*Sami*

"Hello love!"

I immediately smiled upon hearing the enthusiasm radiating from the voice on the other end of the line.

"Hey Niall."

"What's up?"

Running a hand through my hair, I sighed.

"Just contemplating my current escape route."

"Oh. Tell the boys I said hello." He joked.

Niall knew of my burning hatred that I held for Harry and Liam. Though Niall didn't particularly hate them, he still chose to stay away from them; it was probably only for my sake. They were nothing but trouble anyways.

"Will do. Anyway I was calling to ask if you wanted to c-"

"Talking to your boyfriend now, are we?" Mocked a voice. "Shut up Harry!" I snapped, watching as the brunette scurried past me.

"Boyfriend hmm?" Niall was smirking. That much I could tell.

"Oh shut up you loser and listen to me." As Niall's laugh rang throughout my ears, I laughed as well. His laugh was contagious.

"Okay I'm sorry."

Smiling, I began to speak again. "I was wondering if you were available to hang out tomorrow? My parents will be out of town for their anniversary, Dylan will be at sleep away camp, and Michelle leaves for Italy." She was going to be studying abroad.

"For you, I'm always available. Should I bring anything?"

"Nah. Unless you want to bring some kind of specific snack or something."

"Nope. I think your food should suffice."

Smiling lightly, I laughed. "Okay well I gotta bounce Niall. They're beginning to serve the food."

"Okay love. Text me then!" Ending the call, I stood up from my place on the couch and walked into the backyard.

"So you finally decided to join us?" Looking up, I glared at Harry.

"Sorry. Some people are more important to me than others." His eyes darkened as the words escaped my lips. Good. He fucking deserves it.

"Sami!" I smiled upon seeing Zayn. He was also a dear friend of mine, a friend of Niall's, and a friend of Liam's. "Zayn! My boy!" I joked to him as we embraced one another.

"Still gotta use those tiptoes I see." He grimaced, as he pointed at my feet. I was so short, only five feet. I had to stand on my toes in able to hug him properly. "You are correct." He smiled at me, and his eyes sparkled. "So, what does it feel like to be a junior?"

I laughed. "Same as it did last year, and the year before that." "Oh come on!" He elbowed my side as we walked to an available table. "It has gotta be more thrilling than that! You're a junior now! You practically own half of the school."

"Not when people still mistake you for a freshman." As I sipped from my red solo cup he laughed. "Oh come on, being short isn't that bad." "Oh no Zayn, it is that bad." I paused for a brief moment to wipe my face with a napkin.

"Besides! You're five-nine or something, why do you care!" I raised a hand in the air as I spoke. "Just to let you in on a little guy secret, we'd much prefer a shorter girl than a taller one; at least I would." "Really now? And I suppose all of your past girlfriends would agree with this little statement of yours?"He blushed at my words and sipped from his cup. Every girl he has dated as been at least five-eight and if not, taller.

"Well maybe they aren't my preference, but if we weren't such good friends I'd surely date you." He wiggled his eyebrows and I laughed. "Oh yeah? Why don't you gimme a little smooch then, right here." I tapped my cheek several times, and as Zayn leaned over to peck it; somebody groaned.

"Keep your hands off one another would ya? This isn't a whore house!"

"Shut the hell up Harry!" I snapped, as I eyed the boy. "Well sorry. I don't appreciate a slut snogging on one of my mates!"

How dare he. Fucking prick.

Standing up, I pushed myself from the table and ran back into the house. Fuck dessert man, I'm getting the hell out of here.

As I gathered my belongings, a hand clamped around my arm. "Please stay." It was Zayn. "I'm sorry Zayn, but I can't take his harshness anymore. He's so fucking mean to me." As his hand fell from around my wrist, he sighed. "He isn't worth it love. How many times do I have to tell you that?" "How many years have I lived here?" I asked him, as I tucked my phone in my pocket. He thought about his answer, and scratched his neck. "Thirteen years give or take." "Right. And for thirteen years that boy has done nothing but pester me! I can't take his or Liam's abuse anymore Zayn! I've fucking had it!"

Just then the back door was flung open, and their mother ran in followed by mine. "Oh dear. Where are you off to? We haven't even had dinner yet." "I don't feel like myself. I think I ate something bad. Don't worry, it should pass." "Well can I get you anything? Water? Advil? Juice?" Waving her off I smiled. "Sam, honey; do you want to lie down?" Again I shook my head. "Mother I'm fine." "Can I at least walk you home?" She asked, her hand finding itself on my forehead. Pushing it away I sighed. "Momma, I promise you I'm fine. You stay and enjoy yourself." Planting a kiss on my forehead she nodded and followed Anne back into the yard.

"Well can I at least walk you home? And I won't take 'no' as an acceptable answer." "Sure Zayn, if you insist." His face lit up, and together we walked across the street to where my house was. As we approached the front door, he pulled me in for another hug. "I miss you." His breathe tickled my neck and once more I sighed. "I miss you too Zayn. Ever since you met Michael you've changed."

Michael was a guy that they all had classes with their senior year of high school. The guy did tons of drugs, smoked, and was overall bad news. I'm pretty sure he'd even been to jail a handful of times. He then decided to peer pressure Zayn into becoming a completely different guy. Since Zayn is easily influenced, it wasn't hard for them to do. He also had another friend named Calum whom I had also met several times. They were also able to convince Harry and Liam to join their little cliche as well as Louis. I was so upset when I heard about this, but obviously there was nothing I could do about it. I suppose the only reason Anne didn't criticize the boys was because of her love for them. They were all she had left in the world and just learned to accept it. She was too good for them.

Calum was much kinder than Michael though. The lot of them were littered from head to toe in tattoos and piercings. Thank god my parents weren't judgmental, for they obviously adored Zayn and the other boys. They didn't know much of Michael and Calum, and I intended for it to stay that way.

"Hey, he and some of his buddies leave for Australia next week. They have some private business to take care of I guess. He should be gone a month or two. We will have plenty of time to hang all of then."

By the time he had finished talking, he had a huge smile plastered on his face. "That's great. I mean I don't know if you're up for it, but Niall is stopping by tomorrow. Maybe you would care to stop by and hang for a while? If Calum is around you can extend the invitation to him too." I cocked an eyebrow and Zayn bit his lip. "I'll have to check in with Cal, but I'm free. What time should I be here?" I had yet to Niall a time as well. "Two? One at the earliest." "I'll be there at One-thirty!" Zayn winked at me, which lead to me laughing. "Such a flirt you are." Stepping inside my house, Zayn began his decent back to Harry and Liam's.

"I'll text you!"

"Sounds good!"