Strong (A Niall Horan Fanfiction)

Chapter 31~ Protectors

“Niall?” I interrupt our hug.

“Hmm?” he hums.

“Do you have my phone? I need to let my parents know I am spending the night here. I don’t remember picking it up after… you know… the accident.” I direct my gaze to the floor. I shouldn’t be embarrassed about being abused by some man that I still don’t know the name of. It’s nothing to be nervous to talk about, but I am. I don’t really know how to talk about it.

Niall lifts my chin with his thumb and forefinger. Looking deep into my eyes he says, “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Spending the night?” I ask confused.

“No, the accident.” He emphasizes. He knows me well enough to understand what I am thinking. I’m distracted by the events of tonight.

“Not yet. I need to let my parents know that I am staying here tonight. Do you have my phone?” I ask again.

He walks over to the moved coffee table and picks something up. Walking back over to me, he places my phone into my hand and starts walking towards the door.

“Where are you going?” I say confused. “I’m only texting them.”

“Call them. You need to explain everything. I’ll be downstairs for a little while.” He gives me a comforting smile before silently shutting the door.

Explain it to them? I can’t! They will freak out. I never even told them about the first attack. I was too afraid to just randomly tell my parents that I was almost kidnapped. I didn’t think it was worth worrying them. Besides, I ended up being perfectly fine. But this time I have bruises and a gash in the back of my head. They might go berserk and hunt down the guy. Or maybe they will blame Niall. I don’t want that. But if I don’t tell them, then they will be sure that I’m hiding it because Niall did it.

I have to call them. At least one, I decide.

I dial the number to my mom’s cell phone. She hopefully will understand that it is in the past and not try and come get me to see the damage that has been imprinted on my body. My dad will surely bring a loaded gun and go on a man hunt.

As I’m thinking through how I am going to spill the information, I hear the other end pick up.

“Hey honey! How did the basketball game go? Are you almost home?” my mother giddily answers the line.

“No I’m not almost home. I’m spending the night at Niall’s house.”

“Oh… alright. You guys better be good then. The others are all there right?”

“Yeah mom, they are all here. We will be on our best behavior.” I say with no emotion at all.

It’s quiet for a moment as my mom evaluates my mood. “Is everything all right dear? You sound upset.”

She can read me like a book. My mom and I always seem to have this secret connection. We can sense each other’s moods. I know when she is excited about something and she knows when something isn’t right with me.

Seconds tick by as I sit there. Not being able to say what needs to be said. I don’t know how to share this unexpected information and I am afraid of how she is going to take it.

“Grace?” my mom says in a voice that pretty much is saying ‘spill it.’ She knows I am hiding something which makes it harder to start the conversation.

I decide to start from the beginning. “A few weeks ago, when Bella and I went to McDonalds, we were attacked by three men. They tried to kidnap us but Niall, James, and Aaron showed up and stopped them. We called the police and they took them away. I thought they were locked up…”