Bully Love (Zayn Malik)

6

6.

I doodled on my paper and waited until the bell rang for the next period. I was drawing a tree all over my paper for notes and and made a little bird in the corner. Finally the bell rang and I packed up my things before heading out.

I cut through the theater room to get to art quicker so I didn't have another altercation with any of the bullies and especially Zayn. He thought he could just apologize like that and everything would be alright. I was not that easy anymore. It would take a lot for me to trust someone fully. I didn't even trust Liam like that until seventh grade. Actually, then again, I was pretty stupid when people were nice to me so I could trust someone in like a month. It varied.

"Hey, Nikki." Monty said to me as I entered. I smiled at her and placed my things beside my normal canvas. "Do you mind helping me out with this?" She motioned towards a painting leaning against the wall.

I shrugged and said, "Alright." I stood up and picked up one of the sides. She held the other and we walked to the empty part of the wall and I extended my arms up to get it on the wall.

"Thanks Nikki." She grinned, walking back to her desk. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you, are you okay with this sculpting and drawing thing with your sprained wrist?" Monty questioned.

"Yeah, I'm good." I nodded. I watched her place some papers into her desk and then fix the flowers. "I've been meaning to ask a question too, actually." I stood up.

"Mhm." She nodded, still tidying up.

I knew Liam that told me that I wasn't allowed to quit art but I realized that if I wanted to, I could. I didn't need to take some high school class to draw. I drew at home a lot. "So I was thinking and I think that quitting--"

"Are you talking about smoking again?" Someone interrupted me. I jumped and turned around to see this person. Zayn. Ugh. He walked over and nonchalantly put an arm over my shoulder, covering my mouth. "Quitting smoking would be a good idea. Yeah, she told me about this too. She thought about telling someone she trusted." He lied to Monty. I looked up at him and he gave me a look that said don't say anything. There was also a small threatening look to it so I nodded and played along.

"I didn't know you smoked." She turned around and he uncovered my face. "But yeah, I know you sing a bit and smoking could ruin that amazing voice you have." Monty turned back around. People started coming into the classroom and he dragged me into the corner.

"I didn't know you sang. I s--"

"Shut up." I whispered. "What was that? You didn't even know what I was going to say." I stated.

"You were gonna quit art. I don't want you to quit."

"Why? It's not like we were close!" I shouted at him.

"But I'm really sorry and I want to be friends--"

"Stop with that! Just stop it! You don't want to be my friend. Either this is a bet, you're being paid for this, you want me to explode, or you just want to see me hurt." I told him before walking to my stool. He sat down across the room with Perrie clinging to his arm. I rolled my eyes and listened to what Monty was saying.

"You're free to do whatever you want in this classroom, kiddies. Run free. We're gonna go with the flow today."

I took a blank canvas and some paint and sat down on the wall with my paint brushes. I looked out the window and saw clouds and trees with the wind blowing. I guess that was what I would be drawing today. I dipped my paintbrush in the green paint and carefully made the leaves.

"It's beautiful." I heard from beside me. I didn't bother answering, knowing the voice. "Oh, now the ignoring. You know I'm not doing anything wrong, Nicolette." He said to me.