The Castle of Gold [Bk 2]

ch.19 Enjoyed it

As soon as the clock struck 5:00, I jolted out the back door of the restaurant. Harry was still inside tidying up some of the appliances and extra ingredients laying around. I made sure to leave before he could see.

I stood in the corner of the parking lot anxiously. Then I saw Niall come out the back door and start walking toward his truck.

“Niall” I called.

He turned around slowly and slung his lanyard over his shoulder.

“Hey” he spoke cautiously as he noticed my nervousness.

I walked up to him.

“I need to talk to you” I told him urgently.

I glanced from him to his car.

“Hop in” he said and he nodded toward his car.

I looked over my shoulder and saw someone open the back door of the restaurant.

Quickly, I got in the car before the figure could see us, especially since I knew who it was.

Thankfully, Niall drove at his own speed limit or rather lack of limit, so we slid out the parking lot in seconds.

The other great thing about Niall is that he doesn’t ask many questions; he just knew what you needed to say without you having to say it. Sometimes, he knew more than you had even admitted to yourself.

Niall blasted the radio to get rid of the awkward, impending silence. He occasionally glanced over at me like I was a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any second.

I played with a loose lock of my hair as I tried to even out my breathing.  I felt like a coward running away from Lima and now Harry, but I didn’t want to cause any more trouble by being around them both.

Niall parked his car and kicked open the already dented front gate to his house.

He clasped his snapback in his teeth and jammed his key into the door.

“Goddamn” he muttered angrily.

Then the door finally opened and he nodded for me to go in.

He motioned for me to take a seat on the couch and he sat on the couch opposite me.

My fingers grew fidgety so I clasped them together to calm them down.

“If this is about Golden Boy, I’m gonna give you the same advice I gave Harry: come clean or go home” he declared casually, but still convincingly.

I stared at him and my mouth hung open slightly.

He just sat there nonchalantly and those round blue eyes didn’t even blink.

“H-how?” I started to ask, but I realized it was pointless. It was actually better that he already knew because it would save me the pain of admitting my guilt.

“You guys were in that room for a while” he grinned.

I swallowed hard.

“We were talking. Well, he was talking mostly” I defended. I don’t know exactly what Niall thought we had been doing in that room, but I hoped he knew it wasn’t that.

“Um-hm” Niall nodded in pretend agreement.

“Did he ask you about his speech?” Niall asked with a slightly teasing grin.

I stared at him.

“Were you spying on us?” I asked him carefully. There was no possible way he could have known that unless he was listening in on us.

Niall shook his head casually.

“Naw, I’m just really receptive with people” he told me.

I nodded slowly.

“He was looking at you during his entire speech” he commented carefully, adding to his “receptive with people” claim.

I looked down into my lap.

“Didn’t you notice that?” he asked more quietly.

I nodded.

“But you didn’t think it meant anything? Did you?” he said and he literally pulled the words off my tongue. I was really glad I had come to him for advice; there will be no need for me to even say anything with this so-called “receptive” talent he has.

“No” I replied.

“Man, Angie, you really do need my help” he laughed. Then he took a swig of his beer.

I watched him carefully and tried to figure out how he knew so much without me having to say a word.

He held up his beer.

I shook my head “no.”

The last thing I needed was alcohol before I knew it, I’d probably be admitting to everything from enjoying Liam’s brief kiss to stealing Becky’s Bratz doll back in 2nd grade.

Or, maybe that’s exactly what I needed.

I grabbed the can and swallowed about half of it before my throat burned unbearably.

“Ok, I’ll get another one” Niall grinned and he got up to get another can.

I coughed, but my throat still felt as though it was enflamed. If I hadn’t drunk the beer, I would have said I was burning in my own guilt.

“You’ll get used to it” he laughed.

I nodded slowly.

“Niall” I began.

He sat there, hands clasped together like Dr. Phil except he had a head of blonde hair and an undeniable Irish accent.

I took another sip of my beer and breathed in and out steadily.

“I don’t deserve Harry” I confessed quietly.

Niall leaned closer to me and stared at me as if I was some unknown alien species.

“Don’t deserve him? What are you talking about Angela?” he asked me quickly.

Then he just watched me with wide eyes, completely shocked that I didn’t know how much I meant to Harry.

I shook my head in disagreement. Then I looked down and took another sip of the beer. I felt myself relaxing with every sip, like a soft blanket was covering my body.

“No, Niall-” I started to protest, but he wouldn’t have any of it.

“Angela, you’re the only reason Harry wakes up in the morning” he told me honestly.

I shook my head again. I wanted what Niall had said to be true, but if it was, I would feel that much more guilty for doubting how I felt about Harry.

“Well I shouldn’t be” I protested quietly. 

“And why not?” Niall asked slightly angrily now. He as offended by me not taking his word

“Because I –I let Liam kiss me and I-I” I stuttered.

“Enjoyed it?” he finished for me.

I swallowed hard. Then I nodded very, very slowly.