Taken

Chapter 22: Nothing I Do Better

"What is wrong with you, Louis? What did she do to you?" I heard Niall scream. There was a silence, and then more yelling. "You made her cry! It takes a lot to make her cry! You either piss her off really bad, or you make her really sad. Do you know how long she cried last night? How does that make you feel, knowing you made that happen?"

I sat up in the bed, and looked around. I was still in Niall's room, the covers on his bed tangled around my feet.

"Didn't mean to?!" Niall roared. "I'm going to kill you!" My eyes widened. I jumped out of the bed, tripping over the cover when I tried taking off towards the door. I fell down, catching myself with my hands. I shook the cover loose from my legs, and stood up. I opened the door, and then ran out into the living room.

I got there just in time to see an angry Niall knock Louis to the ground.

"Niall, get off him!" Liam shouted. "Louis, don't hit him! Break it up, you two!" Liam, Harry, and Zayn went after them, trying to pull them apart. They kept rolling around on the ground. "Niall! Louis! Stop before you hurt each other!" The two of them were pulled away from each other, and brought to their feet.

Heavy panting emanating from Louis and Niall filled the room as Harry and Liam held Louis back, and Zayn had a hold of Niall. He shoved at Zayn, hard, causing him to fall backwards over the chair, and went after Louis. Harry jerked Louis around, but Niall still managed to attack him. Harry was trying to pull Louis away, and Liam was trying to wedge himself in between Niall and Lou.

"Niall!" I shouted, rushing forward. I wrapped my arms around his waist, and tugged trying to pull him away. "Niall, let go of him. Please." As if they were just now noticing me, the fighting stopped, and everyone stared at me. Niall dropped his arms, and allowed me to pull him away. I looked at him, assessing the damage. The only noticeable mark was a bright red splotch on his jaw. He continued to stare at me, and I turned around.

The others were staring at me, too, all frozen in the same positions they were in when I first spoke. They looked at me like I was a porcelain doll, like at any minute I could break. I wouldn't. I wasn't as upset anymore. Yeah, I was upset, but not as much as last night.

No one spoke. They just continued staring at me. Louis, especially, was studying my face.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" He asked. "Alone." Louis looked around at the boys. They nodded, and left the room wordlessly. All except Niall who moved up next to me, and wrapped his arm protectively around my waist. "Just the two of us." Louis said, eyeing Niall.

"I'll be okay, Ni. Go on. I won't be long." I said as I looked up at him. He looked down at me solemnly, before shooting Louis a glare, and walking out.

"Amberlynn, I am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I care for you. A lot. Hurting you was my last intention. We got together because I thought that I could show you that you could love someone other than Niall. I thought that your feelings for Niall would weaken, and go away, but they only got stronger. I could tell, because when you kissed me, it was like you didn't want to be there. You were wishing I was him, weren't you?" I nodded slowly.

"Exactly. I didn't break up with you to hurt you or to upset you, and I didn't break up with you because I don't care about you, because I do. That's why I broke up with you. Because I do care about you, and I want you to be happy."

"I was happy with you." I said. He smiled sadly.

"I know, but you'd be happier with Niall."

"He has a girlfriend, and even if he didn't, I'm his best friend. He would never go for me."

"How do you know he wouldn't? You and I became best friends. Not as close as you and Niall of course, but close enough. I like you, so what does being best friends have to do with it?"