Trouble. (niall horan au)

chapter 14 - the intervention

"Niall," I declared the moment he answered his phone, "There's a big spider on my wall."

There was a momentary pause from the other end. "Sweetheart," Niall said with obvious amusement, "Did you just call me to tell me about a spider."

I eyed the big black bug from my spot on the living room couch. It sat perched on the wall next to the TV, not moving, a dark spot against the blue paint. Grabbing my sneaker from the floor next to me, I heaved the shoe across the room at it. It missed by a spectacular foot and smacked against the wall instead. Niall laughed at the sound of impact.

"I need you to come kill it." I informed him. "This is a national emergency."

"Wait, if it's big then I don't want to get near it."

"Oh come on, you can beat the crap out of people but you can't kill a spider?" I did a quick assessment of the scene. "I think it's part tarantula."

"I don't think so."

"Probably poisonous. I might die."

"You just want me to come over." Niall murmured suddenly, his voice going low and heavy. I could practically hear his sly smile through the receiver.

"Yes," I replied sharply, "I want you to come over. To kill the spider."

"You want me." Niall sang, "Don't worry sweetheart, the same goes here. I'll be right over."

I hung up and tossed the phone onto the cushions, slowly sliding off the couch and backing out the room into the safety of the kitchen. It was unusually cold, so I had a blanket draped over my shoulders and trailing across the ground behind me like a cape while I went to wait for Niall. Things with Niall were- odd, to put it frankly. After the whole 'he beat up my date and almost got us arrested' fiasco about a week ago, it was as though we had some silent agreement, although I'm not sure what it was.

Minutes later, I heard the front door open. Niall was against knocking on doors, he took pride in being able to pick locks or climb through windows. Although I always told him to just ring the damn doorbell, the habit never stuck. But what surprised me was the two sets of footsteps entering the hallway instead of one.

"Hello?" I asked curiously, going to the door. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Harry and Zayn standing there. Harry was tucking his lock pick into his pocket.

"Abbey." Zayn said with a slight head nod, "We need to talk to you."

I stared at him for a moment. He looked the same effortlessly badass as he did every time we met, eyes dark and daring. Harry stood at his side, a cigarette held between two fingers, the smoke curling up around his head.

"No." I said, "Leave."

Zayn sighed, as though the the fact that he busted into my house and I wasn't cooperating was bothersome, then shared a glance with Harry. "Bring the girl into the kitchen." he commanded, brushing past me and entering himself.

Harry dropped the cigarette he had been smoking onto the carpet, crushing it under the heel of his shoe. "Come on." he sighed, grabbing my forearm and pulling me along. My blanket fell to the ground and tangled at my feet.

I felt that familiar prickle of panic, and I instantly exclaimed, "Don't touch me."

"Oh yeah." Zayn said as we entered the kitchen, "Don't touch her, she doesn't like touching or something. She freaks. Niall will freak out also if he hears."

Harry released my struggling form, allowing me to stumble back a few feet. "Sorry," he said, forest colored eyes looking me up and down, "It's habit."