"Don't get me started on what it means to be alive. You're lying to yourself and then you still act surprised cause you're scared, can't come to terms with what you are. The wolves in sheep's clothing will only lead you so far. You'll wait, and they'll go 'cause in the end we all end up alone. So just wait, you'll know."
- This Is The House That Doubt Built by: A Day To Remember
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Ariella’s POV
I barely had time to move before Steve lunged for me. I quickly moved out of the way.
“CHRISTIAN! GEMMA!” I screamed.
Steve yanked me up by my hair and spun me around so that I was facing the front door. He held a knife to my neck. When Christian and Gemma came running in, they both froze in place.
“You shouldn’t have left me, Ariella,” Steve said, pressing the knife harder against my neck.
I saw Christian whisper something in Gemma’s ear and she ran back outside.
Christian looked at Steve and then ran towards him at a fast pace. Steve wasn’t expecting this so he dropped the knife in surprise and then the both of us fell back once we were hit from Christian’s impact.
I tried to crawl away but Steve grabbed my ankle and pulled me back in his direction.
I let out a mangled scream and Steve hit me in the stomach. I groaned and my body contorted in pain.
Christian put Steve in a headlock and I went to grab the knife that Steve dropped on the floor, but he stepped on my hand and I cried out in pain. I took a swift kick to my left cheek and fell to the ground. I stood up and then Steve managed to get another knife out of his pocket and cut Christian’s arm with it.
Christian hissed in pain and ran over to stand beside me. Steve was standing a few feet away from us and was taunting Christian and me with his knife. I eyed the knife on the ground and decided not to go for it. Steve could slit my throat faster than I could reach for the knife.
Christian and I looked at each other. All of a sudden, the police burst through the front door with Gemma trailing behind them. Three men tackled Steve to the floor and snatched the knife away from him, and they also took the one on the ground as evidence. Gemma’s eyes widened as she looked at Christian and I. His arm was bloody whereas my face was.
I heard Steve scream and yell and to be honest, it terrorized me. His screams were like one of those horrifying ones that you just never forget. He was psychotic. Christian just put his arm around me and I buried my face in his chest. I immediately jumped back because I knew I’d get blood on his shirt. Surely enough I did get blood on it.
“Sorry, Christian,” I said.
“It’s no problem,” He said softly.
“Thank you,” I said.
“It was no problem. Who was that?” He asked.
“My step-father,” I admitted.
Christian’s jaw tightened, and he said, “Violence in a family or in a relationship is just something I’ve never understood. I know people have bad tempers, but I would never resort to violence against someone that I loved.”
“He never cared for me the way a step-father should,” I said.
“I’m not trying to awkwardly change the subject, but maybe we should get to the hospital because you both look horrible,” Gemma said.
Gemma drove Christian and me to the hospital and the receptionist did a double take when we walked in. She probably thought we were gang bangers or something.
“We need a doctor,” Christian stated.
The woman’s face flushed and she nodded rapidly. I’m pretty sure my face was swollen and I also had a busted lip.
Christian and I were put in beds right beside each other. I saw his cut being disinfected and he got seven stitches. Ouch.
The doctor made me open my mouth to make sure none of my teeth had broken and cut the inside of my mouth. Thank goodness, none of my teeth broke. I did have a nasty bruise on my cheek and a busted lip. He gave me some ice and then looked at my stomach.
“Your ribs are getting better. You’ll have a bruise on your stomach for awhile and I would stay away from sharp objects that you could bump into,” The doctor told me.
I nodded and thanked him, and then Christian and I were released.
“Is there anything that you two want? I can get it,” Gemma said.
“I want Niall,” I told her.
“I’ll call him and tell him what happened…” Gemma said.
“Maybe I should call him,” I said.
“Alright, but just a warning: he’s going to freak out,” Gemma said.
“Believe me, I know,” I said. She smiled and then I picked my phone out of my pocket. I had a missed call from Niall.
I sucked in a deep breath and called him back.
“Hey babe!” His cheerful voice flooded through my phone.
“Hey, Niall,” I said.
“What’s going on?” He asked.
“Niall, Steve showed up…” I said.
“WHAT?!” He yelled.
“Yeah, but I’m fine. I have a swollen cheek, a busted lip, and a bruised stomach, but I’m glad he didn’t kill me,” I said, trying not to cry.
“Ariella, I feel so horrible,” Niall said.
“Don’t. You couldn’t have done anything. You’re on a tour right now,” I said.
“Your life means more than this tour, Ariella,” He reprimanded me.
“I’m just thankful that Christian was there to help me. He got off worse than me. Steve stabbed him,” I said, letting a few tears fall down my cheeks.
“Now I feel even worse. I’m on a tour while another man has to protect my girlfriend,” He said.
I pictured Niall running his hands through his hair and huffing.
“He’s arrested, Niall. He can’t hurt me anymore,” I said.
“I’m glad, baby, but I promised you that I wouldn’t let him hurt you again! And he did!” Niall moaned.
“It’s not your fault, Niall,” I said.
“I know, but I should’ve been there,” He said.
“I miss you…”
“I miss you too. I’ll be with you tomorrow morning. Will you meet me and the boys at the airport? Please?” He asked. His voice was hoarse, which meant he’d been crying.
“Yeah, I will. What time?” I asked.
“Probably around nine,” He said.
“Alright,” I said.
“Bye, Ariella,” Niall said.
“Bye, Niall,” I told him.
“I love you,” He said.
I felt my body tingle when he said that. Was what we had love? I’d barely known him for two months. I looked back on everything that happened and then I looked at the necklace he got me that I wore every day, even during our fight.
I bit my lip and said, “I love you too, Niall.”
Before he hung up, I heard him cheering. I smiled to myself and then I felt someone’s hands go over my eyes.
“Guess who?!” Christian’s voice boomed.
“Gemma,” I said.
He took his hands off and then laughed when I turned around.
“Do you want to go back to my mum’s house or would you rather go back to dad’s?” She asked.
“Dad’s,” I answered.
She nodded and drove Christian and me over to my dad’s. Once we got there, we explained what happened and he hugged me.
“I’m sorry, Ariella. I know that I haven’t been there for you for well over most of your life, but I’ll step it up,” Edward said.
I smiled and hugged him. I trudged up the stairs and went into my room. I plopped down on my bed and fell asleep.
The next morning, I hurried to get ready. I brushed my teeth and showered quickly. I pulled on skinny jeans and a plain t-shirt with a hoodie over it. I put on my red vans and then ran down the stairs and collided with Gemma.
“Gemma, can you take me to the airport please? I left my car at your mum’s,” I told her. She just gave me her keys and I rushed outside and drove to the airport.
Once I arrived there, I just sat down on a bench and waited for Niall, Louis, Harry, Zayn, and Liam to arrive. I checked the time on my watch and it was 9:05. I was looking around when all of a sudden I saw a certain blonde-haired Irish boy running towards me.
I jumped off of the bench and ran towards him. I jumped into his arms and I was so overwhelmed that I just cried. He was only gone for three weeks. I couldn’t even imagine how I would act when he would be gone for four months at a time.
I just stayed in his arms, afraid to lose him. I breathed in his smell and took in his every feature.
His lips crashed down on mine and I wrapped my arms around his neck and his were around my waist. I heard pictures being snapped but I just didn’t care. I had Niall here with me now. I didn’t even care that my stomach was hurting from being pressed up against him; I just wanted to feel his touch.
When we broke apart, he just smiled at me. Niall pecked my lips again and hugged me.
“I missed you,” He said.
“I missed you too,” I told him.
When the other boys came up to us, they looked out of breath.
“Niall just took off! He ditched us,” Louis said.
I broke away from Niall’s grasp and hugged each of the other boys. I missed them so much too.
“Let’s have a sleepover tonight, boys. I missed you all so much!” I told them. They all nodded. Niall put his arm around my shoulder as we all left the airport and got in Louis’s van. We rode over to the complex where all of the boys lived in. We all walked into Harry and Louis’s flat.
I sat on the couch and Niall sat beside me. He kissed me again and I smiled.
“Ew, PDA,” Louis said.
I stuck my tongue out at him.
“Well, I think you all know what it’s time for…” Louis said.
“What?” I asked.
“SCARY MOVIES!!!” Louis screeched.
I covered my ears.
“Don’t worry, babe, I’ll protect you,” Niall whispered in my ear. I blushed and he laughed.
We all tried to squeeze onto one couch even though there was another one open. This is one of the many reasons why I love the boys.
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Sorry about the cliffhanger on the last chapter people! haha.
I hope all of my readers enjoyed this! <3
Leave comments & vote please! :)
Oh, and I thought everyone would like the cute photo of Niall to the side! :)