Babysitting with Niall Horan (Niall Horan)

Chapter Twenty-Four: Post-Awkwardness

TWENTY FOUR

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Noelle

Niall was in deep sleep by 6AM that morning. I only knew this because I found myself standing in mid-hall, debating whether it had been a good idea to leave or stay, but my inner-mind was going crazy after what had happened.

Yeah, how cowardly of me to leave after Niall Horan just choked out all his feelings and made-out with me for comfort, but it was too much for me to handle. I thought I was going to be able to see that as a comfort zone too, especially me, but instead, it kept me from sleeping and just wanting out.

The drive back wasn't any better either. I had to make two stops for 1. Drink an energy drink to replenish no sleep, 2. To hit my head against the steering wheel at the gas station multiple times to process everything that happened in one night. It was exhausting.

"Hey, whoa! Surprise to see you back, sunshine. Care to explain?" My mother gasped around 7AM when I arrived home.

My eyes barely opened; I must've been so moody from zero hours of sleep that her loud voice almost annoyed me and I wanted to just ignore any questioning being given to me and sleep on the floor.

Rubbing my eyes, I yawned and cleared my throat.

"I, uh..." I didn't even want to talk. "Look, it's a long story. Change of plans. I'm really tired and I have work in an hour, mom." I mumbled.

"I just saw your message. Figured you weren't coming home until tonight. You look like a mess. Is everything okay?"

No, mom. Nothing was okay. I just had a universal experience that I should've been happy about, but instead I was lost, confused and stressed.

"Y-Yeah. I just had to leave his house because you know...work. I'm going to shower and take a small nap before leaving." I managed to say.

My mom just stood there, dumping her coffee mug onto the sink and let out a sigh, resting her hands by the counter, finally turning to me.

"Right...well, your father called yesterday night." She said awkwardly.

The bitterness that came out of my mother each time my father was mentioned made me laugh. I came to realization that even though my parents were divorce, they still communicated like nothing, including the annoyance they probably have.

"Is that time of the year, isn't?" I joked. "But yeah, I forgot to tell you. He booked my ticket for the holiday. He sent me the message the other day."

I did have a neutral relationship with my father. The divorce did take a hard effect on me knowing I was already grown, but as an adult now, I understood why it had to happen. I didn't really speak about my dad often, as you can tell, but he was a busy man still trying to pay the house we once lived in, and the timings were always off.

"Oh, good. He just wanted reassurance since you didn't reply," My mother forced out. "Also, because your brother wanted you to bring him—"

"Yeah, yeah, souvenirs and snacks like always." I rolled my eyes.

No, I didn't forget I had a brother. I just never really acknowledge him knowing he stayed in the states with my father and I stayed with my mother—it was a debate whether to take sides or not, but he didn't want to leave my dad alone, and wasn't ready to leave his life in America either. I didn't blame him though, he was older and had his life together. I didn't.