Love Thy Neighbour *editing*

"That was a bit of an anti-climax."

It was Sunday, four days after my miscarriage. I was lying in my bed, just starting to wake up, when I became very aware of the fact that someone was stomping up the stairs. What a bloody racket. But I knew that it was neither mum or Auntie Francis, and even Tommy couldn't make that much noise. I listened to the person crossing the landing and realised, too late to block the door, that it was Sian and her high heels. She flung the door open, struck a pose and jumped onto my bed. I wrinkled my nose; her perfume was already making me feel queasy. I looked at her, my eyebrow quirked.

"We're going shopping," she stated. She got up and went over to my wardrobe, pulling out outfits. "You've been moping for long enough, so come on." I groaned and pulled my blanket over my head. I could not be bothered with this. Did she seriously think that I wanted to get up and walk around town? I had just lost one baby and promised the other I would take it easy. Not to mention what Niall would say.

"Evie, get your arse out of bed," she moaned, pulling at the covers. I dealt a well aimed kick and caught her on the thigh; I wasn't getting out of my bed. She gasped. I hoped to God that she wasn't going to tip the mattress like Niall had done. Instead, she sat at the foot of the bed and pouted.

"Evie!" she whined. "Get up!"

"Why?" I demanded. There had to be a particular reason as to why she wanted to go into town on this specific day. And why couldn't she go with Rick? Wasn't he her latest squeeze?

"Because...Because Rick said he was going to check out that new film on at the cinema, and I thought-"

"And you thought that we could conveniently run into him?" I asked. Of course. Never mind the fact that I felt like shit, just as long as Sian got her man. I rolled over and started to count to ten; I wasn't going to get angry with Sian, it wasn't worth it.

"Look, you need to get out the house," Sian reasoned. "And we can just take it easy, promise." I took the blankets from over my head to let her know that I was listening. She grabbed on it like a lifeline.

"And if we don't see him, we can go and see something you want to see."

I sighed and sat up, rubbing my tired eyes. I couldn't believe that I was about to agree to this ridiculous plan but Sian was right; I needed to get out of the house. Dwelling over what had happened over the last few days would only make me feel worse.

My bedroom door open and Niall appeared, wearing his jeans and a t-shirt, a cup of tea and a jar of peanut butter in his hands. When he noticed Sian, he stopped and raised his eyebrows.

"How the hell did you get in here?" he asked, passing me the peanut butter.

"I could ask you the same thing." Sian shot back, glaring up at Niall. Niall shrugged and sat on the edge of the bed, passing me the cup of tea. I smiled at it and raised it to my lips. Then I put it back down when I caught the look on Sian's face.

"What?" I asked. Sian's eyes darted from me to Niall. I sighed.

"Are you and him..." her voice trailed off and she waggled her eyebrows. I was humiliated for her and I could tell that Niall was enjoying this no end. Okay, Niall had been sleeping here for the past couple of nights but it was perfectly harmless and even if it wasn't, what was the worst that could happen? I was already pregnant so that boat had already sailed. And anyway, what business was it of hers.

"Okay, I'm getting up," I grumbled, putting the tea down on my bedside cabinet and getting to my feet. Niall glared at Sian.

"Is this your doing?" he demanded. I had never heard him speak to someone as sharp as that. Even Sian looked stunned, and she was used to getting snapped at. She got to her feet.