Love Me for Me

Chapter Eight

NIALL’S POV

            I tossed my keys onto my kitchen counter and sunk into my couch. “What the hell is wrong with me?” I said as I got up and grabbed a can of soda from the fridge. “I’ve known her a day and I keep acting like I’m in love with her. I don’t even know anything about her.” I opened the can and took a huge swig of it. As I was walking back to the couch my phone went off. I looked down and it said Zayn was calling. Shit; I forgot that I needed to call him back. I knew he was going to kill me when he finds out where I was, but I knew he’d be even madder if I didn’t answer this call. I took a deep breath and answered the phone. “Hello?”

“What the hell, Niall?! Why didn’t you answer when I called half an hour ago?!” Zayn practically shouted into the phone, trying not to be too loud. He sounded really upset. If it wasn’t midnight over there he would probably be screaming at the top of his lungs.

“I was busy.” I said calmly, hoping it could help him relax- it didn’t.

“Niall, you are halfway across the world undercover with hundreds of people looking for you. It’s after midnight here and I’m exhausted; the least you could’ve done was answer me. What if something happened and you needed to know right away?! What would’ve happened then?” He sounded like my mother whenever I don’t answer her.

“I was going to call you later.” I lied.

“Oh, really? When- at midnight there so I can wake up at 5am to talk to you?” Why was he so upset that I didn’t answer?

“Is everything okay over there? You seemed a little stressed. He sighed and said nothing.

“No, everything’s fine; I was just letting you know that they have police all over the world looking for you now. You better be unrecognizable or else you’re coming back here in a heartbeat.”

Oh God, now the entire world is looking for me. “Don’t worry, so far no one’s asked me who I am. I don’t look like me.” I heard him rip open a bag or something on the other end.

“What do you mean no one’s asked you? Have you hung out with a bunch of people or something?” I raised my eyebrows as I took a sip of my soda.

“What do you mean?” You could hear him eating something on the phone- maybe chips?

“As of yesterday you only knew that kid you told me about. And you just said no one’s asked who you are. Doesn’t that mean you’ve been with other people in order for that to make sense?”

Oh sure, now he wants to sound smart. “Well, yeah… but just one other person.” I said, hoping we could move on.

“Who is it? Another employee at the complex?” I sighed and took another sip of my drink.

“No- someone I met on the street.”

The crunching stopped and he said nothing. “Oh… well what’s his name?” Oh no, he wants to know what Sam’s name is, but he thinks she’s a boy. If I lie to him he’ll get mad again.

“His name? Uh… it’s Sam.” That could work since Sam could be a man’s name.

“So you were out with a girl tonight.” He said with confidence. How could he have guessed that with just her name?

“No, I was at the complex all night.”

“Niall, you told me 5 minutes ago you didn’t answer because you were busy, and now you were home all night? Admit that you were with a girl tonight; I won’t be mad.” I felt like I should tell him, but I also feel like he will get mad at me.

“Alright, I was with a girl tonight. Her name is Sam and I met her at her art studio tonight.” I said with a small smile on my face. Zayn was silent on the other end, almost like he hung up on me.

“Niall?” he said. “Promise me you won’t do anything stupid. Don’t fall for her, don’t marry her, don’t get her pregnant- nothing. You can be friends with her, but please don’t do anything you’ll regret.”

I laughed at that. “Zayn, I think you’re going a bit too far-”

“Look Niall, I’m telling you this never ends well. You can go out with her- I can’t stop you from doing that- I just want you to know that if anything happens it won’t end well.”

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. “I can promise you, Zayn, I won’t marry her or get her pregnant… not anytime soon, at least.” I said joking around.

“Niall, I’m not freaking kidding right now! Don’t-”

“Man, calm down.” I said laughing. “I’m just playing with you.” It’s so much fun to mess with him.

“I’m just telling you to-”

“Be careful, I know.” I interrupted. “You’ve said this 3 times already today plus a few times yesterday. Trust me- nothing’s going to happen.”

He sighed and I finished the rest of my soda. “Alright, I trust you.” Zayn said after yawning. “Just promise next time you’ll pick up your phone.” I tossed my can in the trash and sat down on the couch.

“I promise. Now you should probably get to bed. It’s really late over there.” I heard him yawn again before answering me.

“Yeah, I know. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, alright?” I nodded and said I would.

“Alright, lad. Goodnight.” I said as I was hanging up the phone. I sighed and looked at the time- 7:10pm. I placed my phone on the table on and ran my fingers through my hair. “Why do I keep lying to everyone?” I whispered. I promised Zayn I wasn’t going to do anything stupid with Sam that I’ll regret in the end. I knew I wasn’t going to marry her and I wouldn’t get her pregnant, so I didn’t lie about that. But I didn’t know how I was supposed to not fall for her when I already had.