Second Snapshot (Picture This Sequel: Niall Horan)

-Confrontation and late nights. [Chapter 17]

I combed the conditioner through my hair as the hot jets of water tumbled over my bare body making my skin flinch a bit with each spurt of scorching liquid cleansing my skin as if ridding it of any worries and imperfections it may have.

After my previous logon to twitter I made a point to call my sister at some point tonight. When I thought about it, I was actually really missing her. The same could not be said for my Mother and my Father but that's nothing new. My Mother's relationship with me is almost non-existent now and I can't say that I mind. Maybe we're better like this, talking when necessary. I suppose she's just lucky she got through the real parenting stage alive and without her cover blown because honestly, she's anything but fit to be a mother. No real mother tells their daughter pretty much every day that they're not good enough and a failure to this family; they don't tell them that they're disappointed in them because they haven't become a success as fast as their sister. It's hardly my fault that I can't sing and I don't particularly care that I can't. I'm surrounded by people who can and all I have to say is, good for them. Because I never desired to be a pop star anyway so why it was ever acceptable to compare my career success to Ellie's? I don't know. Because they're nothing alike. She's a pop sensation at 16 blah blah blah, good for her, I'm proud of her but that's what she likes to do, not what I like to do. I'm a fashion designer and photographer working in New York for ColorfulSecrets&Co they're both prestigious careers, maybe Ellie's is better and that's totally fine because I'm happy with mine. I don't want fame anyway.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds as I ran my fingers through my hair checking for any lingering conditioner but I could detect none so I shut the water off and wrapped a towel around my figure as I stepped out into the steamy en suite. I played with my hair around my shoulders and roughly done my parting. It was rather warm and sticky evening so I slipped into some shorts, a white tank top and pink blazer. Still love my blazers. I scraped my hair back as I applied minimal eye-liner and mascara in order to keep Niall and his lectures at bay and then blow dried my hair leaving it in natural blonde waves.

I listened as the faint but sure clicking of keys sounding through the walls and as I cautiously stepped out into the hall and let my eyes fall upon the closed and locked door and the light spilling out from underneath I concluded that indeed, Claire was in her room and the door was locked. Perfect. This would make it so much easier for Niall and I to sneak out tonight as long as the boys weren't hanging around as if Claire's door is locked at night and you can hear those keys going, you know, that she won't be coming out of there until morning.

I couldn't help but conclude that it was Liam's confrontation earlier that had sent her retreating to her room early. I mean, it was only human to be embarrassed after Liam so bluntly announced her feelings for Niall in front of everyone, including Niall. And now I felt a certain sense of satisfaction that she could indeed, be jealous of me. And I did have something to look down on her for. Niall was clearly not interested in Claire and Louis was right, because I'm his 'ex' girlfriend she automatically hates me because I have/had something that she never did or will and that, is the right to call Niall Horan my boyfriend and to say that we ever fell in love.

This thought mashed with the reminder that Niall and I were enduring a relationship again made a content smile tug at my lips, plus the excitement of going out somewhere, but really just anywhere, with him tonight.

I settled my smile into another so-so expression as I returned back downstairs the spicy smell of Niall's favourite takeaway filling my nostrils. I stopped for a minute at the bottom of the stairs their laughter already apparent. I sucked in a few deep breaths as I prepared myself to try my best to just eat without listening to the voices in my head telling me that doing this was anything but okay. I didn't want every conversation Niall and I had to revolve around eating habits of mine so I was determined to not give them a reason to as I tried to concentrate on the small amount of hunger that was lurking in my gut.