Simon's Secret (One Direction FanFiction)

Chapter 6

Niall's POV

  Harry and I hadn't spoken since Tuesday, the day he had invited Alex out to eat with him, and it was already Friday. I feared that we wouldn't talk to each other until we had to, like when we performed or had an interview. I didn't like not talking to him, but I definitely wasn't going to try to start a conversation.

  Right now Zayn, Liam, and I were sitting in the living room of Zayn's flat. They said they had invited Harry and he had been busy, but I doubted that they had even called him. They both knew about what had been going on between us. I was sure that they had hung out with Harry a couple times and not invited me, but I didn't care.

  "Hey guys," Zayn said suddenly, "Why don't we go catch a flick? Warm Bodies is out now, and I've heard that it's pretty good. There's a showing in an hour at the theater, too, I just checked." I looked at Liam and he shrugged in agreement.

  He answered Zayn with, "Alright, yeah! I've been wanting to see that one. Let's go!" We all stood up and started toward the door, but just as we were about to head out, I paused. An idea had occurred a couple of seconds ago, and I was wondering if I should really go through with it. A devilish idea, maybe, but it was a fair one in my opinion.

  "Um, can you guys hold up a second?" I asked. "I have to call someone."

****

Alex's POV

  My phone started ringing just as I was stepping out of my bedroom. I pulled it out of my back pocket and smiled, seeing that the caller was Niall. We had actually been talking to each other a lot over the past few days, and I had found out that he was pretty cool.

  "Hey Ni!" I said enthusiastically (I was calling him that now). "What's up? I've been missing youuuu! It's been like three HOURS since we last talked." He chuckled at me through the phone. I heard someone - I think it was Zayn - yell for Niall to hurry up, and he shushed them. I was suddenly very interested.

  Niall said, "Hello, love! Well, just because we haven't spoken for so long, I was thinking we should hang out! Liam, Zayn, and I are going to see Warm Bodies, and we wanted to invite you to come along." No Harry? I mentally questioned, but said nothing.

  "Yeah I'd love to!" I answered. "I hear that movie's got some pretty great reviews! Should I meet you guys at the theater or...?" Niall paused and I heard him calling to the other boys. There was some muffled talking, and then what sounded like a bit of arguing.

  "Alright, we've sorted it out, and Liam and Zayn have agreed to picking you up, so you want have to do any driving. Their mates Perrie and Danielle might be coming to the movie with us. It's in an hour, so no need to rush! That sound good to you?"

  I hesitated. As much as I would have loved to not have to drive all the way out to theater, I couldn't risk letting the boys come here. My dad actually had a full day at home today. He was still working the whole time, but at least he was at home. If he saw Niall or Zayn or Liam, or even one of their girlfriends, I would be in so much trouble.

  "Umm," I murmured indecisively. "I don't know about that... I mean, I've really been wanting to drive somewhere lately! Just had this urge to hop in the car and go out! So I'll just meet you guys there, okay?" Was he really going to believe that? I knew I was an awful liar, and I had really just proved it right now.

  Niall said, "Okay! I mean, that's a really weird reason to not carpool, but I'm not going to make you drive with us. Bye Alex!"

   "Bye Ni! I'll see you in a few!"

  I tucked the phone back into my pocket and started back into the hallway, as I had been planning on going downstairs and making a sandwich. I turned around the corner of my bedroom door, and nearly screamed. Leaning up against the wall with an awful look of hurt on his face was my father. He hid the hurt pretty well, though, with a look of accusation.

  "Dad!" I said, surprised. "I... uh... Emerald and I are going to go catch a flick pretty soon here. So I'm just going to go eat a little bit of lunch and I'll be on my way..." I tried to sneak around him, but my dad caught my wrist just as I was about to start descending the stairs.

  He questioned, "Out with Emerald, eh? When did you start calling Emerald 'Ni'?" I felt my face turning red, and made sure that he couldn't see it. God, sometimes my father could be way too nosy for his own good.

  "Did I say Emerald?" I laughed nervously. "I meant, um, Natalie, and yeah, I call her... Ni. It only makes sense you know." He sent me a hard look that told me he wasn't convinced. You'd think that with all the lying I did, I would have mastered it by now, but I was still bloody awful with it. Maybe I should practice that...

  "Alexandra, you aren't fooling anyone with that story. I know that you're going out with Niall, you guys have been talking to each other almost all day on that silly little cellphone of yours. Don't you remember what I said about hanging around the boys? You can't. Something might slip, Alex, and there are always cameras around them."

  I sighed, "I know, Dad. It's risky to be seen with them and I get why, but I don't get why you don't trust me. I've never let anything slip before, so why now? Why don't you trust me anymore?" Maybe that wasn't the right question to ask.

  "Well," he said, "for one you just tried to lie your way out of this whole situation. I do trust you though, Alex, and you know that. I just... Look - if you do accidentally say something, not only would my career be badly damaged, but the boys too. If I can't run their record label, then they're out a job, aren't they?"

  He was right. About his job being ruined, I mean, because if the band were unsigned another company would swoop in and pick them up right away.

  "I'll be careful, okay?" I begged. My dad eyed me cautiously, debating with himself. "Please, Dad? I don't even know how our family situation would come up, they don't know about it." Well, not the ones I'm going with.

  He finally sighed, "Oh, alright, go to the movie. Just be careful, Alex. And take the van, it's got a full tank of gas. I nodded and started down the staircase, not wanting to stay and chat much longer. When I made it to the kitchen I headed straight for the pantry. After examining its contents, I decided that I would just get some popcorn at the theater.

  Just then, I realized that Niall and the guys could actually give me a ride there, because my dad knew now and understood. Would it annoy Niall if I called again? Hopefully it wouldn't, because I already had my phone in my hands.

  I dialled Niall's number quickly and when he answered said, "Hey Niall! Sorry to be a bother, but I think I'll actually take you up on that offer about the ride to the theater, if my house is on your way. If not I can just drive, I don't mind." I bit my lower lip, fearing that he would say it was inconvenient to pick me up, or the car was already full with the other girls.

  "Of course we can come get you!" Niall answered enthusiastically. "Hey, do you think you could make it to your mom's boyfriend's house within the next twenty minutes? I don't know where your house is and his is right along the way there?

  My mom's boyfriend? Oh yeah, that was my dad! It was really hard to remember the story I had given them sometimes.

  "Oh, I think I can make it there in time. Thanks Ni, and tell Zayn and Liam I said thank you! Talk to you later." He agreed and I put my phone into my pocket for what seemed to be the hundredth time today. 

  So now all I had to do was sit around waiting for twenty minutes. Of course, in this massive house there were many things to do, but I really just wanted to sit down for a while. I headed over to the living room and clicked on the television, plopping down on the overstuffed white couch that faced it.

  I watched some show that I really didn't pay any attention to before I heard a car roll into the driveway. I jumped up and rushed over the door, calling goodbye to my father as I was about to pull it open.

  "Alex!" Niall greeted me, and we embraced in a massive hug.