Intent 2: Fight or Flight [Wattys 2017] (ON HOLD)

Chapter 6

"Only if you tell me why you're so insistent that you get one."

Lovily.

"Niall I can't tell you that without telling you the entire story of what happened."

"I'm fine with that" Niall chuckles as I watch a big conniving smile cross his face.

"Well you won't serve me alcohol, so no. Not telling."

Thankfully, and for the first time since I've been here, Niall tries to bargain with me. "I'll make you one drink."

"Why are you so convinced I'll fall off the deep end if I start drinking?"

"I don't know... call it friendly intuition."

"It sounds more like you've spoken to my mum." I mumble bringing my bottle of water to my lips.

"What if I did?"

"Niall you don't know my mum." Please don't tell me another male in my life went to my mum.

It stung like a bitch when Harry admitted to it. For some reason that betrayal went deeper than any of the others. That might be a bit of an overstatement. It all hurt. His sneaking around, his lack of faith in me, his complete distrust, his total certainty that I was all those nasty things he described me as.

Call it a type of mild PTSD but even the thought of Niall hypothetically doing the same is panic inducing.

"Maybe I do?" He continues to joke. "Maybe your mum and I have tea every Thursday to discuss your life." I can tell he's trying to be serious but by the end of his sentence he can't hold back his smile.

"Then I'd say you have deeper rooted issues than I do." And I, on the other hand, am completely serious. Thankfully he chuckles.

"So are you going to tell me?" He inquires for the millionth time in the past few days I've been here.

To say this has been a point of conflict would be a total understatement. I'd say that it's at the very center of every friendly argument we have. 

It's peculiar how our friendship has transformed in the past couple days. When I showed up he didn't ask questions, well at least he didn't push me to tell him but now he's being friendly but relentless.

I know I'll tell him eventually. Honestly I can't keep it in much longer. I need to process all this somehow and Niall just so happens to be the only person I'm talking to at the moment.

"Are you gonna let me have a glass of red wine at least?" I don't know what it is with me pairing my problems with ruddy red wine these days, but it seems right. Like a deep oaky red wine is the sponsor for all of Emma Parker's personal issues.

Well that's healthy.

"Yes," and I swear my heart picks up with excitement just at the prospect. Oh god I sound like a alcoholic loon. "And I'll join you."

"Sounds perfect Nialler. You bring the wine, I'll tell you what happened and then we go out and get them."

"Emma I'm not getting a tattoo while drunk, too cliche." He tries to brush me off but I know it's because he's terrified of needles.

"Are you saying you get drunk off one glass of wine Niall?" Far too amused by the mental image.

"No. I'm not saying I won't do it, I'm saying it's not happening tonight." There is conviction in his tone but he's avoiding eye contact with me. I don't need him to look at me to know he's bloody terrified.

But I really want to do it. I need to do it.

It was really fun planning things out with Liam and I kinda got the idea in my head and it won't go away. Of course I wish I could have Liam there but that can't happen.