Into The Fire [H.S.]

37

I just wanted things to go back to normal. I wanted everyone to stop treating me like I was going to break.

Oma fluttered around at the salon, came in to check on me if my client was a man at least two times an appointment. It was affecting my tips.

At the resturaunt Papi kept walking by and hugging me, kissing my forehead, watching me wait tables. He'd even come out and kicked a table out of the restaurant because the males were hitting on me.

Javi, and Miguel were the worst. When I worked at the club at night Miguel practically followed me around. He was always right behind me. I'd dropped I don't know how many glasses because I tripped over his big ass feet.

Harry was even being weird. He wasn't smothering me. He was respecting that I didn't want to be followed around. Treated like I was broken. Fragile. But he wasn't touching me. It had been over a week since he'd touched me.

Our relationship was fueled by fucking, by lewd comments, by kissing, by caresses. He wasn't hugging me, or swatting my ass when I walked by, or commenting on how my tits looked bare not covered in his come.

I was about two seconds from losing my fucking shit. We were set to have a family dinner tonight. At my parents.

I'd finally gotten my car fixed. So I told Harry I was going over early and he could just meet me there later. But in reality.... I ended up at the park, by my parents house. Where I used to go to get high when I was a teenager. Halfway between their place and Niall's moms.

We used to spend a lot of time here. Making out in the back of his car. Getting high in the front of it. Fucking on the hood.

I had Mu with me. I was safe. I just needed to fucking breathe without everyone up my asshole.

I knew this dinner was going to be a fucking smother fest, and honestly I was going to snap.

I needed a lot of fucking weed to get through this without killing someone. I was on my third joint when the passenger side door of my car opened.

I was too stoned to be startled.

"Good God, how much have you smoked?" Niall's voice carries through the car.

"Not enough."

"It's like Cheech and Chong in here." He plucks the joint from between my fingers. Brings it to his lips.

"What do you want Ni?" I'm too high to snap. But I'm irritated. Because he's been treating me differently too.

"Ouch." Niall says softly. Handing the joint back to me. "You don't want me here?"

"You're staring at me like I'm a fucking lab experiment." I suck the smoke into my lungs.

He sighs. Looks over at me. Runs his hands through his light brown hair. "I wish you would have told me."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Why?"

He gives me a really look. "I would have handled a lot of things differently."

Sex. He would have handled sex differently. This isn't an appropriate conversation to be having. I'm married, Harry would fucking hate this. "Don't." I shake my head at him.

He opens his mouth to say something but I cut him. Off.

"Don't let him tarnish those memories. What you and I had was beautiful. I felt safe with you. I loved you. You loved me. Now you're one of my best friends. Don't let him ruin that too."

His eyes are unsure. "I was..."

"Niall... I never felt unsafe with you. Ever. Please drop it."