Liar

Twenty-eight

"Your brother?!" I whisper in disbelief.

"Look, if I explain this to you, you are not allowed to tell Mona this okay?" He asks and I nod, still in complete disbelief.

"My brother is twenty-nine years old. He lives with my grandmother since he's sixteen and raped one hundred and fifty-eight women since then. I know, he's a cruel, cruel man. Mona's dad is one of the best lawyers in the US and they moved to Attleboro because his situation is getting worse. She told you her parents drove past that one house in their honeymoon, didn't she? That's the story they told her, but actually they moved here because a girl accidently filmed how he raped her and things are getting really hard for him."

"Hard for him?! Hard for your brother?! He raped 158 women and things are getting hard for him?! These girls are living in depression. They feel ashamed and unlovable. They feel disgusting because your fucked up brother fucked them without their permission. Me, for example. Do you know how I feel? Do you know how it feels to be touched by a stranger? No? Exactly. I had luck, thanks to you. And don't get me wrong right now, I am not yelling at you. It's just your use of

words that annoy me!" I raise my voice and luckily the music is not really quiet, so nobody gives a damn about my screaming.

"Yes. My brother is a sadist that ruined the life of 158 women, but still, he is my brother! April, please, don't tell the police."

"No, I won't," I lie. I will go to the police. This thing has to stop. He can't just continue to rape one girl by another. I wave Ezra a brief good-bye and leave the bar. His brother. It can't be anyone else than his brother. As I arrive outside I take out my cell phone, opening WhatsApp and

*can you pick me up please? I'm at the Neonlights bar and I need to talk to you x* I text my boyfriend who doesn't act like one.

*sure. How did the meet up with Ezra go?* Okay, maybe he acts like my boyfriend. He cares about how it went. I press my cell against my chest, letting my heart pumping against it, but knowing that my phone can't send a message of how fast my heart beats.

*terrible. More than terrible.*

*oh, i'm sorry love x* Okay, he definitely acts like a boyfriend.

*don't be, it's okay x* I sit down on a bench in front of the Neonlights bar, waiting for Niall to arrive. I send a brief message to my dad, saying that I will sleep at Mona's today. He doesn't know Mona yet and I don't plan on introducing her to my family anytime soon. I'm not in the mood for walking that road tonight, or to even see it. I will sleep in a motel if I need to. I spot Niall's black Volkswagen driving around the corner. He stops in front of me and I stand, wandering toward his car.

"Hi," I mumble and get in.

"What happened? You look so... Frightened."

"I found out that Ezra indeed saved me and that the rapist is...“ I stop. I feel the lump in my throat growing, my voice cracking. I'm going to cry. I don't want to cry in front of Niall, I really don't.

"What is it Rose? Why are you crying?" I did not even notice that I am crying already. I notice that he's driving in the direction of his house.

"The rapist is his brother," I finish my sentence, completely breaking down.

"Fuck," I hear Niall sighing.

"He raped 158 women. One hundred and fifty eight. Do you know how many ruined lives that are?" I am still crying as we arrive at his place.

"You're going to sleep at my place today. I won't let you spot that road next to the forest again today."

"Thanks," I sob and he places his hand on the small of my back, leading me into his house. I walk up the stairs, directly heading for his bedroom. I lay down in his bed, taking my shoes off before though.

"Here, change into this," Niall hands me a shirt of his. I didn't even notice that he entered his room as well and I realize that I am completely paralyzed since I exit the bar.

"Niall, the rapist... He, uhm, he filmed us in the cabin on the coast. He told me to go and get it tomorrow at midnight." I confess.

"He filmed us?! Fuck," he swears and I place my head in my palms.

"I'll come with you and beat that asshole's ass. That fucking bastard!" I runs his hand through his hair in exasperation.

"Niall, I heard you entering the house, I, I, uhm, hi," that stranger that slept beside me in the cabin after Niall left me by myself is standing in the threshold and now I get all this thing.

"Hi," I whisper while Niall responds, "Adam, this is April Rosalie, Rose, this is Adam, my brother."

"I know him. We've shared a bed once." I laugh at how this thing desperated me once.

"The cabin belongs to me and my brother and he was at the party, too and needed to sleep anywhere and he promised me not to touch you."

"Yup, that was really difficult, because, hell, you're stunning." I flush.

"Thanks," my eyes still are bloodshot and my cheeks soaked with tears.

"Bro, leave us alone, Rosalie needs to change and as you can figure out she's not feeling very well." Niall closes the door, leaving Adam standing in front of a closed door.

"Niall, what if the rapist publishes the video?" I break down again, imagining Harry and Tina laughing at me because of my not-so-perfect body. And my weird moaning. And me having sex at all!

"He won't. I'll come with you, as I said. Now change."

"Thank you." I take off my clothing and put on the gray shirt he just handed me. He's watching my every move, making me blush but also feeling pretty.

"What's your favorite artist?" He surprises me by asking.

"Uh... Ed Sheeran. I like Demi Lovato, too. I really enjoy covering songs by her, but my favorite artist is Ed Sheeran."

"I like him, too. He's a great singer. I've been to his MSG concert last year. He's just an awesome live performer." Niall likes Ed Sheeran? What?

"What's your favorite song?"

"Probably Shirtsleeves and Tenerife Sea."

"Mine are Thinking Out Loud, One, Shirtsleeves and Tenerife Sea as well. I love the new album, it is so amazing. Ed just wrote such inspirational lyrics; though I don't like Sing that much because the lyrics don't really sound like Eddie and in Take It Ba-"

"You look so wonderful in your dress; I love your hair like that. The way it falls on the side of your neck, down your shoulders and back. We are surrounded by all of these lies and people who talk too much. You got the kind of look in your eyes as if no one knows anything but us. Should this be the last thing I see, I want you to know it's enough for me. 'Cause all that you are is all that I'll ever need. I'm so in love, so in love. So in love, so in love," Niall sings and plays the guitar to it beautifully. This is a thing we have in common - we both love music, especially singing and playing the guitar. He's only a lot more talented than me. I stand to walk over to Niall and grasp his face, my palms placed on his cheeks gently. I plant a soft kiss on his lips to stop his beautiful voice from singing because my hormones cannot take anymore feels of that kind.

I love him, oh, how I love Niall James Horan.

"Let's go sleep. I'm tired and I bet you are too."

"Yes, quite." I lie down again, cuddling with a pillow that probably is only decorating his bedroom. He takes off his shirt, and then slides down his jeans giving view to his sexy body. His torso is as hot as lava and as he lies down beside me I expect him to touch me, to kiss me, to seduce me to have sex with him, but I am caught off guard by him turning me to face him, planting a swift peck on my forehead and pulling me close, embracing me. His hand is stroking my back, his leg wrapping around my body, closing every gap that was left between us.

"You look good wearing my shirt," he murmurs into my hair. His nose is buried into it, inhaling sharply.

"You look good wearing no shirt," I reply, smiling into his neck as my face is buried in it.

"Tomorrow at midnight. I promise, this nightmare will end tomorrow at midnight."