Take Good Care

Warning

"Hi, Dad." My father answered his cell phone on only the second ring; this was very shocking. He wouldn't usually answer until the seventh call.

"Hi, Dom. I miss you so much. How are things? What have you been up to?" I could hear the guilt in my father's voice. I could hear that he missed me and he wanted me to do whatever I wanted in my life even though I couldn't. 

"Fine. Very busy." I was being resentful; and hesitant. The letters shuffled through my mind. There were a few minutes of silence between us.

"Dom? Why are you so...distant? Are you still holding this grudge against me? I thought you understood." My father said with a shaky yet aggravated voice. Here we go again. The twenty questions, the fighting, and the new questions with no answers. All I wanted to do right now was hang up the phone and leave him in desperation and hopelessness just like he left me. But I couldn't.

"I'm just tired, Dad. Taking on a toddler full time isn't easy. It takes all of the energy out of me, I'm sorry." I dangled him from my hand, the guilt now bearing down more on him. 

"It's all my fault Dom, isn't it? No matter what I say you won't feel better because you're the one there for reasons unknown and I look like the villain. I'm sorry, Dom." 

"Why did mom leave, Dad?"

"What?"

"Why did mom leave us and never contact us or me ever again?"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do." I hung up the phone. Just when I started to feel bad for him, he shows me all over again why I should still stay mad at him. 

I started to cry into my fluffy white pillows in case Lou knocked on the door with Lux. After I cried for a while, I slept again for a bit. My mind was exhausted. 

All of a sudden, I heard a knock on my door. I jolted out of bed and ran to the mirror to fix my hair and makeup in a dash.

"One minute!" I yelled. As soon as I tossed my hair to the side and wiped away the mascara tears on my cheeks I ran over to the door and jammed it open. What the hell? Niall was standing at my door. He was nervously standing with his hands clasped together in a white v neck and sweat pants. His hair was tousled, and he smelt of hotel toiletries. What could he possibly be here for?

"G-good morning, Dom...inique." 

"Haha, good morning Niall. What's up?"

"Can I step inside and have a chat with you?"

"Um, sure?"

Niall walked nervously over to the couch in my room and faced stiffly forward to the wall. He had his chin in his hands, looking like he was trying to think of what to say to me. He tapped his foot as his eyes wandered the room. I sat down facing his side on the couch, awaiting his words. 

"So what did you want to talk about?" I asked him.

He turned towards me opening his mouth, but then stopped. His eyes locked on my outfit.

"Is that Harry's Ramone's shirt? And his joggers? I-" 

"Niall, he just gave it to me to borrow."

"Harry only lends clothes to girls when he's slept with them."

"What are you implying?"

"I don't know! You were in his suite with him alone last night and I don't know how fast you'll move but I know how fast Harry will move!"

"You can leave right now if you came in here to question me about last night. I'm a grown fucking woman and I don't need anyone telling me what I did and did not do. I watched a movie with Harry last night. We talked and he gave me his casual clothes so I could be comfortable. Any other assumptions you would like to make?"

"No! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that!"

"Yes you did you deliberately questioned me about it!" 

"Ok, well I'm really, really sorry but I promise that's not what I came in here for."

"Alright, Niall then get on with it."

"Ok, well... I kind of see you may be developing feelings for Harry. And maybe Harry has feelings as well for you, but there's no safe way of making sure. Harry's the type that he'll be interested in you one day and not interested in you the next day because something else has caught his attention. That's just the way he is. It's not you. And I'm one of his best mates so this is the truth. I don't want you to fall for him to only get crushed by him. You deserve better. Harry's young and bouncing around, it's normal. But I can see you're the kind of girl who will do absolutely anything for someone she loves and it won't work in your favor with Harry."

"Are you kidding? You call yourself one of his best mates and you come in here to warn me to stay away from him? And how do you know what I want and who I am? How do you know how Harry feels about me?"

"Dominique, I'm trying to make you see that if anything goes wrong with you and Harry, all of your friendships with the boys, I, Lou, and everyone else may be very different."

"Niall you're being ridiculous I've just practically met you all and yes we are beginning to be good friends but why in the hell are you over analyzing everything and creating these images in your head that everything is bound to go wrong with me around?"

"it's not like that, I didn't mean it that way-"

"Then how did you mean it, Niall!? You say it clearly and then take it back you're-"

"I mean that I REALLY care about you and don't want to see you hurt or be miserable here! I want you to be happy! And I want you to be happy with me and fall for me! Why does Harry deserve you?!"

As soon as Niall realized the words he had just uttered, his flushed red skin turned pale. He just admitted his feelings for me and didn't know if it was the right thing to do, taking his friend's potential girl. And he realized that I may not feel the same way about him.

"Dominique, I just think you're one of the most beautiful people I've ever met. Not just in you're looks, but in the way you light up a room and care for Lux as if she is your own. I love the way you joke around and how you hate your laugh because you start loud but then quiet it down when you realize it. I just- I know I can be the one to treat you right and make you really happy. And I want you to see these things. I want you to give me a chance. I mean, has Harry ever poured his heart out like this and looked like a complete fool? I bet not. I bet he's just doing that stupid flirty banter he's got down to a pat. I just want you to know how I feel about you so you can consider me and not brush me aside as just a friend."

I didn't know what to say. Was Niall right about Harry? Or was he just saying all these things so he would look better compared to Harry? I felt so bad. Niall really cared about me and wanted to show his feelings for me no matter what the consequences. I didn't know if I felt the same way about him. 

"I know this is a lot to take in, but please say something, I'm shaking." Niall let out a nervous laugh.

"Niall, I'm not jumping into a relationship with anyone. I'm still getting to know everyone. I don't know How I feel about Harry, and I don't know how I feel about you either. Thank you though for being so honest and brave and kind. I promise I'm smarter than the games you think Harry will play."

"Ok, I understand. I'm a little impulsive, but I can wait. I would like to hang out with you tonight, just the two of us so you can get to know me better." Niall was being so eager I thought he was going to jump on me begging me to say yes. 

"I'll have to see how long I have to watch Lux for after the show but that would be nice."

"Thank you so much, Dom." Niall had a huge smile spread across his face and came over to give me a tight hug, resting his head on top of mine. 

"I'll see you later, Niall. I need to get dressed and get ready for today." I said walking him to the door.

"Bye! Tell me right after the show whats going on!" He said waving, almost skipping down the hallway. 

What did I just get myself into now?