Niall and Audrey:
Audrey on about school. She's like why not? Since I'm not gonna die now. She only tells zayn. And Denny, of course. Probably her dad, too. Basically, everyone but Niall. Though, she didn't mean for it to happen like that.
California schools, a handful of her favorite UCs, and a few fall back schools. She'd finished both of her AAs while on tour. It was a good distraction, not to mention an excuse to avoid everyone at first.
she didn't think she was going to get in. She hadn't looked at anything school-related since she'd paid the ridiculous application fee. She hadn't even thought about it until she got the email. Well, emails.
What probably happened was she and the blue-eyed wonder boy had dinner plans- she'd cooked and everything. Maybe he cooked? Was going to cook? It'd been on the calendar for a week and a half and it was important she was finally going to break the news to him?
But then she gets the acceptance emails and freaks, dropping everything to go see Zayn because she has to make this decision. She didn't give him much notice, either. She texted him when she got onto the train.
He opens the door with sleepy eyes and bed head, mumbling hello until she barrels into him.
"What's it now, Aud? Lovers quarrel?" Her eyes widen as if she's just realized what she's done.
"No, but I didn't tell him where I was going or why I left." Her words are muffled by his thick sweater. He tugs on her hair.
"You dumb shit." She cringes
"I know!"
"Why're you here, then?" He's stopped tugging and switched to running his fingers through her silky locks
"I got into uni!" Her voice rose to an almost yell, breaking at the end of the exclamation. He pushed her from his chest to look her in the eye. she began to squirm under his gaze. Or maybe it was the cold.
Either was likely.
the corner of his mouth twitched and he turned, heading inside. She trailed after him, shutting the door and kicking her shoes off. She sits at the counter while he puts the kettle on, reaching for his box of tea labeled Audrey and her favorite mug. He rested his elbows on the counter, leaning towards her while she rifled through the mix.
"Which unis?" The calm tone in his voice made her let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
"All of my fallback ones, but I'm mostly interested in Santa Cruz and San Diego." She plucked her favorite holiday blend out of the box, tentatively meeting his gaze. He exhaled through his nose.
"You got into both?" She nodded, playing with her fingers. "which one do you want?" His brows pulled together. She proceeded to explain the pros and cons of each school while the water boiled.
she was in such a frenzy after opening the acceptance email she forgot to exit the window before taking off to Zayn's. It was the colorful university logo that caught Niall's eyes, otherwise, he wouldn't have noticed it. He quickly deduced what happened; knowing Audrey she would've probably sought the older boy's opinion, concluding that's where she must have gone. It seemed like she left in a hurry, tea half-drunk on the counter.
Niall was hurt, yes, but confused more than anything. Why would she keep this from him? He gets right back in the car, trying not to speed the whole way to zayn's house.
He knew and understood that she had a particularly close relationship with Zayn- they'd clicked from the start.
N- please tell me shes with you
Z- she's with me
The raven-haired boy bit his lip and typed another message, only half listening and nodding to whatever Audrey was saying. After another minute she realized he wasn't actually listening and closed her mouth, eyes fixed on the mug of tea in her hands.
Z- she left it open didn't she
Z- you on your way?
N- yeah
"Is he mad?" It was a stupid question, one she wished she hadn't asked as soon as it left her mouth. Zayn let out another breath and locked his phone, setting it face down on the counter.
"You can ask when he gets here." Her eyes widened momentarily as she chomped on her lip. After a few more minutes of silence, Audrey went to go sit on the front porch, a cup of tea warming her hands against the chill outside.
Niall pulls up not five minutes later, the slam of the car door making her jump as she looked up to see him walking up the front path.
He sits down next to her without a word, though, he's close enough for their knees to knock and for her to feel the heat coming off of him. She takes a big sip of tea before speaking.
"I wanted to tell you tonight." He was staring at his hands but turned towards her on the step. It made sense now: the dinner plans, the fact that she'd been tiptoeing around him for the past few days. He blinked and she let out another breath, answering his next question before he could ask it. "I didn't see much of a point if I didn't get into any of them."
"But you did." He said, voice rough with emotion. it made her want to cry. She bit her lip and nodded.
"Yeah, I did." The words hung in the air as the silence that followed surrounded both of them. Goosebumps appeared on her skin as she clutched the mug closer to her chest. She could feel the water behind her eyes and tucked her chin to her chest, hoping nothing would leak out.
"Am I the only one who didn't know?" He didn't care if he sounded jealous or petty because he was pretty sure he was both in this case. Her lip began to tremble and she sniffed, eventually nodding. He stood up again, shoving his hands in his pockets and blowing out a puff of air, cheeks pink from the night air.
"I didn't want to bring it up until I knew something could happen for sure. You were so excited to write and be in the studio, I just... I didn't want to ruin it." She glanced up at his shadowed figure.
It was true, they both knew it: he'd been in and out of the studio a minimum of 4 times a week, writing nonstop at home and fiddling with the guitar or the piano. They hadn't had a proper chat in what felt like ages.
Hence the planned dinner.
"You don't think this ruins it?" He didn't mean to say it out loud. He regretted it immediately.
Audrey's mouth fell open and it felt like all the air had been sucked out of her. Hot tears fell down her cheek.
"Niall, that's not fair." She stood, her knuckles white as she held onto her mug for dear life. It was the only thing anchoring her.
He shrugged his shoulders, feeling it was too late to back out now. Her gaze burned into him for a few more seconds before she turned and walked back into the house.
At the sound of the door closing, Zayn looked up from his sketchbook to find Audrey trying desperately not to cry. He rushed over to her.
"What happened, love?" She wiped at her nose, letting him take the cup of tea out of her shaking hands.
"He hates me," the tears were flowing freely now. He started rubbing up and down her arms.
"He doesn't hate you. He could never hate you."
"He said I ruined it." She hiccuped. Zayn's hands stilled.
"Ruined what?" Audrey gripped his shirt harder and closed her eyes, shaking her head. Ruined what, their relationship? Because if that were it, Zayn would actually have to punch his best friend. "Go run a bath, yeah? bottom drawer has some of your clothes in it and you can pick any jumper you like, alright?" He pressed a kiss to her forehead, tucking her hair behind her ear.
She sniffed, blinking at him for a moment before nodding to herself and disappearing down the hallway.
Zayn took a deep breath and threw the front door open. Niall jumped.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?"
