The Next Day

"Why do you look so glum?" Zara asked as I sat down at the table for breakfast the next day- I still felt awful about Niall. He hadn't come back to our room that night and I had slept alone in the large bed, it felt empty without him. When he was there it felt more like home.

"Its a long story," I waved her off and halfheartedly placed a spoonful of cereal in my mouth, the cold metal was harsh in my mouth and I soon lost my appetite. Looking up I saw that Zara was staring at me as if waiting for me to continue but I wasn't sure whether telling her was the best idea; I didn't want it to seem like I was mocking Niall for what he did, but I couldn't carry on feeling so horrible about myself.

"Niall said he loved me last night," Zara gasped and held her hands up to her mouth, "And then asked if I loved him back. I said no..."

I trailed off and stared into my bowl, feeling memories flood back to me. I knew that Niall's heartbroken face would forever haunt me, I had never know such sadness inhibit one person. I was brought out my senses with a slap to the cheek and tears stung my eyes. Zara sat in front of me with her teeth gritted and her fists balled up, her usual pale complexion had turned bright red and I could almost feel the anger radiating off her.

"What was that for?" I whimpered, holding my inflamed cheek in my hand, still in shock from the blow. I had never expected that reaction from Zara.

"You're an idiot! Niall is the best thing you've got around here- he freaking loves you. And you love him. I see the way you look at him, with those big, round, grey eyes that are so full of affection I'm afraid they'll burst if you look at him any longer. You made a mistake there Dar," she sipped at her water while staring at me with a cold, judgemental stare.

"I don't like him like that. I don't know, I'm confused. One minute I feel like there might be something romantic there and other times, I think that him and I together is ridiculous," placing my head in my hands I felt Zara reassuringly stroke my hair; despite her feisty nature, she was also caring and understanding.

"There, there. Just try and figure it out before its too late," her voice was calm now, and I rubbed the tears away that had formed in my eyes. In the corner of my gaze, I noticed something move by the door. It was a person, but all I could see was their eyes. They ran before I could even have a chance to process what I saw.

The same ominous feeling crept upon me as it had done before when an eavesdropper had listened in, and goosebumps rose on my skin. Who was listening to our conversation?

Third Person's POV

Ellie ran away from the door when she saw the grey-eyed girl notice her, she couldn't believe what she had just heard. It seemed to her that Dara was purposefully trying to cause a divide between her and Niall, therefore causing friction.

"This can't happen," Ellie whispered to herself as she walked towards Azul's office, a place she often found herself. As much as she hated to admit it, Ellie was a follower. A worshipper of the bossy beauty. But it was much safer that way, no one wanted to get on the wrong side of Azul.

The teal haired girl was staring at one her designs with an intense gaze when she saw the meek girl standing in the doorway; placing her drawings down, Azul walked over to the trembling girl who she knew she had complete control over. Ellie would do her bidding, regardless of what it was that she asked.

"Dara has upset Niall, thereby causing a divide between the pair. Both are well loved people here, this may cause the house to take sides. I suggest you speak to her," Ellie's stutter was always more prominent when she was nervous, which was all the time when she was around Azul.

"She is trouble! I knew it! I fucking knew it!" Azul shouted, and stormed out of her office, looking for Dara who she despised of. There was something about the writer that got on Azul's nerves, maybe it was because Dara wasn't scared of her like most people were. Dara did not feel fear when she passed the arrogant boss, and that annoyed Azul.

Dara's POV

I was just minding my own business when all of a sudden I felt a punch to my back, and turned around to see Azul looking at me with anger raging fiercely in her eyes. Behind her, Ellie stood guiltily and I knew then that I had found our eavesdropper- who would have suspected the quiet girl who always seemed to be absorbed in a book?

"What's this about you hurting Niall? Breaking his heart? Do you have no compassion?" The sound of Azul's voice made my skin crawl with annoyance and I was very tempted to slap her, but chose against it knowing that she would slap me back ten times harder. She may have been small but she sure was strong.

"I didn't want to lie to him, saying that had feelings that I didn't actually have. Surely that would have hurt him more?" I shook my head, not wanting to discuss something that personal with the cold hearted girl standing before me who couldn't be empathetic to save her life.

"You're a good enough actor, at least it would have prevented this awkwardness that is bound to follow. Your actions affect all of us, not just you and Niall. This is the last time I want to talk to you about this," I was about to speak again when she placed her hand in front of my face and walked away before I could even fend for myself. I looked over at Ellie who averted her eyes to the floor, she knew that she had done the wrong thing. Azul didn't need to know about my personal life, I wanted to keep her as far out of my life as I could.

Sighing I walked to my office which unfortunately meant passing Niall's studio, I hadn't seen him in what felt like forever and there was a part of me that was deeply saddened by that. The door was open as I passed; peeping inside I saw Niall hunched over his notebook as he scribbled away furiously. I wanted to go over to him, in an attempt to resolve what had happened the night before but the coward in me shone through and I scurried away before he could even look up.

Locking myself in my study, I took deep breaths and tried to collect my thoughts which all seemed to be whizzing round my head at the same time. Opening up my laptop I began to write, ignoring the tears that fell down my cheeks.

Longer chapter here! Azul is such a bitch, like can she please get a life? Exciting chapters coming up I promise :)

Please give feedback and vote if you enjoyed!!

Also sorry for the changes of POV, I just felt like it was necessary in this chapter. It will remain to be mainly in Dara's perspective, maybe with some other people's views as well.