Hundred | h.s. au

7. C-006

This chapter is a long and very important one! Hope you guys like it!
(Word Count: 5,010 )

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"Massachusetts?! Sophie are you kidding?" Niall pleas, falling back further into his seat at the café.

After I talked with Jesse I decided that I needed to go speak to Dr Hunter Reed for myself. Meaning, once I got to my apartment, I pulled out my computer and booked a flight for Friday morning in order to make his lecture at 4:00.

I was currently working a closing shift at Martha's and invited Niall down to talk to him about it all, and to give him dibs on the remaining pastries. Now, however, Niall's attention was off of the sweets in front of him and staring at me with wide eyes. "You're kidding, right?"

Continuing to wipe off the table across from him I grimace, knowing he's not going to like the answer. "Niall, you know how much this has been bugging me..."

"Yeah! I know! But you can't just spontaneously book a flight across the country for the weekend!" He exclaims, throwing his hands up in the air annoyed.

I sigh, and decide not to say anything, instead letting him get out his frustrations. I'm definitely not mad at Niall for his reaction to this, if the roles were reversed, I would probably be acting the same way. But him and Kim encouraged me to figure this mystery out, and so I'm set on doing it.

"When are you even going? I could come with." He reasons.

I bite my lip nervously, looking over to the calendar on the wall. Today is Thursday. This was going to be another trigger point I had been hoping to avoid for a while. "Well... I'm leaving tomorrow."

Niall scoffs, running a hand over his face in distress. "Soph. Are you serious?"

"I'm sorry Niall, but Hunter Reed's lecture is tomorrow." I sigh, dropping the leaning rag down on the table to cross my arms. "Please don't be mad. I know you can't be missing work, that's why I didn't ask you to come. Also..."

My voice drifts off and I look away, slightly embarrassed.

"What?" Niall urges, noticing my hesitation.

"Well... this is also a journey I feel like I need to do by myself." I mentally roll my eyes at my own cliché words, but I know I meant them wholeheartedly.

Niall looks down at the muffin on his plate with a frown. My heart aches knowing I've upset him, but I don't know what else to say. "I'm sorry."

He looks up to me with sad, disappointed eyes. "Its ok, Soph. I just don't like the idea of you doing something like this... especially on your own! It's dangerous."

"Thank you for your concern, but my aunt literally lives in Boston, so I'll have her." I nod, and I can't help the smirk that rises to my face. "Plus, you know I can take care of myself pretty well."

He glances up at me confused before he realizes what I'm talking about and throws his head back in laughter. An annoyed yet humorous smile forming on his lips. "Yeah, yeah.."

The memory of me beating Niall's ass when he broke into my apartment without warning comes to mind. In my defense, it was late in the evening, and he didn't tell me he would be stopping by; he also thought it would be a good idea to scare me when I got home. These factors combined made me react as any woman would, pulling out the pepper spray and lifting my knee into his crotch.

Giggling, I continue to prepare the café for closing. "Yeah, I can definitely protect myself just fine."

Niall chuckles. "I still worry though."