Start.

+ 6 +

"I'll do it, then." I don't miss the all too familiar voice as I walk up to my dorm door, and open it to find Zayn, Josh, Levy and Alex, seated casually all over the place, making themselves at home; too at home for my liking.

"You're fucked up." Josh says as I step inside and shut the door with a click behind me. All heads turn to me, before turning to Zayn and then back at me again.

"Hey Bre," Alex perks up as she reaches for the red bull on her bedside table. "We were waiting for you."

"For me?" I head to me desk, where Zayn is sat at my chair, my notebook in hand. My eyes widen and my heart races as I rip it out of his grasp and hold it firmly by my side.

"The fuck?" He says, swiveling to look at me as if I'd just slapped him.

"That's private." I keep my tone clipped as I place my bag on my desk and put my notebook inside.

"I swear I told him you'd be pissed if he touched your things." Alex buds in, hands up as if in surrender as I tighten my pony tail. Zayn doesn't make anything of her comment as he just stares at me, and I stare back, holding his gaze as firmly as he's holding mine, before I feel my resolve withering and I turn away.

"You said you were waiting for me?" I steer my attention to Josh, but from my peripheral vision I see Zayn smirk whilst running a hand through his hair.

"Tonight's the night. You're going partying." Josh claps and stands from the floor rubbing his hands together. I had forgotten that I had partially agreed to go to the frat party this evening, and I hoping the Josh would forget all together too, but that was a far stretch. "You ready?"

I glance down at my blouse, jeans and flats, smoothing the creases from the day and running a hand over my hair. "Uh, yeah. Let me just empty my bag."

"Wait, you're going like that?" Alex stand from her bed, dressed in a black dress, tight at the top and frilled from her waist down. I take my books out of my bag- minus my notebook-, leaving my phone, charger, laptop, drink bottle, hand sanitizer and tissues.

"Why not?" I ask, suddenly feeling self conscious with her lack of approval and an audience.

"You look like you just came back from class." Her nose wrinkles and her eyes crease from disdain.

"I did just come back from class." I zip up my bag and grab my keys off my desk.

"But you don't need to look it." She sighs exasperatedly as she walks to our shared wardrobe and rummages through it.

"I'm not changing Alex." I turn to Josh, "We can go."

"Right, whose riding with us?" I glance at Levy and Alex, but both shake their heads.

"We're riding with Zayn."

+

I've been sat in the kitchen for nearly an hour, hanging out on the stools by the island counter and occasionally sipping from my water bottle. Josh has been keeping me company for the most part, but I've come to realise that Josh knows a lot of people, and even though he's been with me the entire time, he hasn't really. People come and pat him on the back and strike conversation, blatantly ignoring the girl sitting opposite him.

"Sorry about that." He takes a sip of his beer, as I smile and twist the cap of my bottle.

"It's okay." I shrug as the music suddenly gets louder, vibrating off the walls, and joining the intense beat of my heart in my chest.

"Are you sure you don't want to dance." Josh speaks louder, leaning closer to my ear to the point where I can smell the hint of alcohol on his breath.