Stockholm Syndrome (Larry Stylinson) (Rewrite)

Taken

Chapter 1:

HARRY

    "Okay, mum. Yes, I'll be home soon," I heard Niall say as I walked back into my room, returning from the restroom. "Goodbye. I love you, too." He hung up the phone and turned to me. "My mum wants me home soon... unless you want me to stay with you tonight? When are your parents supposed to be back?" He asked.

     The mere mention of my parents proved to put a damper on the evening. My parents were gone for a business trip, since they own their own company, and they weren't going to be back tonight. In fact, they were probably going to miss, what we have dubbed, our "Family Sunday dinner." Except, that usually concluded of me sitting alone, wishing my parents had enough free-time to sit with me or even notice I was there. It wasn't a family dinner when your parents had guests over to talk business or were too obsessed with their technical devices to even realize you had left the room.

    "I have no idea," I breathed out, and I sat on my bed. Niall scooted a bit closer, placing his hand on mine in a comforting manner. I looked at the way his hand laid over my own, and I know that he was just trying to be supportive, but I didn't feel anything. I shook my head and took my hand back. "You don't have to stay though."

     Niall let out a small sigh, and I felt him place a hand on my knee in response. "What if I want to?"

    I turned to him, and he looked at me with longing and desperation. His eyes were searching my own, frantically, but he wouldn't find anything there. I always knew Niall had a crush on me, ever since we first became friends, but I felt nothing for him like that. He was my best friend and that's all he'll ever be. Someone that I felt was my family.

     Without warning, Niall suddenly leaned in and kissed me. At this point, I wasn't even surprised. Sometimes Niall would attempt to show affection, and I would brush it off and tell him how I felt. He would never push me into anything, but I knew it hurt him each time I rejected him.

    I closed my eyes tightly, and I mentally sighed. I gently pushed on Niall's chest until he pulled away. It hurt me every time I had to reject him, but I just didn't feel the same way he did about me. I wasn't the kind of person to lead someone else on simply to spare their feelings. I didn't need that kind of phony relationship with the person who was supposed to be my best friend.

      "I'm sorry, Niall," I apologized as I saw the pain in his eyes. He looked like he wanted to cry, and that made me want to cry, too. It seemed impossible not to be upset when Niall was because he was always in such a jovial mood. He was constantly smiling and cracking jokes. Few things upset him, and one of those things was me.

     "Sorry. I- I love you, you know," He whimpered as he looked down at his hands, and I noticed a tear slip down his cheek before he quickly wiped it away. Making Niall cry was definitely a sin.

     "Niall, I just don't feel the same way." I gently, and cautiously, put a hand on Niall's shoulder. "You deserve to be happy. You're a wonderful person, Ni. You just need to move on to someone else."

    I saw Niall shake his head at my words, and I watched as he did his best to smile. It was such a forced smile, which was rare for someone like him, and it looked like it ached to curve his lips in such a manner. "I know. I'm trying."

    I nodded numbly at his words. "Um... what about that guy you went out with on Friday? Um... Joseph?"

    "Joseph," Niall confirmed, but he shrugged his shoulders. "Not my type. He was more into his reflection, I think. It would suck if he ever became a vampire," He said aloud, and I didn't think he was kidding. He seemed to be completely serious with that observation.