Honest Illusions [niall horan]

Chapter 23

Niall's P.O.V.

Boyfriend? Barely friends, I didn't understand what the hell possessed Mia to say something so far fetched and preposterous. On top of that she brought her mum along to the airport even though she told she was coming all by herself. It's not like she warned me before hand her mum would be there. Besides that, introducing me as her fucking boyfriend didn't make the situation any better. Countless profanities began infiltrating my mind, and I felt myself growing more and more angry with Mia. She always put me on the spot in the worst of situations. My throat instantly became dry, making me incapable of saying anything remotely coherent.

"Excuse me?" I finally managed to croak out. Stern and furious, my voice gave way to my angered and frustrated mood. Mia tore her gaze away from her mum and switched it back over to me. The corners of her curved lips slightly faltered and turned into a frown. Her face held a pleading emotion, as if she were begging me to go along with whatever the hell this charade she was was pulling. Furrowing my brows together, I narrowed my gaze at Mia in an attempt to tell her I hated every part of this. I looked back at her mum, who seemed so lost and confused to the silent communication going on between Mia and I.

"Niall's always so tired after his flights, that sometimes even his mind isn't full back on the ground yet," Mia nervously said as she wrapped her hand around my left bicep. Usually I felt a small tingling sensation through my skin or my nerves became more excited, but today I felt absolutely nothing. Mia's touch against me felt nothing different than Liam's touch against me. Just skin against skin; no fireworks, no electricity, no rapid heart beat, nothing at all. Aubrey only had that power on me. Her touch lit my entire nervous system up, energized my heart to the point of explosion, and filled my body with so much happiness.

"Nah, my head's fine," I replied, "an' so am I." I shrugged her hand off and took a few steps to my right. My mum raised me to be a polite and respectful gentleman, and that's exactly what I'll be. I turned towards Mia's mum, still looking extremely confused, and stuck out my left hand for her to shake.

"Ms.Tarhati, pleasure t' meet ya," I smiled at her before introducing myself. "I'm Niall," I paused, momentarily looking at Mia, "Mia's friend who is a boy." Her hand encompassed mine, briefly shaking it and then letting go. I heard Mia gasp at my introduction, but I simply stated the truth.

"You are quite the joker," Mia's mum chuckled. "She did tell me you loved to joke around." Today seriously couldn't get any more worse. I didn't say that to joke around or bring about a few laughs. I said that in an attempt to make it clear that Mia and I were strictly friends, if one could even call it that. My mind struggled to find a way out of this mess. I should have called one of the lads, but I've burdened them enough with my shit. They all deserved a break from taking care of me and my mistakes. After all, I'm back in London due to my lack of care and common sense. Maybe if I paid better attention, Mia and I could have tested ourselves when we first met a while ago.

"I wasn't kiddin'," I muttered, swiping the back of my hand across my mouth to make it seem as if I were covering up a cough. An awkward tension soon formed among the three of us. All I wanted was to go home and throw myself onto my bed and think about Aubrey. Which reminds me, I have to call her as soon as can. Although with the situation, I've been trapped in, I doubt I'll be calling her anytime soon.

"Mia's told me lots of great things about you. I hope you're treating her the way she deserves," Mia's mom said to me. Both her hair and Mia's was exactly identical- jet black, smooth, and shiny. She probably came up to my chin, so I guess she wouldn't be considered short but nor would she be tall. Average, just like Mia. Her facial features also resembled Mia's a lot: caramel brown eyes, tanned skin, narrow and slightly pointy nose, and defined eyebrows. I guess like mother, like daughter.