The dinner ended and everyone felt tired from their full stomachs, Connie smiled to herself as she was proud that this night was acting out the way she planned. No one was fighting and everyone was happy. Louis had his arm around Mara, he leaned in and kissed the side of her head as she yawned, she turned and smiled at him. Elena nudged Niall who looked as well then looked at Elena and winked. Payton looked at Mara, how happy she was got mad. "May I be excused, Mom?" He stood up and grabbed his girlfriend's hand. Everyone looked at him.
"Yes, dear." Connie smiled and sipped some water. "How about you all go down and watch a movie as your dinner rests, Elena and Mara made some sweet treats." She wrinkled her nose as she smiled at Elena and Mara.
Niall kissed Elena's cheek and Harry clapped with excitement, "Yes! Sweets!"
"You don't need anymore..." Liam laughed, as well as Jacob and Donny.
Everyone then got up and made their way downstairs, they were mostly quiet due to the aches in their bellies. Elena grabbed a movie and popped it in the DVD player and sat down on the couch next to Niall. Mostly everyone sat in their same seats, except this time, Liam sat next to Elena on the couch facing towards the screen. Zayn and Harry sat next to each other, leaving room for Louis and Mara who of course was tardy compared to everyone else. This, Louis enjoyed, when Mara was actually smiling and laughing at him, not caring about what everyone else thought or said. They walked hand and hand down the stairs, their talking and flirting could be heard by everyone and the boys all looked at each other and chuckled. Mara walked in first, with Louis holding around her waist as they went to sit down. The room was calm until they came in. Elena smiled at Mara who just blushed. They all paid attention as they watched a comedy, all starting to become tired.
Louis leaned into Mara and whispered in her ear, she giggled and bit at her bottom lip, Payton saw and cleared his throat loudly. Harry as well was playfully flirting with Mara the entire time till, finally, Payton spoke up. "Shit, Mara, you just think you're so wanted... don't you?" He stood up and turned on the light. Mara's hand was on Louis' thigh, she blushed.
"Really, Payton? Sit down." Elena rolled her eyes.
"I have something to tell you, Mara, they don't fucking want you!" He laughed and walked closer to Mara. "They are just going to do what I did, right? They are just going to use you and leave like nothing happened. Because you don't matter, right?" He smiled to himself. Mara started to become emotional, her eyes swelling with tears and her breathing became uneven. "You're pathetic... I can't believe they even waste their time! Stop flirting with them and stop being such a whore with each of them." He came closer to Mara, tears streaming down her face as she started to sob. Elena rose up in her seat and Niall held her back. "Aw are you crying?" He laughed as he reached for her hair.
Zayn stood up and grabbed Payton's hand before he could pull on Mara's bun. "Hey. Leave her alone, alright?"
"Oh you want her to be in good condition when you sleep with her tonight?" He smirked at Zayn, Zayn's jaw clenched and with his other hand he reached over and punched Payton in the jaw.
Mara exclaimed into a louder sob and he arms shook, she couldn't believe what happened. How Payton could just ruin everything and say all of those things in front of her, but what if he's right. Her heart sank as she just sobbed more; her makeup smeared on her face and left black marks down her cheeks. Louis quickly grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling Mara into his lap and holding her head onto his shoulder. He whispered over and over, "It's ok, nothing happened. You're ok."
Everyone gasped when Payton was hit, Zayn let go of Payton's arm and Payton just laughed hysterically to himself then slapped his own chest, "Bring it on pretty boy! You think you're going to win her over because you're defeating the bad guy?" He cracked his knuckles and punched Zayn back. Mara listened to the smack against Zayn's face and she let out a small scream. Elena got furious and clenched her jaw. Niall held onto her tightly, Harry and Liam looked to each other then looked at Louis who glared at them and mouthed them to not move.
Zayn jumped over the couch and grabbed Payton by the shirt collar and pushed him up to the wall behind the couch, "News flash, I win." He punched him again. "And I better not hear you talk smack about Mara again." He glared at Payton who just laughed.
"Be careful, pretty boy, because that slick fag is comforting your princess." He looked over at Louis. Mara was trying to breathe in between her sobs. "You heard me."
Louis stood up and set Mara down on the couch then walked over to Payton, his heart in a tussle with anger. "Oh I heard you..." He glared and rolled up his sleeves. Payton tried to move and sock him in the jaw but Zayn held him back. Instead of punching, Payton gathered up some saliva and spat it right in Louis' eye.
Elena stood up, "Payton! That's enough!" Everyone stared in shock.
Louis shoved Zayn out of the way and punched Payton in the face as hard as he could, "This is your fault you know!" He picked him up and slammed him against the wall several times, "Why Mara is crying." There was a silence and all that could be heard was the struggling breaths and sobs coming from Mara who was curled up in a ball crying. "You were her friend." He slammed him again, "You told her you loved her!" He clenched his jaw.
"Everyone lies, buddy, I'm sure you did when you said you loved her." Payton struck back with a head butt, giving Louis a bloody nose. Harry stood up and restrained Zayn from striking the bruised up Payton more.
Elena shot up and pulled Louis back to the couch and sat him down, he felt dizzy. She stomped over to Payton and held him by the jaw, "You will regret this day, Payton." She threw him to the ground then held her head as she thought and paced. Sarah rushed to Payton who was on the ground, passed out. Jeff and Peter went over to Payton as well.
Niall went over to Mara and stroked his hand down her back, "Sweetie it's just me..." he sat her up to help her breathe.
"Are they ok? Is Zayn ok?" she looked around then saw Louis on the couch across the way with a bloody nose and Liam helping to treat it. "LOUIS!" She went to stand up, reaching towards him and started crying more. Louis looked over to her and went to stand up as well. Liam made him sit down and Niall made Mara sit down too. "Elena..."
Elena quickly went upstairs and grabbed her purse and her keys, "We're leaving." Mara was balled up, expressionless as if she wasn't even there. "Someone grab Mara." She walked out into the garage and unlocked the minivan.
Niall went to pick Mara up, Louis stood up and patted Niall on the back, "I got this one."
"Are you sure?" Niall looked at Louis' still bleeding nose.
"She'd want me to..." He whispered and looked down at Mara who still was crying. Niall and Harry along with Liam all followed after Elena to the garage. Zayn lingered looking at Mara, his body ached. "Mara..." Louis picked up Mara and held her like a toddler, her arms around his neck and legs around his waist.
"I'm sorry..." Mara whispered in between sobs. Holding onto him tightly, feeling his blood drip onto her bare shoulder.
Zayn opened the door for Louis and closed it genteelly behind him, making their way to the already started minivan. "Don't be, love." He squeezed Mara tightly.
"Put her up front..." Elena commanded, Louis did as well as buckled her up. Louis kissed her forehead then got in the seat behind her. They all got in the car silently and were quiet as Elena started driving, her knuckles white as she grabbed the steering wheel.
"Wont your moms say something?" Harry spoke up, he watched Louis and Zayn examine each other's battle scars.
"She's having too much fun. I'll text her later." Elena mumbled, tears stinging her eyes. She looked over at Mara, "We're going to take you far away from him ok?" her voice cracked as she started to cry slightly. The car fell silent as Elena kept driving.
"Where are we exactly going?" Niall spoke up from the back.
"Just let me drive!" Elena barked back and drove down to where the beach was near her house. "Where going wherever the hell I want." Tears running down her face as she looked over to her friend, Mara who was choking on her own sobs as she tried to breathe the best she could; she knew that Mara was in pain.
The car was tense and quiet; Louis stared at Mara with a watchful eye as well as Zayn. Harry rested his elbows on his knees as he tried to comprehend what happened. Everyone was scared, sad, mad and they didn't know what to do next. All they wanted was to be safe, seeing Mara this sad set everyone on edge. Elena drove up to Edmond's Beach which was only five miles away—taking only three minutes to pull up to the crisp lonely seaside. Elena parked furiously and swung open her door, throwing off her heels, and then started running off the mini peninsula that stretched off past the shore. The bitter air slapped her and started stinging her watery eyes. "Elena!" Niall crawled out of the very back seat and ran after her, followed by Liam who came as well. "Elena..." Niall watched her for a moment as she screamed out into the sound and sobbed. Liam stood from a distance, watching Elena in pain; his own eyes started to tear.
