HAYLEY

Ashton

Her hair was startlingly red.

The girl was tiny, probably a good foot shorter than he was.

The guard leading Ashton and Niall sighed. "Hayley, why are you out of your ward? You're in 3C. This is 2A."

"Macy let me out," she said, giving them an innocent smile. "Who's this?"

"Ashton."

"And Niall," Ashton added.

"He's cute," she said, winking.

Ashton raised an eyebrow. "Me?"

"No. Niall."

Ashton's mouth dropped open. "You can... you can see him?"

Hayley rolled her eyes. "Well, duh. I can't call what I can't see cute. And he's very cute." She grinned.

Niall frowned at her. "Ash, I don't think she likes me."

"But she called you cute!"

"She's going to try to take me away!" Niall hissed, panicked.

The guard pulled Ashton on, and he barely managed to give Hayley a wave before he was dragged away.

"She could see you, Niall. She said so!" Ashton said, excited.

"Don't believe her." Niall's voice was firm. "Trust me. People are bad. They act for themselves, not for others. She wants to take me away."

Ashton shook his head. "I wouldn't let her."

The guard let them into a room. "Room 17. This is going to be yours. If you're lost, tell them Room 17, Ward 2A. But you shouldn't have much opportunity to be lost." He walked out, locking the door with an audible click.

Niall frowned. "I don't like being here. They're going to try to take me away."

Ashton frowned, too. "I won't let them. You're my best friend. I don't know why you think they want to take you away. You've never left me, and you never will."

Niall nodded. "I wouldn't. You're my best friend, too. I care about you. And these people, they don't like people like us. They think we're different, and they think different's bad. They thing that taking me away will make you more like them."

Ashton sighed, thinking about Hayley. "Is being like them so bad?"

Niall's voice was firm.

"Trust me. You don't want to be like them."

[A/N Can Hayley actually see Niall?]