Frozen (Frat Boy Niall) EDITING

Epilogue 4: June 12, 2018

"Don't like it?" He smiled back.

"You know that I hate scruff." I rolled my eyes and playfully pushed him away only to be pulled back into his arms. But this time, my back was pressed to his chest and his hands were wrapped around my stomach, protecting it from the world. I caught my mom's glance at Brandon's hands before she raised her eyes and smiled again.

  "Dinner to celebrate?" Brandon asked aloud. "On me." He added, then kissed my head.

  "Sounds great." My dad spoke up, taking my mom's hand.

  I smiled and intertwined Brandon and I's hands together before turning back around to face Harper and her family. I stood and chatted for a few minutes, introducing my boyfriend to them, and answering questions about my parents. At the end of our conversation, hugs were given and "goodbyes" were thrown out, even though I knew that I'd be seeing Harper tomorrow. It just wasn't going to be the same...

We were all grown up.

***

"Khloe, so, uh, Niall?" Was the first thing my mother decided to ask as we sat down around the table to eat. Seriously?

"What about Niall, mom?" I didn't want to sound harsh, but I'm not really peachy keen on this subject. She knows that, why would she bring him up, especially at dinner with Brandon?

"Have you talked to him recently?" I felt both, my dad and Brandon's eyes on me as I unfolded my napkin and rested it on my lap.

"No? Why would I?"

  "Well, I just wasn't sure. I mean, does he know about Brandon?"

"Mom, can we please do this some time else?" I glanced up, silently pleading with my eyes. I do not want to talk about him. Not now, not ever.

  "Khloe, I'm just asking. I mean you are going to be raising his child with another guy around, he needs to know that." My god, she cannot be serious right now. I noticed Brandon clear his throat beside me and slowly slide his left hand to my thigh. 

My mother hasn't ever been real keen on who I've dated. Niall has been her only exception. And yes, we dated for three and a half years, but that time is over. I have moved on for the better, why can't she understand that? She doesn't have to be in love with Brandon. That's not what I'm asking. All I ask is that she at least respects him and respects my choice to be with him.

He is no Niall, but no one is ever going to be Niall. Why can't she see that and just leave it alone? He is perfect and unique in his own ways. I do not need Brandon to be another Niall. I just need him to be himself.

  "Niall is the one who left me, Mom. He is the one who chose soccer or football, or whatever you call it over me and his child. If he doesn't want us, then he should not give a damn who offers to step in and pick up his plate." I huffed out, feeling the back of my eyes burn with anger and rage.

  "You are right, Khloe, he did leave you. But, he still has a right to know." She argued back, almost pushing me to tears as my emotions started to flare. I didn't want to talk about this, and I didn't want to talk about him. She knows how much I cried and hurt over him. She knows the pain I went through, balling my eyes out on her lap at ungodly hours of the night, repeating over and over of how I just wish everything could go back to normal.