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Ch27

This probably wasn't supposed to be as complicated as it had turned out to be. Perrie wouldn't stop telling me that over the two weeks of exam period. She was relentless, and it didn't seem to matter much to her that I didn't care much to hear her opinion because I was set in my own ways. I had a plan, and I was sticking to it. Mostly, I just didn't listen because I didn't want to admit that my plan was sort of stupid, and definitely unnecessary.

But whatever.

"All I'm saying, Adelaide, is that this whole big mess could have been over weeks ago!" Perrie continued while I milled around our room, packing all my things into boxes.

It was the end of the semester, the end of the school year, the end of living in residence, and possibly the end of my good behaviour (however seldom it actually was) depending on how badly my (stupid) plan actually panned out. I'd written my last exam of my first year at university just that morning, and I was waiting for it to hit me that I'd actually made it through a year of university.

It wasn't so bad, now that I thought about it. I mean, there were a few unnecessary mishaps, but it all panned out in the end...from a purely academic perspective. I don't want to be cliché, but my pal, Cher, from the movie, Clueless, created the perfect explanation for this. It's full-on Monet. From far away it's OK, but up close it's a big old mess.

"Pez, I've heard about enough. I don't have time for this." I sighed, folding up the rest of my bed sheets, "I just finished my last exam, I'm tired, and my head hurts."

I looked up to her to give her my best pout, but it turned into a genuine one when I saw she was smirking at me from across the dorm room.

"You're confused, Adelaide. It's not your head that hurts," she giggled, shaking her head at the puzzled glance I showed her, "it's your heart, you muppet! Geez. You haven't changed at all have you? Still oblivious as ever."

I frowned then, shooting her a glare, "I'm not oblivious, I just don't want the first person I admit anything to to be you."

"Then what are you standing around for?!"

I jumped at the unexpected voice coming from the doorway out into the hallway (as if I didn't have enough anxiety). I breathed a sigh of relief seeing the familiar highlighted blonde hair, and blue eyes.

"Niall, what are you going on about?" I sighed, slumping down to sit on my now bare bed. I was tired from the treacherous two weeks I'd spent in the library studying. I couldn't blame it entirely on exams, though, because I knew it was the anxiety from potentially spotting Louis on campus before I was ready to that had taken all of the energy out of me. I didn't end up spotting him once, and I think Niall and Perrie had helped with that...in the beginning. That hadn't lasted too long, though.

"Why are you sitting in here instead of talking things out with Louis?" Niall questioned rolling his eyes at me for even asking him before mumbling under his breath, "The two of you always seem to be at each other's necks, and Perrie and I always have to clean up the mess."

I scoffed at his mumbled words, and shook my head at the both of them, "I get it, okay? I get that you both are mad at me for not talking to Louis for two weeks. I get that you're mad at me for jumping to conclusions about Manchester in the first place. I also get that you prats are only grumpy right now because we've just finished exams, and are running low on sleep. So, while I appreciate you guys just wanting me to be happy – whether or not that includes Lou and I together – I really just need you guys to let me do this on my own."

Both Perrie and Niall stared at me for a moment before simultaneously letting out a long sigh, and nodded. I could see some sort of relief rush past both of their faces as they stepped closer to sit with me on my empty bed.