Chapter Eleven
Whitney's POV
I woke up and felt trapped, yet oddly safe. I tried to move but felt someone else move... next to me. My eyes flew open and I was met with a pair of closed eyelids, soft pink lips and hair that had gone wild from sleeping on it. Louis. Last night came flooding back and I smiled. Thinking of Cindy the Escalade and how happy Louis was when he had given Cindy back. It was legit Cindy and I was so happy to have her back!
My eyes began to take in every piece of Louis' features. From his prominent cheekbones to the shape of his lips that look oh so kissable, to his cute little nose and to the crinkle at the ends of his eyelids. His face was so calm, his breathing was steady. My eyes trailed back up to his hair, and my hand ached to run through. I carefully lifted my hand up and poked his hair with my finger. I laughed silently at the mental picture of what I must look like doing that.
I pushed away the thought and began to slowly run my hand through his hair. I was going through my seventh stroke (it's so soft!) when a hand flew up and grabbed my wrist. I yelped at the sudden movement.
"Busted." a sleepy husky voice said. My eyes widened and I look down, my green eyes meeting his blue eyes. He smirked,
"Is my hair that tempting and desirable?"
Without thinking, I reply smartly, "Ha! No. Your lips are more desirable than your hair." My hand flew up to my mouth. I cannot believe I just said that. His eyes widen, and I watch as they look confused and then shine.
"That desirable that you'd kiss me?" He removed my hand from my mouth and I was frozen, watching him with my eyes. What is going on?! He leaned in closer, our eyes locked on each other. He was inches from my lips when a loud knock hit the front door.
He audiably sighed and I held back a laugh. I pulled away and out of his arms, trying to ignore the hurt look on Lou's face. I stood up and grabbed my bathrobe, slipping it up my arms and over my shoulders. I tie it up and begin to make my side of the bed. Lou slowly sits up and moves to the edge of the bed, his eyes watching me.
"I wonder who that is." I say, not really expecting him to answer. He shrugs. I can't tell if he is still tired or bummed that we didn't kiss. I think he's still tired.
I finish making my side of the bed, I walk out of the room and downstairs. I open the door and my jaw drop at the sight of the person on my doorstep.
"Blake?!" He his brown eyes look up down at me, pleadingly. PLEADING?! FOR WHAT?!
"Who's Blake?" I hear Louis ask behind me. I turn and see Louis scratching the back of his head and when Blake comes into view, his eyes widen and he drops his hand. He walks closer towards me, eyes still on Blake.
I look between them and notice that they both were staring each other down. I clear my throat,
"Louis meet Blake. Blake meet Louis." They send each other a curt nod and I sigh. Could this get any worse? I take that back. I see a police car pull in. Oh and then a Range Rover that has the rest of One Direction in it. FREAKING A.
The police officer gets out of the car in full uniform and I see the lads of One Direction shoot me a weird look. I shrug, just as clueless as them. As the police officer gets closer, I realize its the one that was here earlier to confront me about Mark.
"Hello ma'am. Gentlemen. Can I talk to a Ms. Whitney Foster?" he asks and I nod.
"That's me." I tighten the ropes on my bathrobe.
He nods, "Can I talk to you privately?" I nod, inviting him in.
"Wait here lads." Lou steps out of the house but not before I stop him.
"Do not say a word to Blake. You or the other lads." He nods but I'm not sure he heard me.
I invite the officer in and he walks over to the kitchen counter. It was then I noticed he had some papers with him.
"What is this about, officer?" I ask. He looks back at me with a sympathetic face.
"I suggest you let the lads in. Especially if you know them well enough." I hesitate but nod. I open the front door and call all the boys in. They look at each other and the six of them slowly file in, Blake being the last one in. I look back at the officer.
"Well? What is it?" He sighs.
"I have some pictures I need you to look at. We need you to confirm if they are your parents, Mr. Paul Foster and Mrs. Martha Foster." My eyes grow wide and I walk over to the pictures.
I look at the pictures and gasp. Those are my parents. I look up at him and nod. He nods and pulls out two other pictures.
"Are these Mr. Mark Foster and Ms. Sydney Green, soon to be Foster?" he asks. I look at them and confirm.
"What is this about?" I'm a bit afraid as to what his answer will be.
"Whitney, I am so sorry to tell you that Mark and Sydney were killed in a random shooting in the US." I stood there trying to let the information sink in. I hear a muffled sob and I turn around to see Blake crying. Oh you've got to be kidding me.
"What about my parents?" I ask. He motions me to come outside. I follow, unsure. We walk outside and over to his cop car.
"Your family is on a hit list. We found out when the FBI last night and sent us the information. The 'random' shooting turns out wasn't so random. It was staged. You and your parents are next. If any of those boys are your boyfriend, you better cut ties with them, because if the mob finds out, they will put him on the list as well. Your parents are in the Protection Program. When you are ready to go into the program, you will see your parents again but you won't see your friends here again." He finishes saying and I'm completely shocked.
"But I can't leave my friends!" I tell him.
He nods, "Understandable. Which is why I said 'When you're ready.' You have time to say goodbye. We will keep an eye and whenever we find out that they have left the US for the UK, you will be automatically taken into the Protection program. When in it, you cannot have contact with anyone you knew in your old life. I'm so sorry to have to tell you this. Do you understand this though?" he asks and I nod, still a bit shocked. He bids adieu and leaves.
I walk back in the house to see the lads sitting on the couch. Okay five of them sitting on the couch.
"Where's Blake?" I ask.
"Bathroom." Louis says and I nod. I grab a water and walk over to sit down. Two seats to choose from: Louis or Niall. Before I can make a move, Blake walks downstairs and sits next to Louis. Well I know where I'm sitting now. I smile at Niall and take a seat next to him.
"Is Sydney really gone?" Blake had the NERVE to ask that damn question.
"You have the NERVE to ask that question? What the hell are you doing here anyways?! I told you I didn't want to see you again." I spat at him. I can feel the tension in the air but I don't care. He had no right to be here.
"I don't mean to be nosy-"
"Then don't." Blake fired at Harry. Oh Hell NO! "But I'm her boy- ex boyfriend, Blake."
Harry looks a taken back but nods. I notice that Niall's eyes widen at the mention of Blake's name.
"Wait. Is he the douche bag that cheated on you? With Sydney?!" Niall bursted out. I nodded. How did he kno- Liam.
"You told him?" I asked Liam. Liam looked at me confused.
"You aren't James, Liam. I can tell. Which of you is James? Louis?" Lou shakes his head.
"Haz?" Haz shakes his head.
"Zayn?" Zayn looks down. I turn to look at Niall.
"Are you James?" I ask. He hesitates but nods. I looked at the other lads. They knew. They knew that he was James.
"Excuse me." I stood up and went upstairs.
But I stopped before reaching my room.
"BLAKE GET YOUR MOTHER FUCKING ASS OUT OF MY HOUSE AND DON'T COME BACK." I yelled downstairs. I closed the door to my room and began to get dressed. Why didn't Niall tell me? Was he embarrased by me?! Does he think I'm ugly? I examine myself in the mirror. I lift up my shirt to reveal my stomach. I mean I know I'm a bit pudgy and my eyes are a weird shape. My hair doesn't really do my face justice and I know my thighs are like HUGE... But would he really be THAT disgusted by me that he'd make Liam pretend he was James?
The more I thought about it, the more it hurt. I put on a pair of black skinny jeans and a cute lace tshirt. I decided to get a bit dressed up. I pulled my hair into a slick ponytail and did a bit of makeup. I smiled approvingly at the finished product, grabbed my phone, money and license before leaving my room. All eyes are on me as I walk downstairs. I smile lightly and grabbed the Escalade keys. I walk out the front door and towards the Escalade.
"WHITNEY! Where are you going?!" I hear Zayn yell after me.
"I'm leaving. Bye." I got into the car and squealed out of the driveway, not caring if I hit one of the lads. I was furious on the inside. I was slowly dying at the thought that someone would honestly think I was so ugly that they'd hide their identity from me. So if Niall thought I was ugly... What does Louis think? Liam? Haz? Zayn? I was so confused. Not to mention my heart was still breaking at the news of my brother being dead. I'll never get to see him again. Sydney was gone. Mark was gone. Mom and Dad are gone, they can't have contact with me now. A MOB was after me, out to kill me. For what? I have no idea.
I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a Range Rover behind me. I don't know if it contains all five of them or just one of them, but I wasn't in the mood to find out. I kept driving down random roads, thankful that my Escalade had a GPS in it, cause I'm not sure if I'm in my neighborhood anymore. I hear a beeping sound and looked down onto my dash.
*LOW FUEL*
You've got to be shitting me. I sighed and looked around for a station. I pulled into it, the Range Rover following. I get out and begin to pump the fuel into my car. I see Niall jump out and Liam also. Liam gets into the drivers seat and drives away leaving Niall and I. Oh hell no. I am NOT driving him back.
"I am not driving you back 'James'." I know, low blow but oh well. He sighs.
"Come on." I shake my head.
"No." I finish up, already having had paid and got back in the car. I see Niall walk around to the passenger side and I press the automatic lock button. The doors lock. Niall reaches up to open the door and he looks at me with wide eyes, pleading, when he realizes he can't get in.
"Please?!" Niall begs on the other side of the door. I crack open the window, the cold winter air, comes rushing in.
"WHY?! So you can lie to me some more? So you can tell me how ugly I am? So you can tell me that I deserve better and you don't want to hold me back?!" I yelled at him. His eyes widened.
"YEAH EXACTLY! I KNEW IT." I started the car and Niall starts hitting the car window.
"NO THAT'S NOT IT! I SWEAR! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME! LET ME IN AND I'LL EXPLAIN IT ALL! Please?" I look at Niall and close the window.
"Please?! WHITNEY!" I unlock the doors and he smiles appreciatively.
I get back on the road and there's silence.
"I'm not afraid to drop you off, Niall. Explain." I tell him.
"I- I know. I'm- Give me a minute." Niall says, I guess trying to find the words. "It's not you, it's me." he finally said.
I literally laughed, "Oh how fucking cliche Niall." He looks at me.
"You only cuss when you're mad or happy."
I look at him, "Does this face look happy?" I ask. He looks down. "Didn't think so." I sigh and stop at a light.
Niall's POV
I sighed trying to find the words to tell Whitney that it really was me, not her. Cliche but it fit the situation more than I realized.
"Whitney, did you really think I thought you were ugly?" I didn't wait for her to answer the question, verbally. It was written all over her face. She legit thought that. She thought that I didn't come out about me being 'James' cause she was ugly.
"Pull over." I told her. She looked at me, sighed and began to pull over in a random parking lot. She parked it and turned towards me. I turned to face her as well.
"Whitney. You are so not ugly. In fact you are definitely one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen in my life. And I'm not just talking about physical features, I mean on the inside as well. From the moment I met you on Kik, I knew you were different than any of the other girls I had tried to fill the void in my heart. The more we talked, the more I realized that I looked forward to talking to you everyday, no matter the time difference. I didn't tell you who I was when we were messaging because I didn't know how you'd react. Then when I realized that we would actually meet in person, I was scared. I know that you said that you loved the lads and I equally but I kept thinking back to when girls would deny my hugs, my smiles, my hugs, etc and I was afraid you'd be like that after you found out that I was 'James'. I was having an insecure moment and I didn't think about the fact that I could hurt you. I am so sorry." I took her hands.
"Whitney, I'm Niall Horan from One Direction, James from Kik but I'm also that lad that you spilled your secrets to, that never told a soul. Not even Louis or Liam. I know that Louis likes you. Its not hard to decipher. But Whitney, I'd be a fool if I didn't tell you that I like you. I always have since the moment we first started confiding in you."
I took a deep breath and looked into her shocked green eyes, "Whitney I hope you forgive me and we can go back to the way we were. But I'd love to get to know you better. More than this." I gestured to what we had, which was pure friendship.
She slowly took her hands back and I tried hard to cover up the dissapointment. She turned back in her seat and began driving again. I sighed, letting it sink in for her. I told her who I was, yet it still felt like I had a weight on my shoulders.
Whitney's POV
I drove the whole way back to London, using the GPS for help. I pulled into the One Direction driveway to their flat.
"Whitney?" Niall questions. I finally look over at him for the first time since he confessed.
"Yes, Niall?"
"Do you forgive me?" he asks and I nod.
"Of course but I need some time for this to sink in. Thank you for being honest with me." He nodded, and closed the door.
We waved and he didn't go into the house until he knew that I had left safely. I pulled into the driveway, and walked into the house. I ran to the fridge and pulled out a bunch of food. I was starving. Niall liked me. Louis liked me. Was it wrong that I liked them both too? More than friends. Shit why does my life have to be so complicated? I shoved a piece of chicken into my mouth. I liked Niall a lot. He knows some of my deepest darkest secrets, that even my family don't even know. His personality is so infectious and that smile just lights up the whole room. I feel like I can tell him anything and he won't judge me... Well won't judge me so quickly. I ate a handful of chips before thinking again. Louis. What's not to like about him? He is so much fun, has a great sense of humor and that smile can make me melt. I felt safe with him but I knew that I have to give Niall a fair chance.
I hear someone clear their throat and I about hit the ceiling. I turn around and my jaw drops.
"Mom? Dad?" I honestly think I've had enough surprises for today.
The front door slams open. My head snaps to the front door. "Louis?" I see him smile lightly and I notice that there are two big men with guns behind him. I look over at my parents and notice that two guys had appeared behind them too. Damn I said that I've had enough surprises for the day.
A/N: Wow the response I got on the last chapter was purely amazing. This chapter was full of drama! But notice that Niall 'grew some balls' and told Whitney the truth but not before she found out herself. So I loved the Louney(LOL) moment in the beginning and I adored the Whiall(LOL) moment as well. There will be more moments of each couple. So again the question stands:
Team Louney/WhitLou?
OR
Team Whiall?
COMMENT BELOW YOUR TEAM AND WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF THE CHAPTER! :) Much love!xx -Amanda
Whitney's Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=57729274
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