The Girl Next Door (A One Direction Fan Fiction)

Saving Nikki

Zayn's POV:

~*~

Today, Liam and I are planning on walking Nikki home from school because we honestly have nothing better to do for the time being. Originally, Niall was going to be taking her home, but he's been feeling a bit under the weather today, so Liam and I stepped up to the plate. Plus, I haven't talked to the girl much. It'd be nice to get to know her better, especially when I hear the stories Louis, Niall, and Liam tell Harry and I.

At 3:00 Liam and I head over to the school wearing hoodies and sunglasses. The last thing we need is some over-obses- I mean dedicated fangirl to spot us.

We stand in the parking lot where she told us to go and wait for her for 'bout fifteen minutes before the bell rings and people gradually pile out of the double doors out front. We avoid eye contact with anyone that walks past and stares at us weirdly. Though, I must admit, if I were them and I had just gotten out of school to see two guys, obviously out of high school, hanging out in the parking lot with hoodies and sunglasses on, even though it's cloudy out, I'd be curious too.

And I just made that sound a lot shadier than it actually is.

Finally, Nikki skips out of the front door towards us, the corners of her lips tugging upward into a full on grin. She really is just like a little kid, I swear.

"So how was your day?" Liam asks Nikki while running his hand over his shaved head.

"Eh," She sighs. 

"Second day and you're already realizing the joys of school. I forget how much I disliked it every now and then, and then I talk to someone who is still in school and I remember." I chortle as Nikki rolls her eyes, placing her hands in her jean pockets.

"Lucky; you don't have to go to school anymore." Nikki huffs.

Liam and I chuckle at her as we continue on our half an hour walk back. Fifteen minutes later as we're walking, I see a careless driver toss a lit cigarette out of his car window onto the curb before he drives away. I roll my eyes at his inconsideration. 

As we're within three feet of the burning butt, Nikki seems to smell the slightly odoriferous fag on the ground. Her eyes widen in terror and to our horror, she grows pale and begins to wheeze

Liam and I realize what's happening without a second word. Nikki is having an asthma attack.

~*~

Nikki's POV:

~*~

With the first whiff of the lit roll of tobacco and I can feel the asthma kicking in. 

My lungs seem to confine with the first breath of the contaminated air, the asthma already becoming a full on attack. It seems a bit unrealistic to say that in under ten seconds, the severeness of the attack has already reached its peaking point, but it's certainly not a lie. 

My breaths grow shallow and feckless, not sending the needed oxygen to my brain, causing me to grow lightheaded. 

I response to this, I grow upset, working myself up over the fact that I can't breathe; a completely normal response, but not helping my asthma in any case. My throat clenches, a kink in my esophogus growing, causing it to be even harder -if possible- to breathe. 

I feel like a fish out of water, no matter what I do, I can't breathe. 

I can sense Liam throwing me over his shoulder like a potato sack, tearing down the sidewalk with Zayn by his side. The worst part, I don't even have my inhaler on me. I had left it by my nightstand this morning, not even thinking twice about the possible circumstance that I'm in now.

My vision grows foggy as I fight for air, my emotions going into hyperdrive.

Why couldn't I have seen the cigarette?

I could've prevented this!

I cause too much trouble for my own good; one week and the boys have had to save me twice.

Why did I have to leave my inhaler back at home?

If I had just been logica-

The last thing I see is the blurry profile of the small birthmark on Liam's jawline before it all goes black.

~*~