The Girl Next Door
Chapter 40
*kaleigh's pov*
"Niall?" I whispered. It took me forever to actually turn around and when I actually did, my heart stopped. I had to close my eyes for a second and take in everything that was going on. My abrupt confession and then Niall hearing it. We'd been struggling to tell him, but now that the secret was out, I couldn't help but feel extremely guilty.
"What did you just say, Kaleigh?" Niall repeated and I cringed at his tone. There was an edge to it. An edge I'd never heard before.
"Look, pal, I-" harry started but Niall interrupted him.
"Don't." He warned, pointing a finger at Harry. "How long, guys?" He asked, and there was a smile on his face that looked so out of place, it looked almost evil.
"I-"
"It has to be at least a few days. I mean you don't put your friggin' hand on someone's lap when nothing's going on right?!" Niall asked, his smile finally gone as every word got louder. How did he know about what happened in creative writing? "What? You think Jenn didn't notice that? She thrives on drama remember?"
"So you knew yesterday when I came?" Harry asked, dumbfounded.
"Of course I knew."
"Then, why-"
"I was waiting for you guys to 'fess up. Obviously it wasn't in your priorities."
"Niall I-"
"Save it, Kaleigh. Just go home and don't bother coming back." He said and he was so serious, so monotone that it made my eyes water.
"You don't mean that." I croaked out.
"Like hell I don't." He answered and to prove his point, he walked towards the ladder ever so confidently, knocking it over. It probably made a huge noise, but I didn't hear anything. I just looked at him.
"Fine." I answered, clearing my throat as I ignored my watery eyes.
"If that's what you want." I said, turning around and leaving, not bothering to look back at neither Niall nor Harry. Nothing mattered anymore. I didn't make it very far though. I was about to step on my own front porch when someone caught my arm. It took me by surprise and it made me stop abruptly before I turned around.
"Harry?"
"I'm sorry." He muttered, looking at the ground.
"Sorry for what?"
"Screwing up. It's all I ever do." He said and he looked so vulnerable that it made me forget about everything. I reached up to touch his face gently, making him look at me.
"You didn't screw anything up." I assured.
"I uh..." He stuttered and I looked at him confused. He looked panicked for a second before freezing and looking into my eyes. I usually hate these kinds of intense moment but I needed it right now. We both did. "I need you to know that I love you too." He said and I smiled.
"We'll be okay." I assured, slowly getting closer to his face. "We'll find a way to fix things."
"Niall?" I whispered. It took me forever to actually turn around and when I actually did, my heart stopped. I had to close my eyes for a second and take in everything that was going on. My abrupt confession and then Niall hearing it. We'd been struggling to tell him, but now that the secret was out, I couldn't help but feel extremely guilty.
"What did you just say, Kaleigh?" Niall repeated and I cringed at his tone. There was an edge to it. An edge I'd never heard before.
"Look, pal, I-" harry started but Niall interrupted him.
"Don't." He warned, pointing a finger at Harry. "How long, guys?" He asked, and there was a smile on his face that looked so out of place, it looked almost evil.
"I-"
"It has to be at least a few days. I mean you don't put your friggin' hand on someone's lap when nothing's going on right?!" Niall asked, his smile finally gone as every word got louder. How did he know about what happened in creative writing? "What? You think Jenn didn't notice that? She thrives on drama remember?"
"So you knew yesterday when I came?" Harry asked, dumbfounded.
"Of course I knew."
"Then, why-"
"I was waiting for you guys to 'fess up. Obviously it wasn't in your priorities."
"Niall I-"
"Save it, Kaleigh. Just go home and don't bother coming back." He said and he was so serious, so monotone that it made my eyes water.
"You don't mean that." I croaked out.
"Like hell I don't." He answered and to prove his point, he walked towards the ladder ever so confidently, knocking it over. It probably made a huge noise, but I didn't hear anything. I just looked at him.
"Fine." I answered, clearing my throat as I ignored my watery eyes.
"If that's what you want." I said, turning around and leaving, not bothering to look back at neither Niall nor Harry. Nothing mattered anymore. I didn't make it very far though. I was about to step on my own front porch when someone caught my arm. It took me by surprise and it made me stop abruptly before I turned around.
"Harry?"
"I'm sorry." He muttered, looking at the ground.
"Sorry for what?"
"Screwing up. It's all I ever do." He said and he looked so vulnerable that it made me forget about everything. I reached up to touch his face gently, making him look at me.
"You didn't screw anything up." I assured.
"I uh..." He stuttered and I looked at him confused. He looked panicked for a second before freezing and looking into my eyes. I usually hate these kinds of intense moment but I needed it right now. We both did. "I need you to know that I love you too." He said and I smiled.
"We'll be okay." I assured, slowly getting closer to his face. "We'll find a way to fix things."