Parson Upton
Year 2023, Month July
North Dakota
~~

I opened my eyes wide when I heard a crash all the way downstairs. What the hell? I decided not to get up and just to listen―listening first is more safe than investigating first. I swallowed hard and went to get up, but decided against it.

“Are you okay?” I heard Louis’ voice beside me and I widened my eyes even further, scooting away from his scolding body. “Jesus, Pars.”

“Pars?” I barked, “Now we’re giving petty nicknames?”

“It’s not a nickname,” he sneered, “Only I can call you that.” he stood up and walked over to his clothes, quickly shoving his legs in his pants and tossing his shirt on.

“Only you? That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard,” I retorted and he chuckled.

“Well I can guarantee you that a lot of people are going to consider you as only theirs,” he said, his voice seething as he pressed his hair up.

“Why are you so ill?” I asked, walking over to my closet and throwing on some denim shorts that I found and a light blue shirt.

“Gee. Why the fuck am I so ill, Parson?” he yelled at me and I looked at him, crossing my arms. He threw out one of his arms towards my bed, “I was just trying to make sure that you were fucking okay, and you hit the fuck out of my chest trying to back away from me! Why is sleeping in the same bed with you to protect you such a goddamned problem?!”

“I’ve just never slept in a bed overnight with a man before,” I said calmly and he laughed at me. Fucking dick. “You know what―”

“Great. Now you’ve fucking pissed me off,” he clenched his jaw and looked out of the barred windows, closing his eyes and bending down to tie his boots, “You need to put better clothes on. We’re going out to the garden today for lunch with Jared.”

“I’m not changing,” I snapped, standing my ground and crossing my arms again. He charged right up to me and my back hit the door behind me, and he snatched a blue dress out of the closet beside us and tossed it to me, “Put it on or so help me God.” I sighed and took off the clothes that I had just put on, with the eyes of Louis watching me, and I put the dress he handed to me on. “Shoes, now,” he barked before walking over to the bed he pulled out and fixing it up, “Parson, I am not even kidding,” he said when he noticed that I wasn’t moving. I pulled out a pair of black heels and slipped them on before walking out of my bedroom without Louis to guide me. “You’re really just trying to test my fucking patience, aren’t you?!” he screamed at me, grabbing my arm and facing me towards him.

“I’m sorry, I just don’t know why you got all pissed off all of a sudden,” I said, rolling my eyes and pulling away from his grip. He angrily ripped at his hair and went to reach for me, but he shook his head and licked his lips a few times.

“I would just like for you to listen for the rest of the day so that my pissed off attitude can slow down. Can you do that, princess?” he asked in a too-calm voice.

“Yes,” I said, pulling down the dress that he made me put on. Who knew? A man would give a woman a dress that doesn’t even fit her…

“Good, now come with me,” he said, showing a grin after moments of waiting. I slowly followed behind him as he trudged down the stairs and outside of a door. I stopped when I saw sunlight and an excited smile spread across my face. “Come on,” Louis said, taking a deep breath. I sank my teeth into my bottom teeth and he took another deep breath. I took my heels off and looked down at the sharp green grass and jumped onto it, loving the feeling of nature underneath my toes. I collapsed to my knees and slowly ran my hands over the grass, making Louis gesture a hand to help me up. “It’s really been that long?” he asked, chuckling.

I took his hand and nodded, “Yes, it has been that long.”

He pulled me too hard and I landed right on his chest, making me clear my throat and shake my head, but he put his large hand on the small of my back to keep me there. “The sunlight looks good on you, princess.”

“Well it’s too bad I can’t see it all of the time,” I snapped, rolling my eyes and pushing away from him, “I’m going to be trapped in this mansion all of my life.”

“Not true,” he said, standing a few feet behind me as I crouched down and picked a few wild flowers. I walked up to him and handed him one, but he laid it back down on the ground, “Weeds. Never really cared for them.”

“How could you not like flowers? I love flowers!” I exclaimed and he snickered at me when my dress rode up my thighs. Jeez. Nice pick, Louis.

“What’s your favorite kind of flower?” he asked me and I narrowed my eyes towards him, but he raised up his hands, “Alright. I was just asking.” Thank God, his attitude is gone.

“Louis!” Louis’ name was called and we both looked to where and it was Jared, smiling and waving for us to accompany him, “Miss Parson! Won’t you join me?” No, I won’t. I nodded my head and put my heels in my hand, walking over to the garden table that he was sitting at. I quickly sat down in the chair across from him instead of the one beside him and Louis sat down beside him, throwing his arms out and setting them on the arms of the chair. “How are you today? What’s new?” Jared asked, his mood completely different from what it was yesterday. “Did you guys hear that crash this morning?”

I nodded. “I was actually scared of it… I didn’t know whether or not it was something I should’ve been afraid of… if I did something wrong…”

“Parson, dear, Miss Parson,” Jared said my name and I swallowed, “You should never be afraid unless you try to run away.” Louis chuckled and grabbed a finger sandwich off of the plate in the middle of the table. “Help yourself. Please,” Jared said to the both of us. Actually, I was starving, so I grabbed one of the sandwiches and ate it.

“More wine?” I looked behind us to see Niall holding a bottle of wine.

“Niall?!” I chirped, jumping up and wrapping my arms around him. “I thought you were dead!” I hugged him again and he chuckled, rubbing my back.

“No. Jared made me slave instead of killing me. But in my opinion,” he began to whisper, “I’d rather be killed than be a slave.”

“Fuck up some more, leprechaun. Then you’ll get fucking killed,” Louis snapped at Niall and I looked at him. “Fuck, I dare you,” Louis added and Niall gritted his teeth.

“Louis, Niall, we should all be acting like men,” Jared said, standing up and taking the wine bottle from Niall, sitting back down afterwards.

“Right, cause this one is a man,” Niall said, pointing to Louis.

“That’s it! You motherfucker!” Louis yelled, grabbing the wine bottle that Jared just put down and I sat back down in my chair, hoping they wouldn’t fight.

“Enough!” Jared screamed, pulling out the gun on his pocket and pulling the trigger. “Obviously my choice was a mistake!” I covered my mouth when I heard a thud behind me and I swallowed hard. Did I even want to look? Louis then sat back in his chair and cracked his neck, filling up his wine glass with wine.

I put my hands on the arms of my chair and slowly turned around, looking to the ground. “Oh my God,” I whispered, my hands flying back to my mouth when I saw Niall on the ground, dead and blood pooling out from in between his eyes. “Oh my God,” I repeated.

“Calm down, Miss Parson. This stuff happens every day. Please, have some wine,” Jared suggested and I turned back around to face both of the men.

I laughed nervously. “No problem,” I said before grabbing the wine bottle and tipping the whole thing up, taking a large drink and making both of the men in front of me grin. After all, I was too shocked to do anything else.

Notes

Short chapter, I know. But that was a big twist for me aha. Took a lot of courage to write that part cause I'm still wanted Niall in this story, but it is what it is. I still love you Niall!

Please tell me what you think?


Kal xx