The Nanny
Not What You Think
A distraction is all this was.
And maybe a hopeful attempt at making Aria jealous although that idea, later, made me only feel guilty. It wasn't like she knew how I felt and she was with Niall. But still, it wouldn't hurt for her to be a little jealous, right?
My date was going on and on about her trip to the states and I was pulling my napkin to pieces wondering what Aria as up to.
I wondered if she was cuddled on the sofa with Darcy and Jamie watching one of those cartoon movies my daughter loved and I highly suspected Aria did as well.
I wondered if she was thinking of me, wondering what I was doing in this exact moment. She wouldn't have any idea that I would rather be at home with them then here, miserable with a poor oblivious girl that was desperately trying to catch my attention.
I was aware it wasn't fair to... whatever her name was.... What was her name again?
Damn I should know this.
I glanced up at her, still carrying on about how big New York seemed, Cara told me her name three times before I left for this date. Why couldn't I remember?
"So my friend was like ‘Zoey-‘"
Zoey.
Remember that Harry.
Anyway, I knew I wasn't being fair to Zoey. I had no interest in her at all and I wasn't even trying really. But honestly it wasn't like she could say she wasn't using me as well. I noticed when she would look up to see if anyone saw her with me, or when she made sure to smile at the photographers outside of the restaurant before we walked in.
I knew she was a model friend of Cara's and I'm sure the publicity was very appealing to her.
In theory, it was a mutually beneficial date. She got the photographs taken of her out with me and I got my mind of the woman who was currently watching my daughter.
Except my mind was only on Aria. So much so I could barely recall this girls name.
I wondered if Niall was there with her, if they had made up yet?
I had to admit I was actually pleased to find out they had been fighting. It was nice to know that Aria's wrath wasn't exclusively aimed at me all the time.
But then I found myself feeling bad about being happy my mate was in hot water with his girl. I just wished his girl wasn't the same girl I wanted to kiss on a regular basis.
"Hey isn't that your friend." Zoey asked pointing over my shoulder towards the entrance of the restaurant. Her eyes were sparkling in that there's-someone-famous-around way that I had grown used to.
I rolled my eyes and began to turn in my seat; not really wanting to have to converse with anyone else so praying that they wouldn't spot me.
That was until a familiar head of blonde hair walked into my line of sight. I watched anxiously as he turned to smile at whoever was behind him, reaching his hand out to take theirs.
My first instinct was to duck down, even more adamant about not wanting to be spotted. I was sure that I didn't want to have to sit with Aria and Niall, watching them smile and touch each other while I had to pretend to be interested in whatever Zoey was going on about.
Then logic clicked in.
Aria wouldn't leave the children home when she said she would watch them. I knew her well enough to know she wouldn't have just done something like that in the spur of the moment.
It was about when I was having that thought the Niall's friend came into my sight.
Tall, blonde, and definitely not Aria.
My eyes narrowed at the couple wondering who she could be.
I reasoned that maybe it was Niall's friend or cousin or something along those lines because I didn't want to believe he would cheat on someone as great as Aria but the kiss he planted firmly on this girls lips took that idea away.
Zoey started to chatter on behind me but now I was blatantly ignoring her by now as I sat up fully in my seat and sent a glare across the room at the back of my band mate's head.
Here I was feeling bad about having these feelings for Aria because Niall was with her, and he was out behind her back with some girl who looked vaguely familiar.
I had definitely seen this girl before, I just couldn't place her but that didn't matter at the moment. What mattered was that she wasn't Aria.
I turned in my seat once more, again not having heard a single word Zoey had been saying this whole time when I interrupted her mid-word.
"Excuse me; I'll be back in a moment." I held up a finger as I slowly stood from my seat and began to back away. She stared at me with wide eyes that shifted from me to Niall and the other woman behind me.
"Oh, um... okay."
I didn't even let her finish saying that before I was turned around and striding towards Niall.
He didn't see me until I was just a few steps away and when he did his eyes grew in surprise as his mouth fell open.
The blonde looked at me with an unaware smile and I wondered if she even knew. Maybe she was just as clueless in the matter as Aria was.
I was certainly going to help her out there.
"What are you doing Horan?" I hissed through my teeth when I was sure I was close enough for only him to hear.
"Harry, it's not what you think?"
Of course it's not.
That is quite the over used line in these types of situations.
"Be a little more original." A humorless laugh left me at the use of the cliché. "How could you do this to Aria?"
"Wait. What does Aria have to do with this?" The blonde asked as she looked from me to Niall in question.
My gaze fell on her now.
She knew Aria? How did she know Aria?
"He doesn't know. Let me handle this okay?"
She had a confused look on her face that I was sure I was mimicking but I wasn't about to let that stop me.
"She's at home right now Niall. She has no idea you're here with someone else. How could do this to her?"
"Harry it's-"
"SHUT UP!" I remembered too late that we were in a crowded restaurant. Almost as soon as I was finished shouting I felt all eyes in the immediate vicinity staring at us including Zoey's wide curious eyes still sat at our table. But I couldn't help it. I didn't like the idea of Aria being hurt, especially not by my mate who I begun to attempt to convince myself would be better for her then myself.
Clearly I was mistaken.
Niall looked like he wanted the floor to eat him alive at the same time his eyes shifted around all the staring people, the girl just stared at the two of us like she was wondering if she could get away with acting like she didn't know us.
I took a few calming breaths before looking back up at Niall and nodding towards the toilets towards the back of the large room.
No need to cause a scene and get myself in even more trouble with management.
He looked to the girl, who quickly nodded, understanding what I was asking, and then followed me away from all the prying eyes.
I checked to make sure no one was in there; again I didn't need for there to be a story in the paper tomorrow about this, there was already sure to be some speculation to a row between Niall and myself after my lapse in judgment a few moments ago. And as always I was sure to be the villain in that story.
When I was sure we were alone and the door was sealed tightly I turned my heated glare towards the blond.
"What are you doing Niall?" This time I was sure to keep my voice quiet, dangerously even.
His hands reached up to run through his hair. "Harry I can promise you it is honestly not what you think."
I shook my head. Did he really have nothing else to say?
Was that really the best defense he could come up with?
Was he honestly not concerned with Aria or her feelings?
Niall began to speak but I cut him off. I didn't want to hear excuses, but I did want him to be fairly warned.
"I'm going to tell her." I hissed out.
I could feel his eyes on me and I knew he was going to say something but I wasn't going to hear it. I didn't want to. I didn't want him to change my mind.
I knew I should have let him explain but I also knew that I would back down because Niall was still my friend even if I was incredible angry at him and I didn't want to back off because the selfish side of me saw it as my in with Aria. It was a way to make myself look better than Niall in her eyes and mine as well. I wanted that more than anything at the moment so I couldn't risk my conscious keeping me from exposing my friend.
"Harry-"
I didn't hear the rest as the door closed behind me after I walked out.
Out of the corner of my eye I could see Zoey standing up and as much as I just wanted to rush home and ‘out' Niall to Aria, I couldn't bring myself to be any ruder to the poor girl then I had already been this whole night.
I at least owed her a goodbye.
"Zoey, it was fun and I'll have to make it up to you some other time but I have to go now. Call me and we'll set something up."
She nodded but I could tell she was a bit confused by everything going on. I didn't waste any more time explaining, however, as I quickly made my way towards the exit.
Niall's date still stood awkwardly by the door, her eyes shifting from me to the toilets where Niall was just exiting.
I didn't bother speaking to her, still not sure if she was aware of what was going on or not.
But she spoke to me.
"Harry, look let us explain. It's not-"
My eyes narrowed on her, so she did know. I tried to send all the negative feelings I couldn't fully direct at Niall to this girl. She knew what was going on but I had no ties to her so I could be purely angry at her and not feel bad.
"Kendra, let me deal with it." Niall's voice stopped me from saying anything as he took a protective stance in front of her and turned back to me, effectively blocking the girl from my glare.
But it had already faded from my face because at his words my eyes widened in disbelief.
Kendra?
Kendra.
As in Aria's best friend.
The one who let Aria sleep on her sofa when she first moved here.
"This is a joke." I concluded because there was no way Niall would be that dumb.
Neither one of them said anything as I full on glared at the pair of them.
This was so messed up.
I couldn't imagine the hurt Aria was going to feel when she found out.
And suddenly I was torn.
An image of a devastated Aria, with tears streaming down her cheeks, mouth slightly hanging open and hurt shining in her eyes flashed in my head.
Could I do that to her?
She would be broken. I didn't want to break her. She had hurt far too much already and I didn't want her to hurt anymore.
But she needed to know.
I needed her to know.
I looked back up at Niall and Kendra, both of them sputtering over each other making it hard to hear what they were saying, not that I was paying attention anyway.
Aria deserved better than this. She deserved to be happy and in my opinion neither of these two were good for her even if one of them was one of my closes friends.
"Save it. I'm going home to tell her now." I spoke over their blabbering.
They both looked at me with startled expressions.
"Harry wait, listen to what we are saying..."
But I wasn't going to. I had to see Aria and tell her what was going on, even if it breaks her.
I could always fix her.
Or, at least, I could try.
And maybe a hopeful attempt at making Aria jealous although that idea, later, made me only feel guilty. It wasn't like she knew how I felt and she was with Niall. But still, it wouldn't hurt for her to be a little jealous, right?
My date was going on and on about her trip to the states and I was pulling my napkin to pieces wondering what Aria as up to.
I wondered if she was cuddled on the sofa with Darcy and Jamie watching one of those cartoon movies my daughter loved and I highly suspected Aria did as well.
I wondered if she was thinking of me, wondering what I was doing in this exact moment. She wouldn't have any idea that I would rather be at home with them then here, miserable with a poor oblivious girl that was desperately trying to catch my attention.
I was aware it wasn't fair to... whatever her name was.... What was her name again?
Damn I should know this.
I glanced up at her, still carrying on about how big New York seemed, Cara told me her name three times before I left for this date. Why couldn't I remember?
"So my friend was like ‘Zoey-‘"
Zoey.
Remember that Harry.
Anyway, I knew I wasn't being fair to Zoey. I had no interest in her at all and I wasn't even trying really. But honestly it wasn't like she could say she wasn't using me as well. I noticed when she would look up to see if anyone saw her with me, or when she made sure to smile at the photographers outside of the restaurant before we walked in.
I knew she was a model friend of Cara's and I'm sure the publicity was very appealing to her.
In theory, it was a mutually beneficial date. She got the photographs taken of her out with me and I got my mind of the woman who was currently watching my daughter.
Except my mind was only on Aria. So much so I could barely recall this girls name.
I wondered if Niall was there with her, if they had made up yet?
I had to admit I was actually pleased to find out they had been fighting. It was nice to know that Aria's wrath wasn't exclusively aimed at me all the time.
But then I found myself feeling bad about being happy my mate was in hot water with his girl. I just wished his girl wasn't the same girl I wanted to kiss on a regular basis.
"Hey isn't that your friend." Zoey asked pointing over my shoulder towards the entrance of the restaurant. Her eyes were sparkling in that there's-someone-famous-around way that I had grown used to.
I rolled my eyes and began to turn in my seat; not really wanting to have to converse with anyone else so praying that they wouldn't spot me.
That was until a familiar head of blonde hair walked into my line of sight. I watched anxiously as he turned to smile at whoever was behind him, reaching his hand out to take theirs.
My first instinct was to duck down, even more adamant about not wanting to be spotted. I was sure that I didn't want to have to sit with Aria and Niall, watching them smile and touch each other while I had to pretend to be interested in whatever Zoey was going on about.
Then logic clicked in.
Aria wouldn't leave the children home when she said she would watch them. I knew her well enough to know she wouldn't have just done something like that in the spur of the moment.
It was about when I was having that thought the Niall's friend came into my sight.
Tall, blonde, and definitely not Aria.
My eyes narrowed at the couple wondering who she could be.
I reasoned that maybe it was Niall's friend or cousin or something along those lines because I didn't want to believe he would cheat on someone as great as Aria but the kiss he planted firmly on this girls lips took that idea away.
Zoey started to chatter on behind me but now I was blatantly ignoring her by now as I sat up fully in my seat and sent a glare across the room at the back of my band mate's head.
Here I was feeling bad about having these feelings for Aria because Niall was with her, and he was out behind her back with some girl who looked vaguely familiar.
I had definitely seen this girl before, I just couldn't place her but that didn't matter at the moment. What mattered was that she wasn't Aria.
I turned in my seat once more, again not having heard a single word Zoey had been saying this whole time when I interrupted her mid-word.
"Excuse me; I'll be back in a moment." I held up a finger as I slowly stood from my seat and began to back away. She stared at me with wide eyes that shifted from me to Niall and the other woman behind me.
"Oh, um... okay."
I didn't even let her finish saying that before I was turned around and striding towards Niall.
He didn't see me until I was just a few steps away and when he did his eyes grew in surprise as his mouth fell open.
The blonde looked at me with an unaware smile and I wondered if she even knew. Maybe she was just as clueless in the matter as Aria was.
I was certainly going to help her out there.
"What are you doing Horan?" I hissed through my teeth when I was sure I was close enough for only him to hear.
"Harry, it's not what you think?"
Of course it's not.
That is quite the over used line in these types of situations.
"Be a little more original." A humorless laugh left me at the use of the cliché. "How could you do this to Aria?"
"Wait. What does Aria have to do with this?" The blonde asked as she looked from me to Niall in question.
My gaze fell on her now.
She knew Aria? How did she know Aria?
"He doesn't know. Let me handle this okay?"
She had a confused look on her face that I was sure I was mimicking but I wasn't about to let that stop me.
"She's at home right now Niall. She has no idea you're here with someone else. How could do this to her?"
"Harry it's-"
"SHUT UP!" I remembered too late that we were in a crowded restaurant. Almost as soon as I was finished shouting I felt all eyes in the immediate vicinity staring at us including Zoey's wide curious eyes still sat at our table. But I couldn't help it. I didn't like the idea of Aria being hurt, especially not by my mate who I begun to attempt to convince myself would be better for her then myself.
Clearly I was mistaken.
Niall looked like he wanted the floor to eat him alive at the same time his eyes shifted around all the staring people, the girl just stared at the two of us like she was wondering if she could get away with acting like she didn't know us.
I took a few calming breaths before looking back up at Niall and nodding towards the toilets towards the back of the large room.
No need to cause a scene and get myself in even more trouble with management.
He looked to the girl, who quickly nodded, understanding what I was asking, and then followed me away from all the prying eyes.
I checked to make sure no one was in there; again I didn't need for there to be a story in the paper tomorrow about this, there was already sure to be some speculation to a row between Niall and myself after my lapse in judgment a few moments ago. And as always I was sure to be the villain in that story.
When I was sure we were alone and the door was sealed tightly I turned my heated glare towards the blond.
"What are you doing Niall?" This time I was sure to keep my voice quiet, dangerously even.
His hands reached up to run through his hair. "Harry I can promise you it is honestly not what you think."
I shook my head. Did he really have nothing else to say?
Was that really the best defense he could come up with?
Was he honestly not concerned with Aria or her feelings?
Niall began to speak but I cut him off. I didn't want to hear excuses, but I did want him to be fairly warned.
"I'm going to tell her." I hissed out.
I could feel his eyes on me and I knew he was going to say something but I wasn't going to hear it. I didn't want to. I didn't want him to change my mind.
I knew I should have let him explain but I also knew that I would back down because Niall was still my friend even if I was incredible angry at him and I didn't want to back off because the selfish side of me saw it as my in with Aria. It was a way to make myself look better than Niall in her eyes and mine as well. I wanted that more than anything at the moment so I couldn't risk my conscious keeping me from exposing my friend.
"Harry-"
I didn't hear the rest as the door closed behind me after I walked out.
Out of the corner of my eye I could see Zoey standing up and as much as I just wanted to rush home and ‘out' Niall to Aria, I couldn't bring myself to be any ruder to the poor girl then I had already been this whole night.
I at least owed her a goodbye.
"Zoey, it was fun and I'll have to make it up to you some other time but I have to go now. Call me and we'll set something up."
She nodded but I could tell she was a bit confused by everything going on. I didn't waste any more time explaining, however, as I quickly made my way towards the exit.
Niall's date still stood awkwardly by the door, her eyes shifting from me to the toilets where Niall was just exiting.
I didn't bother speaking to her, still not sure if she was aware of what was going on or not.
But she spoke to me.
"Harry, look let us explain. It's not-"
My eyes narrowed on her, so she did know. I tried to send all the negative feelings I couldn't fully direct at Niall to this girl. She knew what was going on but I had no ties to her so I could be purely angry at her and not feel bad.
"Kendra, let me deal with it." Niall's voice stopped me from saying anything as he took a protective stance in front of her and turned back to me, effectively blocking the girl from my glare.
But it had already faded from my face because at his words my eyes widened in disbelief.
Kendra?
Kendra.
As in Aria's best friend.
The one who let Aria sleep on her sofa when she first moved here.
"This is a joke." I concluded because there was no way Niall would be that dumb.
Neither one of them said anything as I full on glared at the pair of them.
This was so messed up.
I couldn't imagine the hurt Aria was going to feel when she found out.
And suddenly I was torn.
An image of a devastated Aria, with tears streaming down her cheeks, mouth slightly hanging open and hurt shining in her eyes flashed in my head.
Could I do that to her?
She would be broken. I didn't want to break her. She had hurt far too much already and I didn't want her to hurt anymore.
But she needed to know.
I needed her to know.
I looked back up at Niall and Kendra, both of them sputtering over each other making it hard to hear what they were saying, not that I was paying attention anyway.
Aria deserved better than this. She deserved to be happy and in my opinion neither of these two were good for her even if one of them was one of my closes friends.
"Save it. I'm going home to tell her now." I spoke over their blabbering.
They both looked at me with startled expressions.
"Harry wait, listen to what we are saying..."
But I wasn't going to. I had to see Aria and tell her what was going on, even if it breaks her.
I could always fix her.
Or, at least, I could try.
YOOO!!! IF YOU DONT UPDATE I SWEAR...
9/3/16