Canon
fifty six.
I stare out the window as Niall drives to school for the first day of the semester. I could feel his blue eyes staring at me intently but I didn’t bring myself to meet his gaze. A couple days ago we found out that we got into the NYU. THE NYU. I had dreamed of going off to college in New York for years. I actually did it. Finally it felt like the countless hours I put into studying paid off. I wanted to share the news with my parents, but I still wasn’t welcome in my dad’s home. As far as I know. When I got back from Ireland and went home to get a change of clothes my mom promised that she would talk to him. All I could think about this morning was how every day of the beginning of a new semester my mom would make her blueberry pancakes, a huge stack of them. Bigger than anyone could ever eat honestly. She'd end up taking some to work just so they wouldn't go to waste. My dad would try to take pictures, he was documenting my growth as he claimed. I would roll my eyes of course but I secretly loved looking back in his picture book of all the first days through the years.
‘We’re here.’ Niall groans, not so happy to be back. He puts the car in park before killing the engine and pressing his hand against the door’s handle, ‘hey- are you alright?’ He wonders stopping to glance at me.
‘Yeah, I’m fine.’ I nod, most likely unconvincingly, ‘just first day jitters I guess.’
He stares at me for a while longer, deciding not to push the subject. Of course he didn’t buy it – I didn’t even buy it. I open the door and follow him towards the line of people slowly dragging themselves inside.
‘Just a few more months and we are out of the place.’ He murmurs beside me slipping his large hand through mine. Niall voiced his annoyance all night and from the moment he woke up. Talking to Jack a few minutes after his shower definitely put him in a better mood.
Being back in the familiar halls was definitely bittersweet. I couldn’t wait to leave Michigan without looking back but I would miss this place. Niall repositions his usual green backpack on his free shoulder, pulling me gently along to his locker. I lean against the blue metal, admiring him. He hasn’t dyed his hair in weeks so it’s more brown than blonde. The light stubble across his face because he couldn’t fully grow a beard. But he did take pride in his stubble. His long black tee shirt was tight against his biceps and back, showing off his figure.
‘What are you staring at, weirdo?’ He taunts as he shuts his locker and taking my hand once more. ‘I still can’t believe I let you talk me into switching my homeroom around before telling me that Zayn did the same thing.’
‘I thought it’d be nice.’ I coyly reply, remembering how Rose and I talked over the ski trip about getting them into our homeroom hour. ‘You know, spending time with me and your absolute best friend Zayn.’
He scrunches his nose to make a face as he presses his back against the locker next to mine, ‘you are my best friend that I have the honor of being in love with, who I also happen to kiss and touch amongst other things on a daily basis.’ His voice is low and raspy, sending butterflies whirling in my stomach. 'Like last night after my shower.'
‘You’re so disgusting.’ I laugh, giving him a slight push. ‘C’mon Mrs. Jameson doesn’t like tardiness.’
‘Fantastic.’ Niall grumbles following me through the mass of students scrambling from their lockers to their classes.
Rose sat in the back with Zayn in the chair in front of her. She was turned in her seat holding up her phone, both of them laughing at the screen. Zayn’s still sported his slightly longer buzz cut in the process of growing his hair back. She rushes up out of her seat, throwing her arms around me. Niall picks the chair beside Zayn, leaving me the one next to Rose’s. The two simply nod at each other before Zayn focuses his attention back on Rose’s phone. I wonder would Niall even ask about Damon since he's been in a different country all of winter break.
‘Congratulations on NYU!’ Rose beams, her tiny frame squeezing me tightly. I hadn’t seen her since the four of us had dinner at Cheddars a couple of days ago. ‘I also have news…’
‘Don’t leave me in suspense.’ I lean back to study her, ‘spill it!’
‘I got in.’ She bounces excitedly, giving me a light shake.
‘UCLA?’ I question, knowing that it was her dream school. I remember sitting beside her as she submitted her application online.
‘UCLA!’ Rose happily squeals, as I squeeze her tighter. Growing up in Michigan Rose always talked about moving somewhere that’s always sunny. She constantly complained about a change of scenery.
‘Ladies.’ Mrs. Jameson scolds looking up from her papers. ‘Please, sit down.’ Niall stifles out a laugh, giving me an “I told you” look. Back when he was changing his homeroom he told me how laid back his homeroom teacher was but it wasn’t until later in the afternoon.
‘But if you’re in New York and I’m in California, we’ll practically never see each other. We would be on opposite sides of the country.’ She frowns from her seat, ‘you know we’ve been together since birth.’
Which was true, our dads met during their time in the Army and have been friends ever since. Our moms get along great. She’s always been my best friend, a sister. I nod, getting that annoying lump in my throat as my eyes clouded with salty tears.
‘Aw, Lizzie.’ Her voice cracks the moment she opens her mouth, ‘you know when you cry it makes me cry.’
‘We’ve never been apart for more than a month.’
Niall cautiously eyes me from his chair, he reaches out a large hand placing it on my back. He wordlessly runs his hand up and down my back comfortingly. From the corner of my eye, I could see Zayn staring at Niall. Clearly taken aback by his public display of affection. With the weeks of being in Ireland with Niall I was used to it. I loved it actually. I just hope that now that we're back it doesn't change. I lean over the aisle to hug Rose once more as she reaches to meet me halfway.
‘What about the time you didn’t talk to me that whole summer because I kissed Bobby at church camp?’ She sniffles through a laugh.
‘You knew how much I liked him!’ I laugh, thinking back to that very summer. ‘That was justified.’
‘Hey, I made you that card with macaroni pieces and glitter.’ Rose defends, ‘plus, remember he went off and kissed five more girls spreading mono through the whole camp.’
The bell rings and the hall fills with people catching up with each other. Niall purses his lips looking down at me with amused eyes. ‘What’s that look for?’
‘Where is this Bobby now?’ He wonders as we make our way to Trigonometry.
‘No idea. He moved away before the school year started.’ I muse, ‘who was your first crush?’
‘Amy Daniels.’ He says, ‘she told on me because I brought her a worm saying I got it specifically for her. It creeped her out.’
‘You did not give a girl a worm.’ I burst out into a fit of giggles, holding onto his arm.
‘I swear I did,’ Niall insists, ‘no one told me that it wasn’t a suitable gift.’
I grab my original seat and Niall slides in behind me just before Dr. Werner rushes into the class. Clumsy as ever. She doesn’t waste any time, jotting down the usual ten problems on the board for everyone to solve. I manage to ease through the first seven before knitting my eyebrows at number eight.
‘Psst.’ I whisper, tapping Niall’s desk with my pen. ‘Can you help me?’
‘Which one?’
‘Eight, nine, and maybe ten.’
‘Miss. Matthews – you know the rules.’ Dr. Werner calls out, ‘no talking and eyes on your own page.’
‘Sorry, Dr. Werner.’
A few moments later, Niall slides me a ripped piece of paper with all three problems scribbled down. At the bottom of the page, he wrote a few words.
Now that you owe me… Lunch?
I copy all three before flipping the paper over to write yes and sliding it back to him. After Trigonometry was finally over, Niall walked me to my art class. He leaves a kiss on my forehead before I slip into class finding an easel beside Rose and Zayn. As Mr. Zellini describes what the next project is, I pull my phone out to send Niall a text about lunch. A new notification banner catches my eye instantly.
Messages
Daddy
Come home, Lizard. I want to talk.
‘We’re here.’ Niall groans, not so happy to be back. He puts the car in park before killing the engine and pressing his hand against the door’s handle, ‘hey- are you alright?’ He wonders stopping to glance at me.
‘Yeah, I’m fine.’ I nod, most likely unconvincingly, ‘just first day jitters I guess.’
He stares at me for a while longer, deciding not to push the subject. Of course he didn’t buy it – I didn’t even buy it. I open the door and follow him towards the line of people slowly dragging themselves inside.
‘Just a few more months and we are out of the place.’ He murmurs beside me slipping his large hand through mine. Niall voiced his annoyance all night and from the moment he woke up. Talking to Jack a few minutes after his shower definitely put him in a better mood.
Being back in the familiar halls was definitely bittersweet. I couldn’t wait to leave Michigan without looking back but I would miss this place. Niall repositions his usual green backpack on his free shoulder, pulling me gently along to his locker. I lean against the blue metal, admiring him. He hasn’t dyed his hair in weeks so it’s more brown than blonde. The light stubble across his face because he couldn’t fully grow a beard. But he did take pride in his stubble. His long black tee shirt was tight against his biceps and back, showing off his figure.
‘What are you staring at, weirdo?’ He taunts as he shuts his locker and taking my hand once more. ‘I still can’t believe I let you talk me into switching my homeroom around before telling me that Zayn did the same thing.’
‘I thought it’d be nice.’ I coyly reply, remembering how Rose and I talked over the ski trip about getting them into our homeroom hour. ‘You know, spending time with me and your absolute best friend Zayn.’
He scrunches his nose to make a face as he presses his back against the locker next to mine, ‘you are my best friend that I have the honor of being in love with, who I also happen to kiss and touch amongst other things on a daily basis.’ His voice is low and raspy, sending butterflies whirling in my stomach. 'Like last night after my shower.'
‘You’re so disgusting.’ I laugh, giving him a slight push. ‘C’mon Mrs. Jameson doesn’t like tardiness.’
‘Fantastic.’ Niall grumbles following me through the mass of students scrambling from their lockers to their classes.
Rose sat in the back with Zayn in the chair in front of her. She was turned in her seat holding up her phone, both of them laughing at the screen. Zayn’s still sported his slightly longer buzz cut in the process of growing his hair back. She rushes up out of her seat, throwing her arms around me. Niall picks the chair beside Zayn, leaving me the one next to Rose’s. The two simply nod at each other before Zayn focuses his attention back on Rose’s phone. I wonder would Niall even ask about Damon since he's been in a different country all of winter break.
‘Congratulations on NYU!’ Rose beams, her tiny frame squeezing me tightly. I hadn’t seen her since the four of us had dinner at Cheddars a couple of days ago. ‘I also have news…’
‘Don’t leave me in suspense.’ I lean back to study her, ‘spill it!’
‘I got in.’ She bounces excitedly, giving me a light shake.
‘UCLA?’ I question, knowing that it was her dream school. I remember sitting beside her as she submitted her application online.
‘UCLA!’ Rose happily squeals, as I squeeze her tighter. Growing up in Michigan Rose always talked about moving somewhere that’s always sunny. She constantly complained about a change of scenery.
‘Ladies.’ Mrs. Jameson scolds looking up from her papers. ‘Please, sit down.’ Niall stifles out a laugh, giving me an “I told you” look. Back when he was changing his homeroom he told me how laid back his homeroom teacher was but it wasn’t until later in the afternoon.
‘But if you’re in New York and I’m in California, we’ll practically never see each other. We would be on opposite sides of the country.’ She frowns from her seat, ‘you know we’ve been together since birth.’
Which was true, our dads met during their time in the Army and have been friends ever since. Our moms get along great. She’s always been my best friend, a sister. I nod, getting that annoying lump in my throat as my eyes clouded with salty tears.
‘Aw, Lizzie.’ Her voice cracks the moment she opens her mouth, ‘you know when you cry it makes me cry.’
‘We’ve never been apart for more than a month.’
Niall cautiously eyes me from his chair, he reaches out a large hand placing it on my back. He wordlessly runs his hand up and down my back comfortingly. From the corner of my eye, I could see Zayn staring at Niall. Clearly taken aback by his public display of affection. With the weeks of being in Ireland with Niall I was used to it. I loved it actually. I just hope that now that we're back it doesn't change. I lean over the aisle to hug Rose once more as she reaches to meet me halfway.
‘What about the time you didn’t talk to me that whole summer because I kissed Bobby at church camp?’ She sniffles through a laugh.
‘You knew how much I liked him!’ I laugh, thinking back to that very summer. ‘That was justified.’
‘Hey, I made you that card with macaroni pieces and glitter.’ Rose defends, ‘plus, remember he went off and kissed five more girls spreading mono through the whole camp.’
The bell rings and the hall fills with people catching up with each other. Niall purses his lips looking down at me with amused eyes. ‘What’s that look for?’
‘Where is this Bobby now?’ He wonders as we make our way to Trigonometry.
‘No idea. He moved away before the school year started.’ I muse, ‘who was your first crush?’
‘Amy Daniels.’ He says, ‘she told on me because I brought her a worm saying I got it specifically for her. It creeped her out.’
‘You did not give a girl a worm.’ I burst out into a fit of giggles, holding onto his arm.
‘I swear I did,’ Niall insists, ‘no one told me that it wasn’t a suitable gift.’
I grab my original seat and Niall slides in behind me just before Dr. Werner rushes into the class. Clumsy as ever. She doesn’t waste any time, jotting down the usual ten problems on the board for everyone to solve. I manage to ease through the first seven before knitting my eyebrows at number eight.
‘Psst.’ I whisper, tapping Niall’s desk with my pen. ‘Can you help me?’
‘Which one?’
‘Eight, nine, and maybe ten.’
‘Miss. Matthews – you know the rules.’ Dr. Werner calls out, ‘no talking and eyes on your own page.’
‘Sorry, Dr. Werner.’
A few moments later, Niall slides me a ripped piece of paper with all three problems scribbled down. At the bottom of the page, he wrote a few words.
Now that you owe me… Lunch?
I copy all three before flipping the paper over to write yes and sliding it back to him. After Trigonometry was finally over, Niall walked me to my art class. He leaves a kiss on my forehead before I slip into class finding an easel beside Rose and Zayn. As Mr. Zellini describes what the next project is, I pull my phone out to send Niall a text about lunch. A new notification banner catches my eye instantly.
Messages
Daddy
Come home, Lizard. I want to talk.