. Why aren’t you at school?’

‘School? I got a call at six this morning saying you wouldn’t be at school and I spent hours calling you – how could I possibly sit through class when I have no idea what’s going on?’

‘Please go home, Lizette.’

‘Just tell me what’s going on? Why are you with Damon?’

‘Leave – I can’t do this right now. I’m going to kick Greg’s ass for bringing you down here.’

‘I begged him. Don’t blame him.’

‘I’m okay. I don’t need you running around the city looking for me. You’re not my mom, Lizette. You’re not even my girlfriend and this is why. You’re so goddamn overbearing.’

‘But I-…’

‘Just go. Don’t bother looking for me again.’

I watch breathlessly as Niall goes back into the house, slamming the door behind him.