The Boy With The Irish Accent

Chapter 19- My Nightmare

"Where are you going?" Bree hollers at me from our room.

I had made up my mind, about a few things, the second I had pressed 'End' on my mobile. One: Cody needed help, two: I was going home to help him, three:my mother had gone of the deep end and quite frankly, I have had just about enough of her insanity.

"Tanya! Where could you possibly be going at this time of night!" she yelled, catching up to my hurried steps with ease.

"I'm going home."

"Yeah, I got that part, but why?" she pressed.

I turned quickly so that we were nose to nose, "My mom, is why, Ok?"

"Enough said, lets go." she says.

"Your not coming, she's unstable, unpredictable, and not your problem." I say plainly and shut the door.

Another one of my decisions: keep as many people out of this as possible. In this case, more isn't exactly merrier.

I was about to call a cab when I felt a jacket being slung over my shoulders. I looked over to find Niall's concerned blue-green eyes gazing down into mind. Considering that I had run out of his room without a word of explanation earlier, I guess I could now while I wait for my cab.

"What's wrong love? Where are you going?" he murmurs as he wraps his long arms around me.

"It's a long story." I breathe.

"I've got time." he whispers in my ear.

"Well, where should I start...-"

"From the beginning, the very beginning." he says, "Who's that little girl in your picture? Does she have anything to do with this?"

"Sarah, her name is Sarah, she's my little sister." I began.

"You never said anything about a little sister."

"She died, a long time ago." I whisper.

A look of pure horror, shame, and guilt that mixed across his face. He wrapped his arms tighter around me, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's ok, how could you possibly know that?" I say, resting my head against his shoulder.

"You don't have to go on if you don't want to"

"I do, you have the right to know." I murmur, "When I was younger everything was fine, perfect even, but then dad got a new job and mom started acting strange. She would sit for days at a time just staring at the wall. People stopped visiting, my friends stopped coming over, with the exception of Brianne of course. Dad was home less and less, his job kept away from home most of the time. But one day, Cody, Sarah and I were playing in the backyard, I heard mom and dad fighting in the kitchen. From what I could hear, mom had caught my father with another woman."

I looked up at Niall to see if he was still listening. His eye's were full of concern and empathy, his lips were stretched in a grim line. So I continued.

"That's when dad stopped coming home entirely, and when mom started hitting us. She would chase us through the house until we got tired out, then she would beat us with various objects she had on hand. Sometimes wooden spoons, other times one of dad's old belts. But one time, she was making us a steak dinner. Sarah accidentally bumped into mom's leg, making her cut her finger. Mom flew into a blind rage, screaming and cursing. Sarah was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and in striking distance."

Niall's arms tightened around my shoulders, every muscle in his body tensed.

"I had to sit and watch as my sister had her life stolen from her. The images and mental pictures of that night still haunt me every time I close my eyes." I sob, Niall whips the tears from my cheeks.

"My mother killed her, robbed her of a full, long life, and my dad did nothing." I wept.

"How old were you?" he asks.

"I was 11 years old. Cody was 8." I croak.

"And Sarah?"

"5"

A gasp escapes his lips and he pulls me into a tight hug. I let out a quiet 'hmf' of surprise and then pull away. "There's more." I whisper.

"Mom managed to hide all evidence of her crime before the cops showed up. Brianne's parents suspected but thankfully never said anything. I was the one to first call the police, during one of mom's rages. She had locked me in the bread pantry and I was running out of air. I could hear the cops at the front door, and my mother acting as if they were welcomed, expected guests. They found me though, eventually, and they put my mother into a rehab center. My dad came back and took care of us while she was away. His girlfriend left him and he said he would try to work it out with mom again, for us."

"You don't have to go on, I know this is hard for you." Niall murmurs softly, tracing his thumb over my cheek.

"I have to go on now, once I've started, I must finish." I insist, "Things were good while mom was gone, dad was his usual happy self and thing went back to normal. All things considering. 5 years later, mom was released and allowed to come home. She seemed...better. But apparently nothings permanent, of course...I already knew that though."

"Well one thing is permanent." Niall whispers.

"And what's that?"

"Love" he whispers.

I admit it, I melted, right there and then. I grinned at him and slipped out my phone, dialing the cab company's number.

"What are you doing?" Niall asks softly.

"I'm calling a cab, I'm going to the airport, and I'm going to get my brother."

"Ok, I'm coming with you." he declares.

"No, your not. I'm not dragging you into this." I say, just then the cab pulls up. Hhm fast service.

I get up, and star making my way toward the car, pulling my suitcase behind me. I only make it three quarters of the way there before I feel Niall's strong arms wrap around me. With a gentle tug he spins me around so that I'm facing him, his hot breath mingled closely with mine.

"Why not? Why not drag me into it?" he questions.

"It's simply not your burden to bare, and I can't promise I will be back. Make sure Harry takes care of Bree and please, tell her I'm sorry. For everything."

"Please don't go." he sighs, "I love you"

"I-I love you too Niall."

"Then stay." he whispers

"Goodbye Niall"