Look After You- Niam Horayne

Circles- Chapter 24

Niall's POV

A week after, Liam dropped me off at school with everyone else and Bentley watched. He looked confused as to why we were all in the same van, because he didn't know that I lived in a care home. I wasn't too bothered that he will sooner or later find out, but I didn't want him to shy away from it. I mean, he was the only friend I've made I'd you don't count Emmett, Connor, Jordan and Ivan who occasionally joined us.

Bentley had just begun to spend his lunches with only me apart from the other guys, because they were prone to make comments about me and Emmett. I wasn't too bothered as long as they understood I wasn't interested in him. But sometimes they'd come by and sit with us, in which Bentley would warn them not to piss me off. It was mainly Jordan and Connor, Emmett agreeing, and Ivan just sitting there awkwardly.

Because I now went to school, Liam and I hadn't had any time alone. I think he was looking forward to being able to have me and him have some quality time when everyone else wasn't there, but he's supportive of my decisions anyway. I did admit a few times I didn't want to go because I wanted Liam all day, but now I went, Johnny and Harvey wouldn't let me ditch.

It was lunch time now, and Bentley met me at the usual place behind the Science blocks. We started walking when he finally murmured, "I didn't know Darcy Star was your sister or something." He looked nervous, like he was on edge.

I stiffened. "Um, she isn't. Why? What's she done?" I didn't know what she was like at school. She was a bully at the home, and probably one here too. I was afraid that she picked on Bentley too; he might blame me.

"Uh, we used to date. I really liked her, but then she dumped me for some curly ginger guy. I didn't know what happened... But it turns out that she's with that drugged up Alex guy now, huh? She isn't your sister?" He asked, changing the subject quickly.

I wasn't surprised Darcy had dated this guy, too. I couldn't think of anybody she hadn't gone out with, if I think about it. That's probably why she loathes me so much, or dislikes me, because I never accepted her in that way. Even when she was an okay person, I still friend zoned her, that's all she ever was.

I shook my heads, "Darcy isn't related to me at all. We do live together though, but there's seven of us." I tried to hint, but confusion was plastered all over his face. I felt like laughing, he was so puzzled it was unreal.

"Is she like, your mums boyfriends daughter? Is there plenty of them? Come on, Niall- I'm no detective. Give me some answers here? It's weird to think my friends living with my ex girlfriend, you know."

I rolled my eyes, "I live in a care home, alright? I have no parents. They're dead." I felt ache in my heart, but ignored it. I didn't care that my father died, but my mother was innocent. He killed her, but it was my fault. I should've been home to stop him, instead of hiding so he wouldn't hurt me. I wanted to apologise to her, promise her I didn't mean it, but I didn't have the guts to visit her grave. I'd probably never stop crying, and that was an emotion I wasn't familiar with. I was numb, I didn't really feel anything but depressed.

"Y-You... Seriously? God, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have... Darcy never told me," Bentley was quick to apologise, "She just said I couldn't visit her home because her parents didn't know about us. Turns out she was in that care home all along, huh? So... Um, if you don't mind me asking, how'd they die? Your parents, I mean. And how do you cope? I know I wouldn't."

I didn't cope. I never did. But I didn't want to tell him, so I just shrugged, and murmured, "Murder."

"Seriously? What the fuck? Both of them?"

"No, just my mum. My dad died because he was an alcoholic." That part was the truth. "I don't wanna talk about it. Let's just go to the canteen."

Bentley nodded and apologised before leading me to the canteen where hundreds of students were buying food and eating. I just bought a pasta pot- the same as Bentley- and followed him outside to the benches. This school didn't have enough space for everyone to eat inside so the majority of the time we just went to these benches.