Falling Backwards (Sequel to Moments)

Chapter 24: Brunch

CHAPTER 24

*Janelle's P.O.V.*

Brunch with Ash and my parents- that's all this is. Brunch. I don't need Niall. Ash makes me happy. Everyone just needs to stop with the whole Janelle and Niall thing. We are not a thing anymore. Neither do I want us to be.

"Ready babe?" Ash says popping behind me in my mirror. "Louis let us use his car, so we're all set to go when you are."

"Alright. Let me just grab a few things and I'll meet you outside." He nods and gives me a quick kiss before leaving the room. I grab my bag and notice that I don't have my phone. I start looking around the room, but I can't find it, and that's when I remembered that I left it in the living room last night when Ash and I were watching movies.

I make my way downstairs and see Lisa sitting on the couch.

"Hey Janelle," she says with a nervous smile.

"Hey."

"So where are you off to?" she asks.

"Ash and I are having brunch with my parents." I don't even look at her. I'm searching for my phone instead and that's when I find it on the coffee table. I go over to grab it and that's when I hear someone come in from the door leading to the pool and backyard.

"Hey Ni-" Lisa starts off staying, but she gets cut off by Niall, himself.

"Janelle wait," he says rushing over to me. "Can we please talk?"

"I don't have time to talk," I say trying to rush out, but he steps in my way as I head towards the front door.

"You ignored all of us all day yesterday. Please." I look up at him and I could see the desperate plea in his eyes.

"I can't, Niall," I say looking back down, "Ash and I are having brunch with my parents right now, and I would like it if you stepped out of the way." I try getting around him, but he stops me again.

"Janelle, please...." But I pushed my way through. I don't have time for this. I walk outside and get into Louis' car and Ash starts driving off. Ashley sent the address of where we were meeting my parents last night. The drive was not that long, but it felt longer than it actually was. I just stared out my window most of the way there. I was so angry. I was so angry with my parents, the boys, Danielle, Eleanor, and especially Niall. I wanted to pull at my hair and scream my head off. But I couldn't.

We reached the restaurant and it was nothing too fancy. Ash and I walked inside and spotted my parents already sitting at a table. They waved us down and we took our seat across them.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Evergreen, " Ash says extending his hand out towards them. "I'm Ash, Janelle's boyfriend."

"Nice to meet you," my dad says shaking his hand.

"Glad you guys could find the restaurant," my mom says smiling at the both of us. And the next moments were full of silence. We were all just looking at our menus, taking short glances at each other. I'm getting annoyed. Finally our waiter came and took our orders.

"So what do you do for living Ash?" my dad asks taking a sip of his water.

"Well as of right now I'm a paid intern for a local business back in Hawaii," he says smiling.

"What kind of business?" my mom asks.

"It's for a magazine. We cover anything from local stars, local food businesses, anything local really. In our business, our goal overall is to bring attention to the rising local community." I can see how happy Ash is talking about this. I think it's great that he's working for a business like that- he's helping to bring attention to the underdogs.