Through the Dark (Sequel to Taking Chances)

Chapter Six: "I Stumble and Fall"

Brielle

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"No, Claire, I promise. I promise you that I'm safe and I'm alright."

"Don't lie to me."

"If I was lying to you, you'd know," I dead panned, before softly adding, "Trust me, I'm fine, okay?"

She was silent for a moment, and shuffling entered my ear before she was speaking again.

"Okay.... So how is he?"

I sighed, tiptoeing so my eyes were casted into the bedroom. Niall was still sound asleep, his arm draped across the mattress where he had been holding me around the waist. He had mumbled and groaned, shifting until he got comfortable again, but he eventually went back to his deep slumber. I was only awaiting the moment that splitting headache would hit him.

"He's still sleeping," I replied, pursing my lips as I watched him for a small second. "He'll be feeling like complete hell when he wakes up, though."

"I'd imagine if he actually called you to tell you he was trying to get over you by getting laid," she exclaimed bitterly. I frowned at her tone, though hesitant to say anything.

Of course she was upset with him for what he did. She was always upset with him for something. But that was because he wasn't perfect and neither was she. Neither were the same, and both had an opinion that usually resulted in arguments. Sometimes I thought they hadn't accepted that before, and most times it had been proven. But by now, at this time where things had gotten so bad, I didn't care. I just worried, and that was worse than anger in many ways.

"I'm sorry, Brielle," she mumbled, bringing me back from my dwindling thoughts. "I know that you care about him. I just don't think he's... right... for you."

"A lot of people think that," I agreed. "But I don't. And everyone just needs to figure that out."

I hadn't meant to snap, but my frustration was through the roof, and I was beginning to wonder if ever going to Harry's apartment was a good idea. She'd developed an opinion over time, and now it was getting in the way of her judgment. I was tired of her opinion on Niall, no matter how close we were. I accepted Harry, with all the disapproving things he'd ever done to her. When they had first gotten together, he went clubbing and found a girl that he took home after being so drunk that he could barely see who it was. But it wasn't Claire, and for more than a month she could not forgive him. Although he was persistent, and he never gave up on getting her back. Eventually she forgave him, and in time I learned to forgive him as well.

Niall hadn't cheated. In a way, he was never going to. Claire was right: technically, we were over. So if he'd taken someone home on the drunkest night of his life, it wouldn't have been cheating. It just would've been him trying to get over the girl who'd basically crushed him inside out.

She had been silent as I recalled all of these events, and when she finally spoke, I felt indifferent.

"He's a bad guy, alright? Just a bad guy, and I really think that you should think more clearly."

Her tone was warning, and an anger deep inside me sparked. I turned away from the door and stepped out into the hallway of the complex, ready to exchange harsh words if it came to it. I had never been so angry for someone before, and I wasn't sure I liked the feeling. Especially since it was my best friend that I was arguing with.

"Since when have you thought he was the bad guy?"

"I've always thought it," she replied sternly. "I just didn't think it would get this serious."

"So you expected him to break my heart?" I snapped in pure anger. "If you thought that, then why the hell would you let me get so deep into it?"

"I figured you'd learn who he was... I'm sorry, I know it sounds harsh, but I didn't want you to have an opinion on someone whom you truly didn't know."