Not Happening

Chapter 13

The entire art room is different for the Christmas party. After they'd left, someone had come in and strung up lights all around the room. They cast it in a soft glow, while another set lines each of the display tables to illuminate the showcased pieces. There's also row after row of plastic chairs set up for the auction, just in the middle of the room, enough space between them and the tables to give everyone room to walk around and see what they've created.

Zayn is exhausted. After lunch, Louis and Harry had dragged him back to the dorms to get dressed. Zayn had been forcefully put into one of Louis' white button-ups and a pair of his own dress pants, and they'd left him to do his hair with promises to do painful things if he left it messy and down like he always does.

And he's a little nervous. As people stream into the room, dressed in red and white and black and green, everyone colour-coordinated with the holidays, Zayn's stomach starts to do flips. People move around the room, regarding all the pieces. Zayn watches people stop and look down at his own, but he can't keep doing that because he's trying to figure out what their faces mean, if they like it or hate it, and it's making him anxious. So he makes a beeline for the door, heading for the refreshments room just across the hall.

Of course Liam is inside. He's in a full suit, unlike Zayn. His hair is styled, he's cleanly shaven, and he looks years younger. And good. He looks good.

"Chocolate-covered strawberries," he says, holding one between his fingers. "Want one?"

"Sure," Zayn says. He reaches for the plate of them, but Liam's holding the one in his fingers up to Zayn's mouth. Suddenly they don't seem as appetizing as they had literally seconds ago. But he bites it anyway, cracking through the chocolate shell to get to the juicy berry underneath. "'s good."

Liam's gaze darkens, eyes falling to Zayn's lips. "Yeah." He shakes his head quickly, like he's clearing his mind. "Is everyone in there, then? Have they done the auction yet?"

"I think they will in a few minutes," Zayn admits. "That's why I'm in here."

Liam nods. "Nervous, too?"

"A bit."

"Come on," Liam says, nodding towards the door. "Let's just go. Get it over with. Plus, you're going to get the highest bid, you know."

"I'm not," Zayn says flatly. "Other people did way better than I did."

"Just take the damn compliment," Liam teases. "But if you don't want to go, I'll let you know how it went."

Zayn shakes his head, now. "No, I'm coming." He snags one more chocolate covered-strawberry and follows Liam to the other room. Louis and Harry are inside now, sitting at the very back, talking to each other. Zayn goes towards them, sinking into a free seat. Liam sits beside him instantly. "When are they starting?"

"Five more minutes," Harry answers.

Zayn nods and swallows.

Five minutes pass awfully fast. Everyone settles into their seats, and Mrs. Kensington goes to the front of the room. And then it begins.

The first piece sells for fifty dollars. The second for thirty. The third for one hundred and thirty. Harry's drawing of Louis goes for sixty bucks, to Louis. Louis' ass sculpture goes for a whopping one hundred and twenty.

When Zayn's painting comes up, Mrs. Kensington actually bids on it. He didn't even know she was allowed to. And she wins, too, the painting going for one hundred and forty-five dollars. The highest so far. Pride swells inside of him, and Liam and Louis both elbow him excitedly.

Liam's painting comes up, and Liam nervously shifts in his seat. So many people bid on it, and the number just keeps rising and rising and rising, until a balding man buys it for a total of two hundred and twenty dollars.