Assassin to Assassin [Narry]

Chapter 35.

Niall

For the first few days of being in Ireland, I didn't do much. In fact, I don't think I did anything. I mostly lazed about in the homely, familiar living room that I grew up in and watched football games all day. I survived mainly on chicken noodles or beans on toast while my parents worked. My parents may have been divorced but they're still together under the same household, to keep Greg and I happy. Greg is my older brother, who is already married to his wife, Denise and has a son (my nephew) Theo. I envy how successful he is in life, compared to me. He has his own business running, living in a family home and he's able to go abroad and buy nice things for Theo - and then there's me. Not knowing what I'm doing in life at all because of some silly break-up.

It doesn't help much that my mother has been giving me the "I told you so" speech since I arrived home. Which, I guess, I can see her point as she was livid that I had lied for Harry in the first place. But none of that matters now. That's exactly why I came here. To forget about him. To move on with my life and focus on what I deserve. Except, I'm too lazy to move. Or I don't want to.

Right now, I'm dressed in a pair of sweats with a beer in my hand, watching some old Friends series when my mum comes strolling down the stairs, dressed in a work suit and her hair combed into submission.

"Come on, get up. Don't laze around all day, at least do something productive." She persuades and I merely grunt in reply.

"Oh, by the way. Your brother is bringing Denise and Theo over later for dinner. Along with Bresi to celebrate your arrival." She adds fondly. I perk up a little at that and peer at her from behind the sofa.

"Bresi?" I repeat and she smiles at me.

"Yes, he's been asking for you. Says he's not seen you in ages." She tells me. I can feel my cheeks turn red already, my ears going red, too. Okay. I'm not gonna lie. I had a little crush on Bresi when Greg first brought him home that one time. He's in his late twenties and he was Greg's football coach at the time, so he wasn't in school. But that didn't stop me constantly asking him to help me study just so I could spend time with him. In fact, if anything, I think he's partly the reason I done well in school in the first place. Nevertheless, I kept making excuses for me to see him. Whether it was football, or a family dinner or whatnot. He was a close family friend and I knew at the time that nothing could ever happen between us. He was like a big brother to me. Yet, I still had feelings for him. I didn't realize until to this day that that crush was still there, even if it was a freakishly small crush. It didn't compare to how I felt for Harry though. If you had seen him, you'd understand. He's tall, broad and muscular and wore tight t-shirts to show is abs.

His eyes are hazel green, his hair a tousled brown and a short stubble covered his sharp jawlines. I was completely smitten for him. I'm pretty sure that he was the reason I knew I liked guys in the first place. I must've been about fourteen at the time. My mother, of all people, knew I had a crush on him and I think that's the reason she's telling me this. She knows it'll get me motivated for the rest of the day.

"When are they, um..." I clear my throat "coming over?" I ask anxiously and a knowing smile appears on her face.

"Five thirty." She replies. I give a lazy nod and turn back around to the TV. I'm not going to give her the satisfaction of me actually being excited about something. I hear her sigh behind me. "I'm going to the supermarket to get stuff for tonight. I want you ready for me coming back." She orders. I shrug carelessly and watch her leave. When the door is closed, I leap from the sofa and head for bathroom, taking a quicker shower and slapping on some fresh aftershave after shaving. I fix my hair and check to see if I look okay before heading back downstairs. I look at the clock in the kitchen. 4:15 pm. Fuck. Still had another forty five minutes.