Take Me Home

Chapter Ten

Harry smiled encouragingly at the small boy, and Niall couldn't help but trust the green eyed gaze. "I'll teach you, don't worry," he said.

"Yeah, me too!" Louis added.

"M'not worried," Niall mumbled, but he got up and followed the two boys out into the large garden nevertheless. Liam quickly cleared the table with Zayn's help, then the two men decided to go sit outside and keep on eye on the boys whilst it was hot.

They sat beside one another on the porch, watching Harry demonstrate running up to the old football and then giving it a kick, then looking at Niall, who shook his head.

"I don't want to," he said, because he didn't like the idea of the sport. It wasn't at all compelling to him.

"C'mon, Ni! It's fun," Louis joined in, giving the ball a swift kick back to Harry, who gently nudged it with his foot in the direction of the seven year old.

Niall stopped it with the side of his foot, glaring at Harry. "I said I don't want to!" he yelled, though it sounded like more of a childish whine.

"Just kick it, Niall, it's easy!" Louis cheered, clearly not noticing the other boy's frustration.

Niall felt his temper rise and clenched his hands into fists at his sides. "Fine!" he shouted, giving the ball a rough boot and sending it to the end of the large garden, into the weeds and nettles.

Louis frowned, crossing his arms. "Why'd you do that? It's meant to be fun, but you're just getting moody," he stated, though his tone wasn't intended to be cruel.

Niall gulped down the lump in his throat because he couldn't help but think that maybe he had just made Louis hate him, and that thought on top of the worry about his homework, was enough to send him over the edge.

"I said I didn't want to play!" he yelled, stomping towards the brown haired boy with his eyes narrowed.

Harry intervened then, stepping forward and attempting to rest his hands on the small boy's narrow shoulders. "Ni, it's alright -"

"Don't touch me, you both hate me, you think I'm stupid," he shouted, though even he wasn't quite sure where the words were coming from.

Harry didn't stop trying to reach for him and Niall didn't the only thing he knew how to stop him. He shoved the taller boy in the stomach, with surprising force. Harry managed to stay on his feet but didn't attempt to approach the blond haired boy again, rubbing a hand against his stomach.

"Leave me alone! I don't wanna play stupid football," he yelled, before running past the two boys, shoving in between the two adults who had just stood up to attempt to calm things down, and up the stairs. The slam of the bathroom door was all that came next, and then there was silence.

Liam sighed. He had truly thought Niall was over this swearing and being aggressive behaviour, but he supposed it had only be a week since they had brought him into the home and he still had a lot to get used to.

He directed his gaze towards Harry, who was rubbing his stomach. "You okay?" he asked.

Harry nodded, looking nothing more than a little surprised. "I'm okay. Just wasn't expecting that."

Louis looked more upset than anything, fearing he had just lost a friend. "Did I make him sad? I know you said he gets angry when he's upset, but I didn't mean to make him upset. I don't think he's stupid at all," he told the two men, prepared to run after Niall and tell him the same thing.

Zayn shook his head. "It's okay, buddy. You didn't do anything wrong, I think something else is playing on his mind. You two carry on out here and keep an eye on the twins whilst Liam and I go see to Ni, alright?"