Through the Dark (Sequel to Taking Chances)

Chapter Thirteen: "All Nighter"

Niall
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"I wanna meet your parents."

I froze in the middle of making dinner, not sure if I'd heard her right.

"I'm sorry?"

She laughed, an angelic sound that I'd never gotten tired of. It was refreshing to hear something so tireless and innocent. So light.

She stood behind me and wrapped her small arms around my waste, laying her head upon my back. I enjoyed being close, with her so laid back. I enjoyed her.

"I want to meet your parents."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "Sure."

"I'm serious."

As I shook my head, I said, "I'm glad you think so."

She was quite for a moment, which left me to wonder what she was thinking about. Then she moved her head and moved closer to my ear.

"Why don't you want me to meet them?"

I stopped for a moment, thinking the question over for a quick second. Then I went back to cooking.

"Well, first reason: my dads an asshole."

She sighed loud enough for me to hear as she laid her head back down on my back. "Not a reason."

"Is a reason," I corrected kindly. "Because if he couldn't treat his own son with respect and kindness, he won't treat strangers with respect and kindness. And no way in hell will I let you around that."

"So..." she trailed, no doubt building her case. "You're worried about me?"

"In a sense, yes."

"You don't need to be."

I laughed. "Right."

She dropped her grip on me and stood beside me, watching me cook with a serious and slightly annoyed look on her face. She was adorable.

"Niall."

"Brielle."

I watched as she rolled her eyes, to which I chuckled.

"I don't care that he's an ass," she said. "I want to meet them."

"Brielle." I looked up at her. "Seriously. I'm not comfortable with that."

"Why not? Liam was the worst ass in the world and yet here I stand. I doubt your father would scare me away."

"Scaring you away isn't what I'm worried about," I retorted very seriously.

"Then what is it? And don't say it's because you're worried about me. You've already pulled that card."

"I just don't want you around him, baby. That's all."

She folded her arms over her chest. "You don't want me to be around him or you don't want yourself to be around him?"

I tried to keep my face impassive, but I'd known that she caught me. Even if I tried to convince myself that it was more her I was worried about than myself, it wasn't; my father wasn't the person I went to when I was a child. I hardly went to my mother because half the time I felt like she was a doll that my father was playing with. I felt like she was brainwashed to think like him.

I didn't want to go back.

But I also didn't want Brielle around that. I wasn't lying on that part - I really wanted Brielle to stay away from the atmosphere that I'd once grown in.

She left the topic alone, and we spoke about our plans for classes. She planned to spend the afternoon with Harry tomorrow, which I was entirely fine with. I agreed that she needed some time to hang out with him - they were really good friends when it came down to it.