Animosity

6

Tate's POV:

" I don't get it, did I like, do something?" Rachel asked me from across the table. 

She had an unimpressed look on her face, her shoulders raised a little as she kept her eyes locked on her laptop screen. The harsh light lit up her face in the dark room, the curtains drawn across the small window behind her. She had been researching tourist attractions all day, determined to find the perfect activity for us tomorrow. Birmingham was beautiful, but she and I hadn't really had a chance yet to venture outside of our apartment. It had been 2 weeks now that we had spent trying to piece our home together. 

" You didn't do anything, Rachel." I replied, picking my fork off the table. I dug it into the takeout box in front of me, swirling it around the noodles. Rachel rolled her eyes, shutting her laptop closed.

" They're ghosting us." She stated, leaning her head on her elbow pressed against the table. She looked across the room through the glass of the sliding door, letting out a sigh. 

" I liked him too." She said quietly. I tried to contain my disapproval, focusing on my chewing. 

Niall and Gemma hadn't spoken to us in days, ignoring Rachel's text messages. I could tell how much it was bothering her, but I couldn't say anything to her about it. Telling her the truth about their silence would unravel everything I was trying to keep her safe from. I had told her that I fell asleep during the movie the last time Niall and Harry had visited, seeing the both of them out in the morning. In reality, Harry had followed me back to the apartment after the pub. We didn't speak, but I saw him shaking Niall awake while I poured myself a glass of water in the kitchen. Niall had carefully peeled away from Rachel, placing the knitted blanket back around her before exiting the apartment quietly. Harry shot me a look before walking through the doorway as if reassuring me that this was the last time we would speak. 

I wasn't mad about it. 

What did cause me problems, though, was piecing the story together for Rachel. I didn't want her to believe that Niall had snuck out without saying goodbye, but this was better than the alternative. I had lied to her the past few days, telling her that I reached out to Gemma to see if she was busy. Instead, I hadn't spoken to either of them since the night of the incident. I imagined that Harry had told Niall and Gemma a lie to keep them at bay. Rachel had briefly mentioned something about her messages to Gemma being undeliverable, but I hadn't listened close enough to hear exactly what she was claiming. I drowned it out, waiting for an opportunity for us to meet people that would make her forget about them. 

" I know you don't care, but he was sweet." She continued, daydreaming. I sighed, knowing that she expected a response. 

" You knew him for a week." I finally give in, feeling her eyes on me now. 

" How else do you expect us to meet people?" 

"We haven't even been here a month, and we didn't even meet Gemma here. We met her on the airplane." I said through a mouthful of food. I watched as she let out a small laugh, clearly annoyed that I wasn't agreeing with her. 

" What is with you and Gemma? You've had your guard up since we stepped on the airplane. She's been nothing but nice to us! I thought that maybe, just maybe went you were talking about how this move would be a fresh start that you weren't lyi-"

" For fucks sake will you just let it go?" I finally snap. " You knew Niall for a week, and in that week, he flirted with you while having a girlfriend. Get a grip." 

Her annoyed look at me turned into shock, insulted. Her eyes were wide, making me immediately regret what I had just said. She didn't reply, instead standing up from her seat with her laptop. She began walking towards our bedroom, her feet quick on the hardwood floor. I let out a sigh, dropping my fork and following behind her.