Shattered || Narry

{02}

Niall

I wish for just once in my life I could go through a day and not have to worry about my father and him getting into some sort of trouble.

Ever since my mum died, my father has been doing some things that were not only dangerous to his life but my own as well.

My father gets into trouble a lot lately. He'll be around the wrong crowd and he'll say the wrong thing. Then there's me, his son, who has to come to the rescue. I would have to step in and stop them from hurting my father. If it's money that he owes them? I'll take it out of my own pocket just to stop them from torturing him.

The sad part is? I'm just a kid. I'm only 17. I get it. I'm technically a man, but my father wasn't around like he should have been to teach me how to be a proper man. All that I've learned from him is try not to get caught.

I don't want that life. I want to be able to live out my teenage years the way I should. I should be out with friends having fun. But instead? I'm stuck saving my father's arse each time he gets into trouble.

One of these times it's going to kill him and I'm absolutely terrified for that moment.

I pulled the hood on my sweatshirt up over my head as the cold winds began to whip at my face. I was looking for my father. He had been gone since this morning and he hadn't been answering his calls let alone his texts. I know I shouldn't get so worked up about this. I should be used to this behavior by now.

But I'm not.

"Dad!" I called out as I kept walking.

I honestly had no clue as to where to even look first. He'd be in a different place each time. The last time he was up to no good? I saw him behind some run-down shop trying to complete some drug deal.

"Dad, cmon!" I brushed passed a few people that were in my way on the sidewalk. "Dad, please! Where are you?!"

I know I shouldn't have to do this. I shouldn't have to search for my father each night, but he's the only family I have left. With my mother gone, my brother left the minute our father started getting into trouble. My brother didn't want to deal with him. He tried to take me with him, but I didn't listen. I had convinced myself that I could help father get better. So he left and I haven't heard from my older brother since.

The only other person that I could confide in or go to whenever I couldn't find my father was my best friend and only friend, Louis. He was a few years older than me, but to me, Louis was more of a father to me than my real one was. Louis taught me things that my father should have done himself. No, I'm not saying Louis taught me how to shave; I learned how to do that myself. What I'm saying is, Louis taught me how to be a man. Granted that Louis was 21 and I, 17, he was a better man than my father could ever be.

So I gave up on finding my father. I did this quite often and when I did? I'd go to Louis'. So I pulled out my phone and dialed Louis' number; something I've done numerous times before.

"Niall?" I heard Louis' voice ring through my ear. "Niall, are you okay?"

"L-Lou? I need you to come get me. P-please?"

I could hear Louis grab his keys and a door slam.

"Where are you, Ni? Tell me and I'll be there as soon as possible. Don't talk to anyone. Don't look at anyone, okay? Do you understand?"