SPACES | 𝘯. 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘯 (book 3) ✔

Chapter 123: Defenceless.

[We're sleepin' on our problems like we'll solve them in our dreams
We wake up early morning and they're still under the sheets
I'm lost in my head, I'm spinnin' again
Tryna find what to say to you]

      The day before the album is released, I woke up to, once again, an empty bed. I let out a shaky sigh and went over to the bathroom. My eyes were puffy and red while the tears were dry around them. I turned on the water, rinsing my face and looking back up at myself. I looked a mess. I felt the lump in my throat begin to grow again. I ignored it, brushing my teeth quickly and putting my hair up in a ponytail. 

      I went to Via's room, finding her still fast asleep. Last night, she was quite cranky, crying every few hours. Whenever I woke up, Niall was still asleep, not caring that his daughter was begging for either his or my attention. I closed her door again, going downstairs and going to the kitchen. I picked up the white piece of paper on the counter, rolling my eyes as I found Niall's handwriting. "Stace and I went to the beach. Don't know when we'll be back. Boys are coming over tonight, so make something good. Niall." I read. I placed the note back down, a little too harshly while my hands curled into tight fists, making my knuckles turn white.

      Don't cry, Emily. Don't cry. I continued to repeat it in my head. When I calmed down, I let out a breath and tossed the paper into the trash. I went to the cabinet and grabbed a mug for my coffee. The fact that Niall didn't care to even take Via to the beach with them is what pissed me off even more. I never cared for the beach, but it would've been Via's first time and yet, he didn't even take that into consideration. 

      I started making the dinner for tonight at around six. Via was in her rocker watching Monsters Inc. I popped a Cheez-It into my mouth before I opened the oven again and placed the lasagna in the oven. Since the most of us weren't vegans and Harry was, this lasagna was vegan but tasted like it wasn't just so that all of us could eat the same thing. It was a recipe I found online and I've been wanting to try it, so I did and the first time I tried it, it was really good, so I decided to make it. 

      When Niall and Stacey came home a little later, I was in the living room with Via as I played with her and she grabbed my finger tightly, smiling at my actions. "Oh, hey Emily!" Stacey greeted, walking in. 

      "Hi." I replied with a small smile and continued to look back at Via. "Uh, how was the beach?" 

      "It was great! We spent all day there and ate at a restaurant near by." She said with a large smile. "Anyway, I'm gonna go shower."

      I cleared my throat awkwardly and continued to play with Via, making faces at her as she smiled and kicked her feet in contentment. "What are you making for tonight?" Niall asked, coming out of the kitchen. 

      Hi, to you too. "Lasagna." I answered. 

      Niall groaned, "Again?!" 

      I looked back at him, furrowing my eyebrows. "What do you mean 'again'?" I asked him, keeping my voice low for the sake of Via.

      "You just made that the other day!" 

      "No, I didn't." 

      "Yes, you did, Emily. Do you not know how to make anything else? Jesus..."

      I contained my anger, what he said wasn't true, I hadn't made anything in about the past week that Stacey has been here, seeing that they always went out to eat. I never felt the need to make anything since they were always full by the time they got home. As he continued to pester me about making something different, I snapped, wishing that I hadn't in front of Via, but in order to get him to stop, now was the only time I would do it. "Shut up already, Niall!" I snapped. "I'm trying here! I'm trying to be a nice person and trying to be understanding, but when you get angry with me for the tiniest things, it's really hard to not crack. Now save your other insults about not being a good mother or girlfriend because I do not want to fight in front of Olivia. Got it?!"