There he sat, senior, Zayn Malik. He gave off this tough vibe, but I knew the real him. I had grown up with him as my next door neighbor. We would play together. Ride bikes together. Our families would even have dinners together. Everything we did before high school was together. But when high school came around, everything changed. 

Our high school was a combination of three middle schools. Our district was huge, which meant that we met a lot of new and different people once freshman year hit. Zayn went his way and I went mine, but we are still neighbors, so I know him.

He’s not so tough. He’s a normal guy. Most people, including his friends don’t even know that he likes guys. Yeah, he’s gay. He was hidden way in the back of the closet, but still gay. How did I know that? Well, I know only because he kissed me to find out for himself. 

So yeah, I know Zayn Malik. The hot shot senior with a cool attitude. I know him well and he knows me. But he found new friends and didn’t have time for me anymore. He had Louis and Liam, while I had Harry. Our separated friend groups hardly interacted with one another. So when Zayn approached me after school, I was a bit surprised. 

“Niall, wait up!” Zayn caught me just before I could get in my car and drive home. He jogged up to my car and smiled. I turned to face him and raised a querying eyebrow at him.

“Do you need a ride home?” I asked. It was the only logical reason I could think of for Zayn stopping me in the parking lot. I mean, we were neighbors. He had a car, but maybe it broke down or got a flat or something. 

He shook his head. “Nah, man. Thanks thought. I actually just wanted to ask you a question.” He nonchalantly leaned on the side of my car and dug around in his pockets. He pulled out a carton of cigarettes and tapped one from the box.  I grimaced. Smoking was one of those bad habits Zayn had picked up in high school. 

But he wanted to ask me a question? I blushed at the thought since, yeah, I had a thing for Zayn. Ever since that kiss. Ever since we had known each other I had always liked Zayn. And it was more than just a friendly gesture. No, my heart physically throbbed for him. 

“U-Uh sure. Go ahead.” I stammered, leaning against my car to look cool. It probably failed. I was far from cool. 

“So the boys and I were thinking about taking a little trip to the lake this weekend.” He nudged me and I gave him a shy smile. By “the boys” he meant Louis and Liam, and probably their girlfriends. Oh, and did I mention? Zayn has a girlfriend. She’s a cover up most likely, but the poor girl probably doesn’t even know. Her name is Perrie. She’s sort of a bomb shell and I can admit that I am jealous of her. Not because she’s beautiful. I’m not too bad for a guy, but because she’s with him. I had zoned out by the time Zayn reached the end of his question. “So?”

“Hmm?” I shook my thoughts away. “Sorry. What was that?”

“I was wondering if you and Harry wanted to go. It’s just gonna be a guys trip. The girls were going to some spa, I don’t know. I’ll never understand them.” Zayn puffed on his cigarette and blew the smoke away from me. “Women, you know…” He sighed and gave me this sad look. 

“I wouldn’t expect you to understand them.” I gave him a knowing look and he just chuckled. “What?”

“You sure are something, Niall.” He clapped a hand on my shoulder and left it there longer than was socially normal. I watched as his fingers played with the fabric of my shirt. “But yeah, think it over. We’re leaving this Friday, so just shoot me a text if you wanna come.” He slipped his hand from my shoulder and began walking away. 

“Hey Zayn.” I stopped him. He turned back to me and cocked an eyebrow. “Liam and Louis won’t mind? I mean. Harry and I don’t really talk to you guys that often.” I was feeling insecure. Of course I had spoken with Zayn, on more than one occasion, but t wasn’t like we were all buddy buddy like we were before high school. I never spoke with Louis before and I had only talked with Liam once because we had a school project together. I don’t think Harry had spoken to any of them. It would be awkward. 

“I’m cool with you, so they should be too.” He winked at me and walked off towards the other side of the parking lot. I saw that Louis and Liam were waiting for him and messing around in the parking lot. I sighed contently because it was always a good day when Zayn talked to me. 

“So~ What was that about?” I jumped when I heard Harry’s voice beside me. He smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. “You guys don’t talk.” Harry peered over the cars in the parking lot over to where Zayn was with his friends.

“We talk sometimes.” I defended myself. “He needed to ask me something.” I pushed Harry out of the way and got into my car. I rolled my window down to listen to what else Harry had to say. “What?”

“I’m coming over today.” Harry announced. 

“No.”

“To bad. I’m already on my way.” He waved me goodbye, only to jog over to his own car and peel out of the school parking lot towards my house. I rolled my eyes at his fast car and follow behind him. 

By the time I got home, Harry was already in my house, having found the spare key under the front door mat. He was lazily laying on my couch and munching on whatever he found in the cupboards. One of these days he was going to walk in on my mom and scare the hell out of her. 

“Harry, why did you need to come over today?” I groaned, sitting down on the couch on top of Harry. He huffed and wiggled out from under me, sitting up straight. 

“Because.” Harry grabbed another handful of chips and shoved them into his mouth. “I needed to know what your dear Zaynie-poo asked you today. I swear that guy has the hots for you.” Harry munched and gave me this long stare.

I had never told Harry that Zayn was gay, or maybe bisexual… Perrie had to have meant something. Harry just had this all knowing attitude and most of the time he was right. He was a new student last year and we hit it off great. I found him trying to sneak into the girl’s locker room and we just, well, became friends. It was weird. I know. But Harry’s weird. The first question he ever asked me was not for my name, but if I was gay. I wasn’t even sure where he pulled that out from, but he was confident in his question and all I could do was answer with the truth. 

“First off, his name is Zayn. Not Zaynie-Poo. Second, he asked us on a trip with him, Louis and Liam.”

“Us?” Harry repeated. 

“Yeah. I guess their heading down to the lake for the weekend. Zayn’s family has a cabin down there. It’s really nice. We went a few years ago and…”

“Wait, you’ve been there?” Harry exclaimed. I nodded. “With Zayn?!”

“You knew that, you idiot.” I shook my head and got up from the couch. “But I was thinking… Maybe it would be fun.” I shrugged and grabbed the bag of chips from Harry. He protested, but it was my house. So he would have to deal. 

“I’ll go if you go.” Harry picked at his fingernails. “Any girls going?” I laughed, because unfortunately for Harry, this was a strictly manly weekend. I shook my head, smiling. 

“Well, lucky you.” Harry grumbled. “Sometimes I wish I was bisexual. I would be pleased with anyone I was surrounded by.” He huffed and went back to lying down on the couch, kicking me in my side and forcing my up from the cushion. 

“It doesn’t work that way, Harry.” I informed him. Harry merely shrugged, taking back the bag of chips and turning on the TV. 

So there we were, at the school parking lot with our bags at our sides. I had texted Zayn that Harry and I were in. He replied with a mere smiley face. I don’t know why, but it made me grin like an idiot. I eagerly looked out for Liam’s SUV that we would be driving down to the lake, a five hour drive. After waiting for fifteen minutes past the time I was given to show up. I feared that it was all a joke and we were just standing there like fools, but Liam’s SUV soon pulled into the parking lot, horn beeping rapidly. 

The large SUV pulled up next to my car and Zayn hopped out, Louis and Liam following behind him. “Niall! Glad you could make it!” Zayn gave me this weird bro-hug that felt awkward not only for me, but I bet it did for him as well. He pulled back and gave Harry a nod. I smiled at Louis and Liam, they nodded back in return.

“Thanks for the invite.” I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder. Harry did the same. “Bags in the trunk?”

“That’s right. We’re leaving as soon as we can.” Liam scratched his neck were his beard was coming in. “So hurry it up Horan… Styles…” He then clapped his hands together and ran to the drivers side of the SUV. I found it odd that he even knew Harry’s name. Maybe they had talked before, Liam was a friendly guy. I mean, he was friends with everyone. 

“Here, let me help with that.” Zayn grabbed my bag and opened the back of the car. He put my bag on top of the others and then grabbed the bag Harry had handed him. We all piled into the car, Harry in the very back, Zayn and I in the middle, and then Liam and Louis up front. Five hours of car games and rest stops awaited us. 

A/N: So obviously, this is before the prologue. I had to take a little step back. The ghostie things will start soon! I needed to give a little back story before this went on! Please Vote and Comment!

Much Love

Jachxx