Shocking Secrets

Chapter 9

(A/N)

Please forgive me! I've been procrastinating writing this next chapter because I have a case of writers block. But here I am! And here's the chapter...

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My mind still buzzed from Niall's remark.

" I swear to God." he'd stated. "If I find out that fucking bastard has laid a single finger on you, I'll kill him."

I wracked my mind for things that I'd said to Niall about me and Steven. The only thing I came up with was at the diner when he asked if he treated me right.

Today he wasn't even at my house for more than five minutes and there's no way he saw anything.

So what had spurred his outburst?

Now I had even more to take care of. On top of making my life altering decision whether to marry Steven or not, I had to go out of my way to convince Niall that nothing was wrong.

I scrolled through my phone to where I had saved his number, contemplating whether or not to go through with this.

Before I could doubt myself anymore I pressed the call icon.

"Hello, Maddie." his voice rang through the phone almost immediately.

"Uh, hi." I said, thrown off by him immediately knowing it was me. " Look, I know you just left my place a little while ago, but I'm bored out of my mind. Want to go do something?"

Niall eagerly complied and explained he would be here to pick me up in about an hour.

I hung up the phone and laid back on the couch. My new plan was underway in my head. Hang out with Niall and make him think everything was peachy. This wasn't going to be as easy as it sounded.

I let my mind wander to the topic of Steven. I knew for sure that I didn't want to say yes if he wasn't going to change. But it wasn't as easy as asking if he was truly changing, and believing the lie that would definitely be his answer. He had to prove it. Although he had been acting differently. He was nice all day yesterday at the museum. And this morning he had left a sweet note. But I wasn't making my decision based on that. I made a mental note to sit him down and talk to him tonight.

I glanced at my phone and saw that it was ten till 4. Ten minutes until Niall arrived.

Hopping up from the couch I checked myself in the mirror, not really caring what I looked like.

I slipped on some converse while Niall honked in the driveway.

Making my way to the car I saw him siting in the drivers seat. A grin plastered on his face.

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"So where are we going?" I asked after an hour of driving.

" I don't know, I was hoping you'd speak up and tell me." Niall smiled at his feeble attempt to make me laugh.

I turned my head and looked out if my window.

"I just thought we could go to this little garden I know of. "It's secluded, and quiet."

"No fans." I added

"Yeah..."

The rest if the drive was spent in awkward silence along with a murmur from the radio.

"Why did you want to hang out?" Niall asked

To convince you that my abusing boyfriend and I have a nice relationship.

"Nothing else to do." I lied.

"Here we are!" he exclaimed, suddenly excited again.

I climbed from the car and liked around, I had to give Niall props. This place was breath taking. A small creek wound its path through trees and flowers of every kind. It was seemingly wild, like no one took care of it, and the wildness is what made it so beautiful. But there was no way this originated here.

"Who did this?"

"No idea." Niall made his way through the plants on a path that a few seconds ago had been unnoticeable.

"Then how did you find it?" I questioned behind him.

"I got lost and this is where I ended up." he sat down on a stone slab that was underneath a willow tree.

Over in a corner was a big Iris garden. There was some of every color imaginable.

"I love irises" I confessed. I would always try to plant some at mine and Stevens house, but they never grew.

"You know what my mom always said about them?"

"What?" I asked

"That they only grow where love is."

Niall's words made me upset. Though he wasn't at fault. I had tried over and over to grow irises in our yard. But they just wouldn't.

"If you love then so much why don't you plan any in your yard?"

"Haven't got around to it yet." I lied.

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(A/N)

C-R-A-P-P-Y. I know... And short!

But it's what I could muster up! I think I'm past the writers block though.

What do you guys think of Niall's saying?

" They only grow where love is."

Xxxxx