Heat

Part 26

Heat: Part 26
Heat part 26
*Liam's POV*
"Alright lads, now for the good part," I said as Niall stood next to me with a mahogany box in his pale hands. The night had been long due to a lot of the pledges just finishing their exams and then coming to the frat house a few hours later for initiation. The beginning bit was boring, lots of reciting facts, stating the pledge, and being sworn in.
Niall opened the deep cherry colored wood to reveal the navy velvet inside where the frat bracelets were held. "Wear these proudly boys, as new brothers. Wear them on your left wrist, signifying that you will always keep the brotherhood and those that are in it close to your heart," I said with finality, cheer evident in my voice. I glanced through the group ahead of me, eyes fixed on Zayn where I found him to be watching me intently, scratching at one of the legs of his black skinny jeans. "Only take them off to give to the one you love and protect the bracelet fiercely, like you would yourself or anyone standing in this room."
Cheers erupted, deafening as all of the old and new brothers hooting, hollering, whistling even as the long pledging process was over, as was the semester, the trials and tribulations over.
Niall walked with me as I gave each new brother the silver, blue, and black bracelets, their initials engraved on them to show their importance and permanence in this new place. A family, a place to belong.
Eventually I stood before Finn and placed the symbol around his wrist, tightening the strings and was given a small gratifying smile, a thing that suited his more subdued personality. When it came to Jack, he was vibrating like a hummingbird as I secured it to his arm and he threw his arms around me and then Niall, shocking my best friend which was priceless. Niall looked to me for help when the Harries boy would not let go, but I just chuckled and kept moving. One more to deliver.
Zayn.
"I... I hope you don't mind but I took some special liberties with your bracelet," I stuttered, feeling a pinging up my spine and a nervous energy flitting just underneath my skin. Zayn kept his gaze as cool as possible but I saw his eyebrow twitch, want to arc up in question. My fingers trembled as I placed the band over his hand and on the medallion that acted as a sort of clasp. There was the traditional initials ZM on one side, but on an irrational last minute whim I had something else inscribed on the other side. I had to pay the jeweler with my own money for it, but I hoped that it would be worth it, convey how I had been feeling for a while now.
Zayn looked down and gasped, tracing the special engravement tenderly with his rough and paint flecked fingertips.
"Liam... I, wow. I don't know what to say," he spluttered, not looking up and I felt my heart shatter and sink like a fragile wooden boat when it hits a reef just off the coast of land, so close to making it that you can see your goal and for it to all go to hell.
"Sorry. It was presumptuous-" I began.
"No Li, it's fuckin sick. How did you remember he's my favorite?" He asked and he looked close to tears. He kept skimming his fingers over the rudimentary carving of iron man's helmet on the silver disk.
"I remember everything you say," I promised quietly, chin tilted down in embarrassment, my hand itching to pathetically scratch at the back of my neck, my favorite nervous tick, but I felt like this was a big moment and managed to stay still.
"I don't know how to, like, properly thank you Li. You've been so wonderful and it's so hard for me to make new friends. You brought me out my shell and... and" I saw a crease form between Zayn's brows as he chewed his bottom lip, obviously ruminating over something before I heard him mutter "fuck it". I felt his well worn hands slide up over the top of my flannel shirt callouses catching slightly on the worn fabric, slowly sliding up to my shoulders then clasping behind my neck. He gently tugged my head towards his and I felt his chapped lips connecting with mine. It felt glorious, like fireworks, or that first breath of air after being underwater, every cliche in the book. I barely registered the buzzing of voices in the room as Zayn and I kissed for a few short seconds later.
"What?! Y've never seen two blokes make out b'fore?" Niall snapped. "'Cos yeh best get used to it. We'll probably be seeing it a bit more frequently, if ya know what I mean," Niall said with a none to subtle smirk to his voice, smashing the tension with his laughter. He walked behind me and swatted my arse playfully. "Get in there my son," and I shoved him away playfully, feeling Zayn wind his arm around my waist and I thought I was going to explode like a lightbulb exposed to too much wattage due to sheer happiness.
"In the words of our beloved party mascot Niall, let's get this party started yeh shower 'o cunts!" And loud shouts and celebration erupted. "There's kegs in the kitchen and if you drove here, rule is that you put your keys in the bowl by the pool table," my responsible side returning to my addled brain. "Take a taxi or bunk here. Be safe but better yet, enjoy tonight! Everyone deserves it! Happy winter break!" And before I knew it, red solo cups were everywhere, the smell of alcohol and man/boy permeating everything. Not pleasant, but something I was used to as head of a frat. Jack and Finn had dragged Zayn away from my side quickly, probably to go imbibe and probably gossip. Whoever said girls were worse than boys about chattering and talking about personal shite were full of it.
I went and found Niall who was watching an intense game of king's cup, but he had no drink in hand and not participating which was so out of character.
"You run out?" I inquired, pointing at his empty hands and he just shook his floppy, unstyled hair. He looked... different. He looked happy and I saw him keep tracing over a small spot of the inner flesh of his forearm with what I could only describe as a glow about him. Hell his fluffy blond hair almost reminded me of a halo and it suited him, which made me even more various and curious at his sudden 180• mood change.
"Nah. J'st not drinkin t'night," his focus never leaving the intense throng of lads in front of him, all arguing that Logan had to drink because he forgot one of the made up rules.
I practically choked on my own spit. "Why? Did you pregame so you wouldn't be bored during the ceremony?" I asked, not letting it go because Niall not drinking when there was a shite ton of quality drinks in the kitchen was just, well I was pretty sure it was a sign of the apocalypse, like the four horsemen showing up or summat.
"No," he answered sourly, monosyllabically.
"Why are you glowing then? Are you HIGH?" I practically shouted, slowly getting perturbed.
"For your information Liam, s'mtimes there are more important things than me getting sloshed." The word 'things' sounding more like 'tings' with his heavy accent.
I spluttered, did a double take at my best lad, and I'm pretty sure started hyperventilating. This wasn't the end of the world. This was the opposite of the Big Bang and the universe was imploding in upon itself. I slapped a hand to his forehead, checking for fever, illness, something to explain his erratic behavior.
"Feck off man," Niall gasped, swatting at my hand, careful not to hurt the still crunched knuckles.
"What is more important to you than beer and fucking? Oh my god. You fucked somebody. What about your pledge to get Audrey back?" I chastised. "I thought you changed."
"Re-fuckin-lax. Go find Zayn and see if he'll give you a blowie. Maybe that'll relax your tits," he harrumphed. "I didn't fuck anybody. I just have an errand I have to run in th' mornin' with Tomlinson before his bloody early flight to heathrow," he stated nonchalantly, continuing to play with the sleeve of his Henley.
"You? You and Tomlinson? Together." I was so at a loss. "This makes no sense. You guys don't even GET ALONG!" I screeched, tugging at the roots of my hair. Is insanity contagious? It has to be. Zayn kissed me. In front of everyone. Niall is sober when he is practically expected by fraternity law to be piss drunk. Niall is hanging out with Louis Tomlinson. This is it. I'm dead. That's the only explanation.
"We have more 'n common than ya might think. He has t'sort some shite out with Hannah and me with my little missy and H and missy are roommates..." He let his sentence die out slowly before laughing at one of the new brothers who had accidentally snorted beer out his nose. Gross.
"What in the possible fucking fuck could you two fucks need to go and do together?" I hissed, over Niall's roundabout and evasive answers.
"Gotta go to th'jewelry store," he stated with a slight shoulder shrug.
"Fuck. I NEED a drink," I sighed, getting up more confused than ever.
Niall cackled his signature belly laugh. "I don't think 've ever heard you say 'fuck' in one conversation so much Payno! 'M proud of ya bro. I think 'm finally rubbin' off on ya!"
"Fuck," I grumbled, headed toward the kitchen for some hard liquor... and, yeah, maybe to find Zayn I managed to admit to myself.
*Audi's POV*
I pushed my cold peas around my plate with great force as I listened to Evie, no sorry, Evelyn now because it was more proper and mature since she was a businesswoman now, a high up PR person on the rise and quite frankly I had had enough. Plus, fucking peas. I hate peas.
She hadn't even been there for Christmas Day, showing up late with apologies of closing a big deal and excuses and I couldn't help but feel like they were all so she didn't have to see or deal with me.
Three days is what I got with her until she and I were both off, me back to school to rush and Evelyn back to her job. I didn't even get a chance to talk to her, ask her the questions I so desperately needed answers to. I couldn't contain my frustration any more as I slammed my fork down.
"What the hell Audi?" Evie snapped as a rouge pea rolled off the table onto her nice expensive clothes. And that's another thing. When Evie would come home on holidays while I was still in high school, we spent most of the time in sweats and jumpers, wrapped in duvets while watching every rom com known to mankind, snuggling and talking over the parts of the films we already knew by heart, but there had been none of that this time. She was too busy on her laptop, manicured nails clacking consistently on they keys.
I abruptly stood up, the eyes of my parents, sister, and even dog trained on my erratic movement.
"No 'what the hell Audi?'," I snapped. "What the hell Evie is more like it!" I fumed. My mother had the presence of mind to gently place her hand on my father's forearm signaling the upcoming discord, and gathered the dinner plates and headed to the kitchen, my father right behind her with the silverware. "Where have you been? I needed you," I started to snuffle, getting stuffed up due to the impending tears that seemed to have taken up residence in my life permanently. "I NEED you," I amended, "and where are you? Where have you been? This semester has been torture and I thought you'd be there to support me and you've been... you've been... just gone." I started to cry damnit, big plump salty tears rolling down my face. "I go back to school and then have to rush and I'm so lost."
I could see my sister, all though blurrily, untuck her napkin from her lap and stand up, rounding the table and gathering me in a hug. She then slowly guided me up the worn wooden stairs, the third one creaking familiarly like it had since I was seven, heading towards her room instead of my own childhood haven.
She sat me down on her old queen sized bed, the quilt underneath me so familiar and soft, having spent so much time here when I missed her while she was at university, coming in here to talk to her when she called on the phone so I could feel even closer to her. I could feel the mattress dip and almost missed the deep sigh she let escape her rosy tinted lips as she took a spot next to me.
"I've been really busy," she muttered. "Work's not everything it cracked up to be and I feel like I have to do extra to feel like I deserve the position I was hired for." She pulled at a loose thread on the yellow and pink quilting. A small feather escaped from where she was tugging.
"Great excuse when your sister has been abandoned by her best friend, stalked, doped by some loser frat idiot, assault, and... and why am I even telling you this. You don't care," I spat venomously.
"You what?" She exhaled, her words sounded garbled and stuck in her throat. "That's impossible," and she ran her hands through her fringe, causing knots and tangles.
"Why haven't you called?" I asked timidly, like a child scared of a nightmare. "Don't you care at all?" I whispered as she pulled me to her chest, not caring that my wet face would probably ruin her expensive new clothes.
"I felt like I'd be..." and she rolled her tongue around in her mouth, licking her teeth searching for the proper word. "Superfluous," she said finally.
"Yeah right," I answered disbelievingly, pushing her away.
"No really. You've always been smarter, have gotten the grades, have amazing talent, and manage to find a few people who will be there and dedicate themselves wholly to being your friend, not just for what you can do for them but for who you are. I felt like you probably didn't need me messing that up. In case you haven't noticed, even since we were little, you were better at advice and being the big sister than I was," she responded with a wounded tone to her wobbly voice. "And I'm not proud of some of the things or the way I behaved in Uni. I thought it best if I just let you be yourself instead of muddying those waters and having to explain myself and actions," Evie exposed sheepishly.
"I wanted and missed my sister. A heads up on what I would be getting into would've been nice too, you know?" I said caustically, still not ready to let go of my hurt.
"How so?" She asked, quirking her head to the side as she turned her body and sat cross legged on her old bed.
"I know what they say about you."
Evelyn hung her head and the quiet in the room felt like a vacuum, less sound than in the freezing temperatures of space.
"That's part of why I didn't call," she said meekly. "And I wanted to pretend that was behind me and if I didn't tell you about it, then maybe it was in my past or didn't even happen."
"That's not how it works. People assume that since we're related, we're the same and expect things from me and it's gotten me into terrible situations! I needed to hear it from you, not the bullshit gossip that is constantly pumping through that school! Don't you get it?" I wiped at my swollen eyes, pout heavy on my lips.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she apologized over and over, pulling me tightly into a hug again, the words being chanted like the refrain from a sad song, the perfect prayer for forgiveness. She rocked our bodies from side to side in attempt to soothe us both. It felt like when we were younger and I was scared of the loud thunderstorms that would always occur late at night in the summer. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you," she said finally letting me go and I could see her eyes were as glossy as mine. "Can we start over? Tell me everything that I so stupidly fucking missed."
I heaved in a giant breath and began because I just desperately wanted my sister back and a reliable confidante who could give fresh perspective, perhaps could fill in the gaps I didn't understand.
Through my story, she gasped at all the appropriate places, making the right faces as I explained Niall, Zayn, and Harry. She listened quietly about Hannah and Louis. She sobbed when she heard about Chris and raised an eyebrow about the interactions between Liam and Zayn. "Didn't see that one coming," she mumbled and I nodded with a small smile. "Ditto," was my response. She smirked when I told her about how I had kissed Niall under the mistletoe and given him my phone number, but I shook my head. "He hasn't called or messaged me or anything so I don't think anything will come of that," I said beleagueredly.
"I'd just wait on that one," she smiled. "He's a tough one to understand so give it time," had been Evie's response. It seemed as though she knew a little about Horan despite their age gap while at university.
"Then there's Nina at kappa," I started and my sister's features darkened rapidly, eyebrows lowering and furrowing deeply. "What?"
"Stay. Away. From. Her." Evie enunciated clearly and harshly. "She's fucking crazy and if what you said before about people thinking we're so similar because we're related, then avoid her at all costs."
"That might be kind of hard considering I'm rushing her house, you know?" The 'duh' clearly evident in my voice.
"She's fucking bat shit crazy insane, off her rocker, nuts. And quite possibly dangerously so."
"Everyone keeps telling me that, but no one says why. Why is she crazy?" And I couldn't keep the intrigue out of my tone.
"Ugh." And Evie grabbed a pillow and smothered her face in it, letting out a battle cry that rivaled that of the Scotsmen in that film Braveheart. Finally once she put the abused pillow down, her face a ripe shade of red, she looked me dead in the eye. Her eyes that were so similar to mine contained a strange mix of pleading and fury. She collected herself and began. "So I said I wasn't proud of how I behaved sometimes at school." She knotted her fingers together and then started pulling at them, starting to pick at her cuticles. "I was a slut..."
"Don't say that about yourself," me hating hearing her speak so terribly about herself.
"No. It's true and it's time you heard it from me. It wasn't always full blown sex, but yeah, I got around. It was the last semester of senior year and I think Nina was going out with Tomlinson at the time. Nina had always been weird around me, following me around like a lost puppy, always sort of lurking. In some weird way, I think she went out with Louis to make me jealous or something. Totally weird, right?" I just nodded, but didn't really follow. "And one night at a mixer, Nina and I were completely drunk off our asses and we, um, we hooked up." She looked at me like she was about to die of mortification.
"Ok. So you didn't tell me because you were the other woman or thought I wouldn't like the idea of a same sex relationship?" I asked curiously. "Because you know I don't judge. Love is love and as long as it's not like under aged or with a goat or something I totally support it. I mean, I'm totally rooting for Zayn and Li-" but she slapped a hand over my babbling lips to silence me.
"No. I know you'd never be anything but supportive Audrey. The thing is, I had no idea what I was doing. I was THAT gone. Too many tequila shooters. I told Nina that the next day and she seriously flipped out. She dumped Tommo thinking we were finally something and when she realized I was serious, that it was a drunken mistake, she flipped out. She trashed my room. She spray painted shit on my walls. She verbally abused my close friends. She stalked me everywhere and now I'm worried for you. I don't know if she thinks she can get the relationship she and I never had with you or if this is some vendetta shit... it doesn't matter either way. She's not right in the head. Stay away. Far, FAR away from Nina," she finished her soliloquy with a huff, her perfect Cupid's bow lips flattened into a firm straight line.
A lot fell into place at that moment. Her seeing me and hating Niall. Following me around. The relationship with Louis. Her acting chummy with Louis might not have been to piss off Hannah but to get close to me. Giving me drinks at the strip club. Oh my god.
"But what about rush..." I trailed off.
"You have a guaranteed spot at kappa because you're a legacy but that doesn't mean you don't have other options," Evie hinted.
"Huh?" I asked dumbly.
"I may not have been speaking to you very much but I have been talking to mom, checking up on you." And that made me feel good and proud in an odd way. Perhaps she wasn't as absent as I thought. "She's says you're doing well in your classes, your GPA is good, you have friends. You're gorgeous in an unassuming way and you don't party too hard. Those are all appealing traits to ANY sorority. Don't think that you HAVE to be kappa because I was. Don't even limit yourself thinking that you have to go Greek. Just go through rush week and I know that you'll have more than one bid by the end. It's up to you and only you to decide if any of those places are for you at all," my sister advised.
My mind whirled at the revelations of the night.
"Why didn't you just tell me this earlier?" I whined.
"Because I was a coward and you're strong. I thought you knew this by yourself already and that is no excuse."
"Please don't disappear on me again," I begged. "Please, I need this, I need your conversations and advice-" and she shushed me.
"I promise. I won't avoid your calls anymore. I missed this too." And again we were grappled tightly in another hug. I saw her digital clock over her shoulder, the red light stating a distinct 3:07 am.
I pulled away, this time disturbing happy tears from my face with the heels of my hands. "It's late and we both have early flights in the morning," I whispered, not willing to let go of our moment yet but I had to go pack and be at the airport by 7.
"Call me. Anytime. And tell me how rush goes and what you decide," Evie called out as I had gotten up, my legs feeling prickly and numb all at once for sitting so long. I had no idea we had been speaking for that many hours.
"I promise," I said, and meant it as I rubbed my hand against the white moulding of her doorframe before grabbing the brass knob to shut her door.
I had a lot to think about and a little time to do it in.
A/N: so it's been a while people sorry if it is short and sucks. no beta. you know how it goes comments are loved, constructive crticism is always welcome. like and reblogs are like seeing niall smile. love you all and sorry again