Tell Me A Lie [Niall Horan]

Prologue

"Come on, James. We just have this last stop before we can go home."

"I'm tired. I want to go home now!" I sighed and grabbed his hand. "I'll buy you something special at the next stop okay?" I said, trying to compromise with him so he wouldn't throw a tantrum.

"Okay."

Our next stop was simply the town's only grocery store. We were regulars there (obviously, it isn't like I would drive and hour out of town just to get some food) but today I could spend a little extra on something special for James.

We gathered the few simple things we need to live very quickly and we were soon checking out.

"Hello there!" A middle-aged clerk said as we made our way to check out.

"Hi." I said as I placed our items on the belt. I also grabbed a small matchbox car for James. Hopefully he would be satisfied until I could afford another 'luxury' for him.

"Are you new here?" I asked the woman as she checked out our items.

"Yes I am. I just moved here a week ago and I was lucky enough to find a job here. It's such a quaint town!"

I smiled stalely. That's what all the new-comers said. 'Quaint'. Well that was until they stayed in town for a while and got to know it. They usually only stayed for less than a year.

"Well, welcome to Meadow Falls. I'm Juliet Klein. I live on Maple Street." I said, feigning enthusiasm.

She smiled and placed our items in a bag. "This must be your little brother." She said smiling at the little boy hugging my shins.

I smiled and shook my head. "He's actually my son." I said pulling James in front of me. "Say hello James"

I felt a little bad for her as she turned bright red and started to stutter. "I-I'm so sorry! I just-"

I cut her off. "It's alright. It's a common mistake."

It really was though. If you didn't know better you would naturally assume that we were brother and sister. We both have dark brown hair and brown eyes and we both have the same-shaped face. Thankfully he didn't get many of his looks from his father.

"Well, come on James we better get going." I said taking his hand again.

"Have a good day!" I called over my shoulder to the clerk.

We were stopped at the door by the assistant manager, who I happened to know (who am I kidding? In this town everybody knows everybody).

"Juliet, how are you?" She asked.

I smiled and told her I was fine, which was mostly true. I didn't exactly want to get into it with James standing right here. He was catching on to more and more things lately and I had to be careful.

"Are you sure? You look really tired." She said with a sympathetic smile.

I pulled out the matchbox car I had just bought James and told him he could play with it on the ground for a minute.

"To be honest Teri, I'm exhausted." I said turning back to the manger.

"Tell me about it hon." Teri said.

"Just for a minute...I have to get James home." I said with one last glance at James on the floor.

"We're going broke." I continued. "I don't know how much longer this can last. I'd like to finish school, but I don't know if we can make it like this anymore."

It was at this time when James (apparently) wandered outside to play on the sidewalk with his car. I didn't notice until a few minutes later (how many I can't ever be sure and that just scares me all the more).

"Well I have to go." I said wrapping up my conversation and turning to where James was previously.

When I saw he wasn't there I panicked. "James?" I called as I looked around.

I dashed outside into the fresh April air and looked frantically around.

At the end of the sidewalk, James was sitting there, his car forgotten as he talked to a tall blond stranger. A man stranger.

"James Xavier!" I cried running over between him and the man, momentarily forgetting my fears. "Don't you ever do that again!" I scolded James as tears streamed down my checks.

"It's a nice little lad you got there."

A strangely accented voice broke threw my thoughts bringing me back to reality; and back to my greatest fear.

I looked up into blazing blue eyes, almost unable to move.

"Miss?" He asked, apparently he had said something.

I looked down to see James' red matchbox car clutched in the seemingly giant hands of the stranger.

It was then I broke and hurried away, unable to say or do anything but get away as quickly as I could.

After I rounded the corner and made sure the stranger had gone into the store I knelt down next to James. "What have I told you about talking to strangers?!" I asked, my voice cracking.

"He was a nice stranger. ...I'm sorry mommy." He looked down at his feet and I hugged him close.

"It's alright. Just don't do it again."

"I wont. I promise."

["Stranger's" POV:]

I looked after the retreating figure and shrugged. Not very friendly. I thought as I made my way into the grocery store.

I filled a cart and made my way to the clerk in the front of the store.

"Hello." I said as I unloaded my groceries.

She responded normally and started scanning my items.

"Do you by any chance know the girl who was just in here?" I asked hopefully. "The one with the little boy?"

"Sorry honey, I've only just met her myself."

 "Oh." I said disappointed.

"But maybe I can help." She said egger to help.

I waited not-so-patiently as she bagged my things before telling me.

"She told me she lives on Maple Street, which is two streets over from here. Maybe you can find her yourself." The clerk said with a smile.

"Thank you for your help." I said leaving. "It's been a pleasure."

I don't know what attracted me to this girl, but now I was determined to find out who she was and why she seemed so egger to get away from me.

I would find out. One way or another.

A/N: So....Feedback? Not really sure how it is.... :P

Comments are appreciated! :3

xx