Through the Dark (Sequel to Taking Chances)

Chapter Seven: "Suspicions Run High"

Brielle

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"You know, we've never really been on an official date."

I turned off the stove, looking behind me in surprise. Of course, Niall was stuffing his face with Cheetos before dinner was even done cooking, and I'd warned him about my problem with that, but apparently all he heard was the crunch of the chips in his mouth.

Although that wasn't what surprised me. It was his statement. If I remembered, the double-date we went on was quite surprising, simply for the fact that dates weren't his thing. I respected that, so I never pushed it. Besides, sometimes I felt that dates were pointless after living with him for so long.

"What?" I asked, careful not to burn myself as I rinsed the bowls out and prepared dinner for the night.

"A date," he repeated. "We haven't been on anything official."

"The double-date with Claire and Harry, remember?" I pointed out.

"Yeah, but that's not what I mean. What I want is something where it's just you and I and I can focus on just us. Not Harry or Claire or people that are there too. Just me and you."

I smiled, even though he couldn't see it. "Well, you know that I respect your opinions and I kind of think by now it's a little useless to go out on them."

"Why?"

"Because we already live together. And our lives are based on crazy and inaccurate and everything in between. We aren't exactly built for normal."

He put the bag down, thankfully, but approached me with cheese covered hands and was sucking it all off as he spoke. Sometimes I wondered how he kept everything clean when he acted like this.

"Exactly. It's normal to go on dates. We need normal. It would be nice to live in the normal world for a little while."

Sighing, I finished dinner, putting it on the table. I turned to him and eyed his fingers, which were still pretty disgusting. Without a word, he washed them and sat down, waiting for me to do the same. All the while, also waiting for me to answer him.

"I don't know," I mumbled with a shrug. "I just don't think normal is something we should try to experiment with right now."

"Why not?"

"Niall, please," I groaned. "Why are you so hell-bent on getting me to agree to go anyway?"

He took a bite of his food, watching me all the while.

"I'm sorry, I know it's annoying. I just really think it could be fun."

My eyes snapped to his, still in shock from hearing him say these words to me. Even if we'd been through a pretty rough patch, knowing how he functioned was etched into my brain by now. I knew what he'd think before he even knew it himself.

"Can I sleep on it?" I finally asked, and he smiled at me.

"Of course." He took another bite. "So have you heard from Claire?"

I shook my head briefly, almost wishing we were still talking about the date. But I knew we had to talk about her one way or another, soon enough.

"I honestly don't think she wants to talk to me."

"See, that's where you're wrong," he replied, winking at me for a small second. "I talked to Harry just yesterday. She misses you more than you miss her. And she feels terrible for all of it."

With a sigh, I drowned myself in my soda for a moment, enjoying the taste.

"I just want to know why she wanted me to have my heart broken so I'd hate you as much as she did... or does... I don't even know anymore."