Through the Dark (Sequel to Taking Chances)

Chapter Two: "Stay With Me"

The sound of guitar strings plucked and prodded entered my ears, occupying the otherwise silent apartment. I sat on the opposite side of the couch from Niall, a thick book sitting in my hands. Honestly, I'd read it a thousand times over, and it was a bit crazy to think I liked the book so much, but something about it made me fall in love with the words, the characters, the reality - everything - all over again. In a way, I guessed it was similar to the way I fell in love with Niall over again every day I woke up next to him, every night I fell asleep next to him.

However, these happy thoughts kept being interrupted by the annoying sound of crazy strums that sounded like dying cats. The air was heavy, unhappy. It bothered me as much as the fact that Niall refused to apologize, even though the argument had started off with his comment of how we've been spending too much time together.

I, at first, wasn't sure how to take that. I began to assume he meant we needed to break up, and by his hesitant answer, I assumed it was worse than that. Well, as worse as it could get after last years events.

He assured me it was ridiculous to think something like that, because he, and I quote, "loves me more than life itself."

If he did, he wouldn't have told me about the amount of time we spent together. And after telling him that myself, he was pissed. And then the shouting began. The shouting that disturbed the neighbors, who had pounded on the door, screaming for us to quiet down. I stormed into the bedroom and stayed there for quite awhile, and to my gratitude, he didn't come in after me. Eventually I got hungry, and I came out to make some food. After eating it, I sat down on the complete opposite of the couch and pulled out my book. And we'd been sitting like that for hours. We both were too stubborn to do otherwise.

The guitar strings continued being plucked, irritating my ears. Without looking up, annoyed, I said, "My ears are bleeding."

The strumming stopped, and I heard him swallow. He then shifted, moving the couch cushions as he'd done so. He was quiet for a moment, and then he cleared his throat. The strumming began again.

"There's earplugs in the kitchen."

I gritted my teeth as I reread the same chapter I'd been stuck on for more than ten minutes. I sat for another few minutes, listening to him try to figure out the chords. But I couldn't take it. It was annoying me too much.

"Would you please stop that?" I snapped, looking up from the book and glaring toward him. "It is the worst sound I've ever heard and listening to you strum that awful thing makes me want to take it and throw it in the garbage."

He stopped strumming and looked back at me, eyes stern and expressionless. It was obvious he was hiding his emotions. It was a look I hadn't seen since he and I had first been together. It was a look he used before our paths ever crossed more than once a day. Before Liam.

"I'm sorry. I've been sitting here, annoyed by you just sitting there and reading your book. As if I'm not even here. I mean, if you're going to talk about what annoys you, I should only be allowed to do the same, right?"

I glared harder. "You have some nerve."

He cackled. "Me? You're the one who makes a big deal out of something small."

"Something small," I replied bitterly, more to myself. I was in disbelief. Complete disbelief. "Right. So telling me that we need to spend less time together is something small."

He groaned, standing. He took the guitar to the corner and set it down, turning bak to me. "I didn't mean it like that, Brielle."

"Right," I nodded, faux understanding. "Okay. Good to know. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to shower."