Look After You- Niam Horayne

Pizza-Chapter 7

Nialls POV

Going for a pizza with Liam and his friends was better than I expected. Though I was a little frightened of Zayn, he made me laugh a lot too but not as much as Louis did. For once in my life, I actually laughed at something and it wasn't fake. And I had a lot of fun, though Liam was really quiet and not eating much of his pizza. I ordered a meat feast because I was pretty hungry and the distractions seemed to be working so much that I didn't think of my Dad or Mum at all.

"So, you and Liam are friends, right?" Harry asked, smiling sweetly at me.

I shrugged. "I-I mean... I don't... Know?"

Liam didn't say anything, so I sagged my shoulders and sighed. There was no use, he didn't think of me as a friend and I needed to stop. But there was something about his quietness that confused me... Did he want me to leave now? Was I somewhat boring him?

"Liam talks about you a bunch," Louis grinned. "Of course you guys are friends."

But I wasn't sure. I glanced at Liam but all he did was pick at his plain pizza, pulling faces and ignoring our presence. I tried to not let it bother me, but it really did. Why wasn't he saying anything? Was he trying to get me to feel all shitty again? Because now, for once in my life, I'm actually feeling okay. And it was because of him- why was he ruining this for me?

All of us stared at Liam and Zayn sighed. I hope Zayn didn't say anything to really piss Liam off because the guy terrified me when he got mad. I mean, you could just take a peer at Zayn Malik and wish you hadn't because he's all this badass punk guy with tattoos and his ear pierced and muscles... I really don't wanna get on the wrong side of him.

But Liam was taller and probably stronger though I wasn't intimidated by him... Was it because I knew him more, or because I'd never seen him lose his temper fully? I mean, sure, he got mad... Very mad, sometimes, but he would never physically hurt someone.

So maybe I had nothing to worry about. Liam wouldn't fight with his best friend. I knew how much he wanted to protect me sometimes so I guess he wouldn't since I'm here anyway.

I relaxed in my chair but froze when Zayn muttered something.

"Liam's gettin' all pissed 'cause he doesn't want Niall as a friend," and although I knew he was just messing around, I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Sorry, okay, okay- I'll quit. Li, what's up, bud? You look really fucked off for some reason," Zayn murmured softly. We were in Franki Pizza Palace and the tables were round and small, so all of us were crowded together, gaining Zayn access to stroke his large hand across Liam's folded arm.

Liam looked at Zayn through solid marble eyes and sighed. "Nothing is up, Z- just leave it, alright? I'm fine."

I gaped at Liam until he met my eye contact. "Li, are you okay?" I whispered.

"I'm fucking fine, alright?!" he yelled. I cringed back and I felt the lump in my throat widen. I could fell the tears prick my eyeballs, but I did not want to cry- not here, not now. I couldn't. I hid my face in my hands and tried to swallow back the bile but it wouldn't budge. No, don't cry, I warned myself. Fuck it, cry when you back to the home.

"I-I... Let's just go back home, all right, Ni?" Liam's voice was hoarse and croaky. I heard the hint of guilt but the angst was still a large fragment so I didn't protest.

Without showing my face, I rose from my chair and ambled out of the door. I felt rude not thanking and saying goodbye to Harry, Louis and Zayn but right now, I just wanted to get out of here. Seeing my Liam pissed was worse than seeing Zayn and Harry wrestle over something stupid. Agonizing. Frightful. Something you never want to witness again.

I yanked the door open on Liam's car and rode shotgun. Liam drove and neither of us spoke throughout the whole drive back. Once we got back to the Home, Liam got out of his side of the car quicker than I could ever. I followed him into the house but before he could apologise to me, I just sped off up the stairs and into my room.

I didn't want to hear any fucking dumbass apologies! I had enough of that shit, and I thought Liam would be one of those people who wouldn't hurt me- physically or mentally. But he really wounded me; it was like he didn't want me to be with his friends.

Like he didn't want me around.

Liam's POV

I promised myself I wouldn't ever hurt Niall- but what was I fucking doing? Hurting him over and over again until what? Until he thinks now I don't even fucking like him and then he fucking gets a fucking razor and fucking...

Alright, Liam, calm down, I told myself. I was just a bad person... I mean, why couldn't Niall join in my group of friends? What was my problem with him hanging around? It wasn't Zayn's snide comments because to be honest, I found them pretty funny. It wasn't Louis's lame questions because I didn't even care about those, or it wasn't Harry's winking or facial expressions because I don't even think Niall noticed those...

"Liam!" I heard Jonny's voice from behind me. I jumped with a start and turned around, a bit pissed off of him shocking me like that. But I couldn't do much 'cause he was my boss, and I needed this job. I loved this job.

"Oh, uh, Jonny... what can I do for you, sir?" I muttered, trying to be polite but I just wanted to go find Niall before he does anything stupid. Can't this bastard just leave me alone?

"Where have you been? You did not tell me you were going out- especially with Mr Horan! You were supposed to watch the kids but Harvey had to do it all himself. Do you want me to find another care worker, if you cannot be trusted, Payne?"

I blinked, confused. It was my three hour break; how long had I been gone for? I checked my watch and gasped. Five hours? Oh, shit. Was I going to get sacked for this dumb move? I couldn't afford that, especially since I had just enough cash to pay for my small apartment which most nights I ditched anyway to crash here at the home so I could rush to Niall when he had a nightmare.

Just apologise, I told myself. How bad could it be? Nobody wanted to work here anyway because of how little times the kids got adopted or fostered. There was just no point, and the papers always gave us a bad review. Johnny and Harvey can't cope without me, so I guess I had nothing to worry about...

"I-I'm sorry, Johnny. Bad move on my part, I know. But I was still looking after a kid here, wasn't I?" I grimaced at the term 'kid' for Niall. That was not the right word at all, he wasn't Benjamin and Billy.

Johnny didn't look impressed at all. "You're right, bad move on your part, Liam. What were you even doing? I know you explained to Harvey that you were taking Niall out to meet your friends but for five hours?"

I bit my lip. "Sure. I mean, Niall ate for once! Almost a whole pizza to himself. Jeez, I helped him, didn't I? He always refuses to eat meals, but I finally got him to eat more than just a couple of bites. And, man, does that boy have an appetite."

My anger from before seemed to have disappeared which was good. I really wanted to apologise to Niall and talk things through, but I needed to persuade Johnny and convince him that I wasn't just ditching but helping a boy in need. I was a great care worker, the kids loved me. Sometimes I made mistakes, but didn't everyone? Back when Johnny and Harvey actually liked me, I used to have such a brilliant time here at KCC. But now... Well, now, it was a bit of a drag. Niall's the only good thing about it now.

"Look, Liam..." Johnny's features softened, and his icy blue eyes turned to liquid. He looked at me in empathy, as if he knew what it was like being me. I didn't want his pity, so I just glared. "I know how attached you have gotten to Niall. But you must stop, or he's never going to get adopted or fostered. Just picture this: a beautiful, fitting family decides they want Niall and ask him to come live with them. It's his chance, but he decides to skip it because he wants to stay here with you. And nobody ever gets to adopt him, so he's stuck in this home for the rest of his life... Do you want that for him? No, I'm sure you don't. None of us do. So, lay off."

I glowered, but I couldn't get the image out of my head of Niall staying in KCC forever because of me. I can hear him yelling at me and blaming me for ruining his chance...

I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't take away his life.

I had to leave him. I had to leave everything.