Strong (A Niall Horan Fanfiction)

Chapter 31~ Protectors

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” My mom says holding me up from my full explanation. “Weeks ago? Why are you just telling me now?”

“Because, I didn’t want to worry you or dad. Plus it all turned out fine.”

“You still should have told us young lady. We need to know things like that. We could have done something.”

“Well, I can’t go back in time and change my bad decision.” I sigh.

I wish I could. I wish I could change a lot of things.

“So why are you telling me right now?”

This is it. I have to tell her. It’s now or never. I wish it could be never, but it has to be now. “Well, the man, that was in control of me that night… well… he sort of… didn’t go to jail.”

“What do you mean? Why not?” She interrupts.

“I don’t know why he got let out. But he was. And… he was at the game tonight.” I get quiet when I hear a gasp on the other end. She’s shocked.

“Oh my! Are you alright Grace? Did anything happen? Do you want me to come and get you? I will. You know I will.” She offers.

“No mom, don’t come and get me. That’s why I am staying here.”

“Why are you staying there?” She asks confused.

“I sort of have some… bruises,” I whisper holding back tears as the memory floods back through my mind. “And I didn’t want anybody else to see them.”

“How many bruises? Where?” She questions in a frantic voice. I can tell that she is moving around nervously on the other end. Her voice cracks at the next sentence, “What did he do?”

“Mom, please don’t cry,” I whimper. “I’m fine now. Niall is here.”

“Well where the hell was he when you were being abused?” She yells into the phone.

I’m suddenly defensive, “Don’t talk about him that way! He was with fans. It’s not his fault. The man was waiting for him to leave my side.”

“I’m sorry. I just don’t know what to do for you.” She says quietly with tears still filling her throat.

A few tears escape my eyes. “I don’t need anything right now. I just want to stay here with Niall for the night.”

She chokes up. “Okay. Just call me if you need anything. We will talk more about this tomorrow then.”

“Okay. Oh! Mom, will you please tell dad? Don’t let him freak out though, please. And make sure he knows this isn’t Niall’s fault. It’s not.”

“Yes sweetie. I will do that for you. When you get home tomorrow, we can have a pamper day for you. Alright?”

I smile slightly at her polite gesture. “That sounds perfect.”

“Alright, goodnight dear. Make sure you rest up.”

“Okay, night mom. I love you.”

“Love you too!”

And with that, the line goes dead.

I sigh and flop onto the bed, wiping my eyes immediately after. They are probably a little puffy and red, but they can't be that bad because I only cried for a couple minutes.

Setting my phone down on the small table near me, I lay my head down on the pillow and close my eyes. I’m exhausted.

I’m glad I got that done with. It wasn’t as horrific as I had anticipated. I thought there would be a major blow up and I would end up being dragged from this house.