The Player

Chapter 16

I finished eating my dinner in my room because I did not want to face my mom or dad again tonight. When I finished, I just left my plate on my nightstand to clean up later. I laid back in my bed after changing into some sweatpants and a t shirt. I grabbed my phone from its charger and looked to see I had four text messages and three missed calls all from Niall.

The text messages were:

"Hey El, how was your flight?"

"Ella? Are you there?"

"I tried calling you a few times but you aren't picking up, is everything alright?"

"Hello???"

He didn't text again after that. I texted him back saying I was at my dad's house, but it was the last place I wanted to be right now. He replied right away. Knowing him he was probably sitting right next to it waiting for me to text him. He asked me why.

'Long story. Call me.' I texted back. Five seconds later my phone started ringing and a pic of me and Niall at the Ed Sheeran concert popped up on the screen. I slid my finger across the screen to answer.

"Hello?" Niall's voice said in a raspy tone.

"Hey." I said bluntly.

"Is everything alright?" he asked concerned.

"Not really."

"What is it, El?"

"My mom is here."

"What? Your mom?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I don't know. She was just here when I got here."

"Is this what your dad was keeping from you?"

"Yeah. He said that he didn't tell me because he knew I wouldn't have come if he did."

"Well would you have?"

"No." Niall was silent on the other line except for his breathing. "She wants to explain to me why she left." I broke the silence.

"And what did she say?"

"I didn't let her explain. I just yelled in her face."

"But don't you want to know why she left in the first place?"

"I thought I did. But now just seeing her, it hurts. I feel like it will just make it worse if she explains."

"But it might make it better."

"Do I want to take that chance? I already had her walk out on me once, I don't need her to completely crush me this time."

"Does your dad know?"

"Yeah, apparently he has known for awhile and just never told me."

"Oh."

"What do I do Niall?" I asked.

"Well I would tell you to let your mom explain. I know I would let my dad explain if he ever came back."

"You would? Even after everything he put you through?"

"Yeah. Even though he was a complete ass to my mom, he is still my dad. He did love me at one point. And he was a good father for some time."

"I wish I could think that way about my mom. I barely knew her, yet I remember everything about her."

"Well, think of it this way El. She came back. That has to mean something right? I mean usually parents leave and never show up in the child's life again, but your mom actually came back."