Started with XFactor (Niall Horan) *COMPLETED*

Chapter 23

Beth's P.O.V

"What's going on here?" I asked, almost frightened. I walked into the house, and every person from my close family is crowded into my living room. I looked around and saw my sister with Daf, Gwen and Leri. Then there was my mother, father and brother. But what shocked me, was my auntie was there. I hadn't seen her in years, but received birthday messages from her every year, and a message often.

When I walked in, all eyes turned on me, so I shielded myself with Zayn's tall, muscly posture. He turned to face me, and his once soft and loving expression has now been replaced, with a serious and apologetic look. I was slightly concerned at every ones gazes set on me, with such sad looks.

This living room, was once filled with so much joy, and holds so many happy memories. None of that I'm able to remember. All I can, is the terrible conversations and occurrences that had once happened in this particular room.

"There is something we need to tell you." My father says, quite affirmative and authoritatively. Instantly, I tense up. Not once has he said those words, and never once had I thought I would have to hear them, especially coming from my very fathers mouth.

I can't move. I'm frozen stiff behind Zayn, so he steps to the side, leaving me no where to run. I just stand there, in the centre of the entrance to the house. All eyes are on me, waiting for a response, for me to say something, but because of the pressure, I'm unable to utter a syllable.

It feels like an eternity has passed before some movement begins. My sister goes to the kitchen door, and peers her head around it. She pulls back, and seconds later, four other people walk through that door. Liam, Niall, Harry and Louis, all with sad looks on their faces.

Once again, everything is too much. I don't know why everyone is here, or why they all look so sad and apologetic. I'm stood, frozen, unable to do what my brain is commanding, which is to run. Every inch of my body is cold, my heart is racing, and my mind is screaming 'something isn't right!'.

"Are you able to listen to what we have to say?" Someone asks from behind me. I turn, and the new voice was Niall. whom I didn't even see walk over to me. I slowly nod. He wraps an arm around my waist, and guides me over to a vacant space on the couch.

"This is going to be a little, overwhelming." My mother says, and now that I'm sat, and had time to process the situation, I have an emotion, and it's not a good one.

"What's overwhelming is that you would hide something from me. All of you!" I snap, and I see a few eyes and heads drop, and peoples breath hitch. I can obviously tell this has been a secret for quite a while, and it's not going to be easy to hear.

"So basically, you've been feeling... close to Zayn. We've all noticed, and it's nothing to be ashamed of." My father starts, and my eyes widen, not liking where this is going already.

"If you are implying that I would ever cheat on Niall, or leave him for Zayn, that would never happen." I say, very firmly. I then look at Zayn, and see his shocked expression, so I add, "No offense." He smiles, and waves for me to shut up.

"That's not what I was implying at all, so keep your mouth shut for a while?" My father, just bit my head off, so I sit quietly and listen to the rest of his... odd speech. "You both are like best friends, and I bet you've been feeling weird, like you know things about him you shouldn't, and that you recognize him from somewhere."

Come to think of it, it's true. I know Zayn's favorite foods, colour and song, and they are questions that have not been asked in conversations. Also, I've been having weird dreams of a young boy, about 7, and he has the same features as Zayn. His raven black hair, and kind, brown eyes.

"There is a very logical explanation for this." Oh, is there? "You have met Zayn before, and you were very close." He says, and pauses for a reacation, but gets nothing but a blank look from me.

"I don't understand." I say, and he sighs. He obviously knew this was going to happen, because he reaches into his pocket and pulls a little piece of paper from it.

"Maybe this will help." He says, and passes the paper to me. When I get a hold of it, I see that it isn't a slip of paper, as to a picture. It's a picture of when I was a small girl, with the same boy I have deams about. The young boy who looks like Zayn.

"I remember this. I remember you took it from me one night. I was sat in my bed, and I was about 4. I was holding it, and talking to it, asking the boy to come back." I say, looking at the picture. "I was crying over and over 'save me'. Then you came in and took it from me." I say, then pause. I look at my father then at Zayn. "I screamed your name." I whisper. "The boy is you." I say, now not talking to anyone.

"We did it to protect you." Auntie Tricia said, and I looked at her.

"How did you think this was protecting me? This has just made my life a living hell!" I shout and get to my feet, throwing the picture to the floor. "Do you know how much pain I was in when I lost that picture?" I ask, turning back to my father. "It was the last shred of him I had left, and you took it from me!" I cry.

"Please calm down." Niall says, and I glare at him. I looked at everyone, who looked even more symapthetic than when I first walked in.

"I'm going to my room. I don't want to see anyone. Not even Zayn, Niall or the other boys. I just want to be alone." I say, voice trembling as I run to my room. I slam the door, and lock it. I punch the wall, then wince in pain. I look over to my window, and decide I need to get out of here. I'm not going to John's house, I'm running away.