Fireproof // Liam Payne fanfic (sequel to Through the Dark)

Chapter 22

*i don't want to forget to tell you guys but I took the bullying challenge so if you could please read it and vote it would mean a lot. (It's only a few pages and its on my profile page) thanks!*

Liam's pov

"Mom??" I nearly shouted in shock. Standing behind her were my two sisters, Ruth and Nicola. I've seen a lot this last year, but seeing my mother and my sisters in the delivery room shocked me more than it should have. You'd think most people would be excited to see their family after just having a child, but my story was a little different.

In case you forgot, my family tends to be verbal abusive towards my fiancé. The terrible things they say to her drive me crazy. It breaks my heart to see Ari so upset after the verbal assault. She has had a tough enough life as it is, and my mom and sisters have a tendency to never let her forget it.

They don't like that I'm with Ari because they think Ari comes from a broken and unstable family, which isn't true. Yes, her parents didn't raise her, but Jo did, so whenever my mom insults her, Jo takes it personally because Ari is close to her heart.

My mom and I were never that close growing up. We didn't have an unhealthy relationship or anything, but she'd always be working or dealing with my sisters. I didn't hold anything against her, because I was never given a reason to, until I was eighteen.

When I was eighteen I met Ari for the first time on the beach with Louis. Instantly, I was attracted to her. I remember this moment like it was yesterday. She was wearing a light blue bikini and he hair was slightly wavy and damp from the ocean water. Her Gucci sunglasses were pushed up on the top of her head. She was almost 5,8 and had a petite toned figure, but unlike Harry, that wasn't why I was attracted to her. Her smile and the way her eyes lit up drew me in and I knew that I had to know this girl.

Two months later, I had brought her home for the first time. By this point, I knew of her past. Her parents passed tragically in a car crash when she was three, so Jo took her in, since her parents were close with the Tomlinsons. She was raised by Jo in the same house as Louis, but she never adopted Ari officially. However, I never told my parents this. I never felt the need because it was personal to her and honestly, it never crossed my mind.

On this night, when I brought her over to meet my family, it went well at first. My parents were as accepting as they could be, but my sisters weren't. I noticed the glares and whispers throughout the night and I knew Ari did too. I could tell by the way she kept playing with her fingers and biting her lip nervously. My sisters always annoyed me because that's what most older sisters did to their younger brothers, but I never imagined they could be as cruel as they were.

Flashback

"So what do your parents do?" Ruth snapped, breaking the silence. Her sudden outburst as well as the tone of her voice, made Ari jump. "Huh?" She pushed further once she noticed Ari's hesitation. My eyes narrowed in on Ruth. She already knew Ari didn't have parents and t made my blood boil that she had the nerve to ask a question like this.

"Umm my parents are" she fumbled with her words "they passed away" she said looking at her plate. Silently, I put my hand over hers under the table. She didn't hold it right away, but when she did, I squeezed it comfortingly.

"How?" Nicola pressed. My eyes shot up and glared at my other sister. My dad must have gained some sense because he spoke up and attempted to stop the questions.

"Girls it may not be something Ariella would like to discuss, so let's give her a little space, okay?" I mentally sighed and shot my dad a praise filled glance.

"No um it's okay" Ariella spoke up. "They were in a fatal car crash" she said simply.

"When?" My mom asked. I nearly slammed my fist on the table in anger. Clearly this was a sensitive topic, but they didn't have a heart to realize.