Abused
Here's Hoping
"What's going on?" I asked, once we were out of the living room and in the hall.
He let go of my hand and began shifting his weight from foot to foot awkwardly.
Eventually he let out a sigh.
"We need to talk" he said, meeting my eye.
All it took was those four words to make me panic.
Rachel's P.O.V.
"O-Okay. Talk about what?" My voice came out naturally quiet.
He ran a through his blonde hair, messing it up.
"Back there.. With Zayn. When you guys were messing around.. I-I didn't like it" he was now staring determinedly at his feet as if he had great interest in them.
I frowned slightly.
"What?" I asked, confused.
He continued to stare at his feet.
"I didn't like it" he repeated softly.
I had to stop myself from laughing.
"What do you mean you didn't like it?" I pressed on.
He met my eye suddenly and I was surprised at how intense his gaze was.
"I don't really know how to explain it. It's just seeing you two together, it made me.. angry" he replied honestly.
"Why?" I whispered in response.
Though I knew it was silly to hope, I suddenly go the idea in my head that he was jealous.
Jealous because he wanted it to be him, perhaps?
He shrugged, placing both hand on the back of his head.
"I don't know. It just did, okay?" he mumbled.
"Well that's ridiculous Ni. Me and Zayn were just messing around, you know that. It's not like we were.." I trailed off awkwardly.
How was I meant to finish that sentence?
Flirting?
I ran a hand through my hair carelessly.
Why was it that I seemed to be having all these awkward conversations with Niall lately?
He swallowed.
"I know Rach. It's just weird to see you two so.. " it was his turn to trail off.
"So..?" I pressed.
He shrugged.
"Doesn't matter. Look, I don't know why I'm telling you this. I don't want to argue with you.
Especially not right before we're heading off to Ireland. I've just never been good at lying to you-" he starting rambling but I cut him off my grabbing hold of his hand.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Listen Niall. Zayn and I were just messing around okay. Nothing more. Seriously, you need to relax" I told him softly, rubbing my thumb across the back of his hand.
He looked down to his hand and then back up to me and nodded slowly.
"Okay.." he mumbled.
"Okay" I replied, with a small smile.
"Okay" he whispered again.
I chuckled slightly, rolling my eyes.
"Stop flirting with me" I teased, remembering The Fault In Our Stars.
He laughed, and with that I felt the somewhat awkward mood slip away.
He flung an arm around my shoulder.
"Oh please, you wish" he continued, ruffling my hair.
I knew he was only teasing me but I couldn't help but tense up at that.
The rest of the day was spent just lazing around the house, watching television.
By the time it came to eight I knew it really was time for me to start packing. We weren't leaving until 2 o'clock the next day but I wanted to have everything ready before we left.
Throughout the day I had been thinking about what Zayn had said.
Me and Niall would be spending a lot of time together over the next week or two. We hadn't decided exactly how long we were going to stay in Ireland. Because we would be travelling around the country we'd book our tickets home when we were ready to leave.
Most of that time it would be just the two of us.
I was starting to feel a little bit hopeful that something might actually happen between us.
I tried my best not to let myself get my hopes up, but when I was in Nialls room, packing my clothes into the case Niall and Zayn had used to get my stuff away from Brad's, I couldn't help but let my mind wander.
Because I didn't know how long we'd be staying I had no idea how much clothes to bring. So I pretty much stuffed the case full.
"Hey hey hey!" I turned to face the door to see Madi and Allie.
"Oh hi guys" I gave them a small smile, throwing my now-packed case onto the floor.
"Soo Zayn told us about this trip you and Niall have planned!" Madi began.
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
"You were just planning on taking off without telling us?" Allie continued, though she didn't look mad.
I bit my lip, sitting down on the bed.
"Sorry, I got so caught up in planning the trip I guess I didn't think about it" I apologised, crossing my legs.
Madi shrugged.
"It's okay" she said airily.
"So this trip, its just you and Niall yeah?" she continued.
I rolled my eyes.
I knew what she was getting at.
"Yeees" I answered slowly.
Allie smirked.
"Sounds like the perfect time to tell him how you feel" she winked, also sitting down on the bed.
I shook my head firmly.
"Oh c'mon. What's the problem now? Honestly Rach, its obvious Niall's into you" Madi added.
I sighed.
"I wish" I mumbled honestly.
Before either of them had a chance to retort the door opened again and this time Niall walked in.
"Hope I'm not interrupting" he raised an eyebrow.
I shook my head.
"Course not" I told him quickly.
"Need to get packing" he mumbled more to himself as he walked past me, fishing out a case from under the bed.
"Looking forward to the trip Niall?" Allie asked innocently.
He plopped the case on the bed next to me.
"Yeah, can't wait. It's gonna be great" he replied, with a smile.
"It's just the two of you going?" Madi added in.
He nodded.
"Yeah. It'll be nice to spend a bit of time together alone" he continued.
I felt my cheeks flush a little.
Madi gave me a wide smile.
"I'm sure you guys will have a great time" Allie continued, winking.
Niall placed a hand on my shoulder softly.
"Here's hoping" he said softly.
He let go of my hand and began shifting his weight from foot to foot awkwardly.
Eventually he let out a sigh.
"We need to talk" he said, meeting my eye.
All it took was those four words to make me panic.
Rachel's P.O.V.
"O-Okay. Talk about what?" My voice came out naturally quiet.
He ran a through his blonde hair, messing it up.
"Back there.. With Zayn. When you guys were messing around.. I-I didn't like it" he was now staring determinedly at his feet as if he had great interest in them.
I frowned slightly.
"What?" I asked, confused.
He continued to stare at his feet.
"I didn't like it" he repeated softly.
I had to stop myself from laughing.
"What do you mean you didn't like it?" I pressed on.
He met my eye suddenly and I was surprised at how intense his gaze was.
"I don't really know how to explain it. It's just seeing you two together, it made me.. angry" he replied honestly.
"Why?" I whispered in response.
Though I knew it was silly to hope, I suddenly go the idea in my head that he was jealous.
Jealous because he wanted it to be him, perhaps?
He shrugged, placing both hand on the back of his head.
"I don't know. It just did, okay?" he mumbled.
"Well that's ridiculous Ni. Me and Zayn were just messing around, you know that. It's not like we were.." I trailed off awkwardly.
How was I meant to finish that sentence?
Flirting?
I ran a hand through my hair carelessly.
Why was it that I seemed to be having all these awkward conversations with Niall lately?
He swallowed.
"I know Rach. It's just weird to see you two so.. " it was his turn to trail off.
"So..?" I pressed.
He shrugged.
"Doesn't matter. Look, I don't know why I'm telling you this. I don't want to argue with you.
Especially not right before we're heading off to Ireland. I've just never been good at lying to you-" he starting rambling but I cut him off my grabbing hold of his hand.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Listen Niall. Zayn and I were just messing around okay. Nothing more. Seriously, you need to relax" I told him softly, rubbing my thumb across the back of his hand.
He looked down to his hand and then back up to me and nodded slowly.
"Okay.." he mumbled.
"Okay" I replied, with a small smile.
"Okay" he whispered again.
I chuckled slightly, rolling my eyes.
"Stop flirting with me" I teased, remembering The Fault In Our Stars.
He laughed, and with that I felt the somewhat awkward mood slip away.
He flung an arm around my shoulder.
"Oh please, you wish" he continued, ruffling my hair.
I knew he was only teasing me but I couldn't help but tense up at that.
The rest of the day was spent just lazing around the house, watching television.
By the time it came to eight I knew it really was time for me to start packing. We weren't leaving until 2 o'clock the next day but I wanted to have everything ready before we left.
Throughout the day I had been thinking about what Zayn had said.
Me and Niall would be spending a lot of time together over the next week or two. We hadn't decided exactly how long we were going to stay in Ireland. Because we would be travelling around the country we'd book our tickets home when we were ready to leave.
Most of that time it would be just the two of us.
I was starting to feel a little bit hopeful that something might actually happen between us.
I tried my best not to let myself get my hopes up, but when I was in Nialls room, packing my clothes into the case Niall and Zayn had used to get my stuff away from Brad's, I couldn't help but let my mind wander.
Because I didn't know how long we'd be staying I had no idea how much clothes to bring. So I pretty much stuffed the case full.
"Hey hey hey!" I turned to face the door to see Madi and Allie.
"Oh hi guys" I gave them a small smile, throwing my now-packed case onto the floor.
"Soo Zayn told us about this trip you and Niall have planned!" Madi began.
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
"You were just planning on taking off without telling us?" Allie continued, though she didn't look mad.
I bit my lip, sitting down on the bed.
"Sorry, I got so caught up in planning the trip I guess I didn't think about it" I apologised, crossing my legs.
Madi shrugged.
"It's okay" she said airily.
"So this trip, its just you and Niall yeah?" she continued.
I rolled my eyes.
I knew what she was getting at.
"Yeees" I answered slowly.
Allie smirked.
"Sounds like the perfect time to tell him how you feel" she winked, also sitting down on the bed.
I shook my head firmly.
"Oh c'mon. What's the problem now? Honestly Rach, its obvious Niall's into you" Madi added.
I sighed.
"I wish" I mumbled honestly.
Before either of them had a chance to retort the door opened again and this time Niall walked in.
"Hope I'm not interrupting" he raised an eyebrow.
I shook my head.
"Course not" I told him quickly.
"Need to get packing" he mumbled more to himself as he walked past me, fishing out a case from under the bed.
"Looking forward to the trip Niall?" Allie asked innocently.
He plopped the case on the bed next to me.
"Yeah, can't wait. It's gonna be great" he replied, with a smile.
"It's just the two of you going?" Madi added in.
He nodded.
"Yeah. It'll be nice to spend a bit of time together alone" he continued.
I felt my cheeks flush a little.
Madi gave me a wide smile.
"I'm sure you guys will have a great time" Allie continued, winking.
Niall placed a hand on my shoulder softly.
"Here's hoping" he said softly.
Notes
20 DAYS!
20 FLIPPIN DAYS SINCE I UPDATED!
I am soo sorry guys!
I actually can't believe its been that long.
I have had a lot going on but I really have been meaning to update :/
Cant believe it took me so long :(
Greatest apologies my darlings :*
Hey so I threw in a "The Fault In Our Stars" reference in there so if you got it, I love you :')
I've read the book a billion times - love it!
Going to see the movie tomorrow! I'm so excited :D
So in honour, if you liked this chapter, comment below:
"I'm on a rollercoaster that only goes up"
Sorry again! Love all of you babes :*
Thanks so much for reading ♥
Please come back! I know it's been years since you updated this, but I just found it and got totally hooked. You're such a great writer -- please please please continue with this story!
3/11/18