Haunted

eleven

“Explain to me again why exactly you need my help?” Niall asks, raising an eyebrow. I walk out of the kitchen with two glasses of water and hand one to him. 

“Because,” I start off. “You’re smart.” I say, nodding to him. 

Niall crinkles his nose and laughs.

“Me?” He snorts. “Smart?” 

I roll my eyes. 

“Just listen to what I have to say, alright?” 

He stares at me momentarily but eventually gives in and sends me a small nod. 

“Remember how I told you that Scarlett showed up at my apartment?”

“Yeah…” Niall narrows his eyes. 

I inhale a sharp breath. 

“We talked for a bit.” I say, looking down at the floor.

“And? What’d she say?” Niall asks, surprised and definitely eager. 

I clench my jaw and ball my fists to the side. 

“She didn’t die in a car accident.”

Niall stands up and stands in front of me.

“What? What do you mean she didn’t die in a car accident?”

“I mean,” I chew the inside of my lip. “The car accident wasn’t the cause of her death.”

Niall furrows his brow and purses his lips.

“Then how did she die?” He asks in a small voice, afraid to hear the answer. 

I look up and my gaze burns through him like fire. 

I swallow and hastily look away. 

“She was burned in a fire.”

Niall pales and his jaw drops slightly.

“Wow. A…A fire, huh?” He bites his lip and stares at me.

I nod and lift myself off the couch.

“Burned. Alive. In her own house.” I confirm. 

Niall gulps and looks around the apartment warily. 

“I still don’t get it though.”

I furrow my brow and look at him with a confused expression.

“Get what?”

Niall shakes his head.

“Why do you need my help?”

“Like I said before, you’re smart.” I point out.

“What does being smart have to do with any of this?” He asks.

“Because I want to find Scarlett’s murderer.” I finally say.

Niall looks taken aback and steps towards me, resting both hands on my shoulders.

“Dude, don’t you think that’s a little too—”

“—extreme and crazy. I know.” I cut him off. 

Niall eyes me suspiciously and nods slowly. 

“Why are you so keen on finding out, anyway?” Niall pushes for an answer, still eyeing me from my spot on the couch. 

“Honestly,” I sigh. “I have no idea. It’s just…whenever I think of her… I feel this sense of belonging..” I shake my head and squeeze my eyes shut. “Like, I care for her somehow. I feel the need to protect her and find out every single thing about her. I feel like we..we…” 

I open my eyes to find Niall staring down at the floor in deep thought. 

I sigh and shake my head.

“I’m sorry. This is stupid, I don’t know—”

“No, no. Continue,” Niall urges me. 

I lick my lips and inhale, nodding. 

“I feel like we… I don’t know… belong together.” I finish off.

Niall lifts his head and stares at me with an expression on his face that I can’t seem to make out. 

He purses his lips and nods slowly, giving me a small smile. 

“Okay.” He sighs, nodding vigorously.

“Okay?” I repeat. 

“Okay… I’ll help you.” He clarifies. 

I crack a grin and look down at him. 

“Thank you,” I breath out, smiling. “I thought you weren’t going to help m—”

Niall raises his finger and smirks at me.

“But,” He begins and a groan falls from my lips. 

I knew there would be something he wanted. 

He throws his head back in laughter and drops his hand to his side. 

“I need you to do me a favour.” He requests.

“Which is?” I question impatiently.

“Help me get a girlfriend.” He grins.

I stare at him in shock for a moment and laugh. 

“You want me to help you get a girlfriend?” I laugh, tilting my head to the side. 

Niall’s smile fades as he stares at me.

“Yeah.” 

I shrug and flash him a smile. 

“I mean, yeah, sure if that’s what you want,” I walk over to him and pat his back. “I’ll help you.” 

Niall pumps his fist in the air and does a little dance as he cheers. 

I laugh at his excitement. 

“You wanna go get something to eat?” I ask, gesturing the my stomach. “I’m starving.” I whine.

“Sure,” Niall grins at me. “Let’s go.” 

double update because i felt like my last chapter was too short :)