Up in Smoke (Ziall)

Chapter1

Hello, if you are giving this fic a chance I would like to thank you a lot! I'm really excited for its future and hope you enjoy it. Cheers!

Chapter 1:

"Mate! C'mon." Niall quietly exclaims wrapping his hand protectively around his coursework. "You've been stealing me answers since primary bout' time you do a bit yourself!'

"Ahh but where's the fun in that young Niall?", Louis ask nonchalant, once again peering over the younger boys arm. Then grins in delight as the small Irishman almost curls up into himself in order to keep his work hidden. "Besides you know I'm hopeless in maths."

Niall just rolls his eyes because he's sure he's heard this argument a million times now. It's not that Louis is hopeless in Maths, it's just that Louis is lazy, and Niall is guilty, and Louis has no shame in exploiting this. So for now, Niall will try and pretend that he isn't going to eventually let Louis copy his work because this way when Liam shakes his head at Niall saying, "You're not helping him, you know?" Niall can at least shrug his shoulders and say he tried.

Niall is almost finished with all the equations and has successfully shoved Louis off half a dozen times when he first hears his name. The teacher is looking at him expectantly from the front of the room and Niall can tell by the way that half the students are staring that this isn't the first time his names been called. He's a little flustered as he jumps from his seat, some of the class snickers and he grows even more embarrassed as he feels a red heat start to burn underneath his collar.

Niall shuffles to the front of the room trying to look like he has at least a bit of swag and dignity despite his small stature and currently red stained face.

"Um, Mr. Smith?"' Niall mutters, grabbing at his collar, trying to lessen the feeling of suffocation that seems to be wrapped around his throat.

"Niall I was wondering if you could do me a favour?" The teacher asks and he reaches under his desk to grab some papers. "I have a student who is...struggling in the class and because you have always been an excellent student I was hoping maybe you could tutor for me?"

Niall looks over the papers that have been slid in front of him and realises that they're tutoring forms. "I had the student write down the time, dates, and session length that they would be available for. If you would just sign and date next to them then I will send them to the office for processing."

The teacher shoves a pen into his hand and Niall understands that he's not really being given much of a say in the matter. He looks over the contract, his eyes landing on one particular sentence, "Erm, this says that we will, um, meet for three hours every week until the end of term." He looks up at the teacher, "It's only the first week of classes."

"Well, Rome wasn't built a day." The teacher states, doing nothing to alleviate any of Niall's concerns.

Niall just sighs trying to think why this kind of thing happens so often to him. Of course he was the one to get dragged into this contract. He's worried he's spoken this aloud when Mr. Smith speaks again.

"To be honest, Niall, I didn't just choose you because you're a good maths student." The teacher glances up and Niall swears he looks somewhat apprehensive, "this student can be a bit of a challenge and you're going to have to be...patient with them. That being said I also know that you can be a little too...passive." Mr. Smith looks apologetic as he says this but Niall only shrugs because after all, why deny what's evident, "I guess what I'm trying to say is, just don't let yourself be walked over. I think this could benefit both of you as long as you strike a balance."

Niall would like nothing more than to just walk away and tell Mr. Smith that their is no way in hell he's signing himself up to work with some pain in the arse. He's got his mates he could be spending time with, coursework of his own to complete, guitar chords he could be learning but even as he tells himself this he watches his hand glide over the paper. His scratchy and shaky signature scrawled along the dotted line. Niall sets the pen down, already bitter about the free time he's signed away.

"That's great, one less thing for me to worry about. I'm sure you two will got on just fine." The teacher insures but Niall's pretty sure that's a proper lie if he's ever heard one.

Suddenly the classroom door is pushed open and in strolls another student. His school uniform is a mess and his tie swings loosely from his neck. Niall is sure he's about to earn a demerit from Mr. Smith but instead a sigh escapes the teachers lips and he stands from his chair.

"Zayn," he says, nodding to the student. "Glad you've decided to grace us with your presence."

Zayn gives a nod of acknowledgement but doesn't seem a bit remorseful about the quip.

Niall would like to take a step back but he's somehow become pickled between Mr. Smith and Zayn in a way that is making his neck heat up again. He's not had many encounters with the raven haired boy but as he stands next to him he all the sudden feels quite small and awkward. Niall has always stayed clear of Zayn. Never been one to go looking for trouble, or a beating, and, from what Nialls heard, that's all Zayn has to offer. So even though he can feel the darker skinned boys eyes burning into him Niall concentrates on the end of the wooden desk, and then his nails, and finally the floor.

"Zayn, this is Niall." Mr. Smith states as he lays a hand on each of the boys shoulders. "Niall here has signed up to tutor you and I'm sure you will do your best to make his job easy."

Zayn still hasn't said a word and there is no way Niall is willingly going to participate in any sort of conversation. Partly because he knows he will say the wrong thing and also because all he can do right now is focus on how hotly his face is burning.

"Right?", Mr. Smith prompts.

"Course I won't." Zayn drawls, rocking back on his heels, his hands shoved into his pockets. "Doesn't look like he can handle much heat anyways."

This only causes Nialls cheeks to flame even more and Zayn's eyes shine with a hint of amusement. If Niall would dare to look he might even catch the small smirk thats tugging at Zayn's lips.

"Right." Mr. Smith muses, "If you two want to check the library tomorrow I am sure they will have a room reserved for you two." He claps the boys each on the shoulder.

Niall takes this cue and quickly steps in front of Zayn and shuffles back to his seat. His bums barely touched his seat before Louis begins questioning him.

"Mate, what was that?"

Niall sits in his seat, crossing his arms on the desk in front of him. He sighs, looking only for a moment towards Louis before laying his head in his hands.

"I have no god damn idea."