Running Into Destiny (Niall Horan)

Chapter 28: One, Two, Knockout!

Natalie's P.O.V.

"Jimmy," I whispered in shock as I peeked around Niall's tensed body. "W-what are you doing here?"

"You weren't answering my calls," he said in a quiet voice as he sheepishly looked up at us.

Niall turned around to face me. I shyly looked up into his eyes to see a range of emotions raging behind those pools of blue. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"He's been calling you? Why didn't you tell me?" Niall asked, hurt and anger clear as day in his voice.

"Only a couple of times, I-" I tried to explain.

"I've been calling you every single day, Natalie. Every day since the accident, but you wouldn't answer," Jimmy said as he cut me off.

"Accident?!" I yelled at Jimmy the same moment Niall yelled "Every day?!" at me.

"You honestly think it was an accident Jimmy? I saw the look in your eyes! You weren't drunk anymore by the time I had gotten you home! You were sober and you... you st-still did that to me," my voice broke at the end.

"You sick bastard," Niall growled, turning back towards Jimmy, targeting him with his anger.

I stood frozen as Niall left his position in front of me. My muscles didn't flinch as I watched him shove Jimmy backwards into the wall opposite my door. It was only when I saw his hand curl into a fist that I regained my ability to speak.

"Niall, don't!" I pleaded.

"He deserves it Natalie and you know it," he spoke in a dangerously low voice. I had only heard him use this tone of voice once before, and I never really wanted to hear it again.

"But it's not worth it anymore, it happened months ago," I said trying to calm Niall down.

"This asshole raped you. I don't care when it happened!" Niall raised his fist ready to punch him. I lunged forwards and grabbed onto his arm, preventing him from taking a swing.

"Don't do it," I pleaded one more time. Niall ignored me and kept yelling, this time it was directed to the boy pushed up against the wall.

"How could you do that to her? She fucking trusted you!" Niall yelled right in Jimmy's face as I clung onto his arm.

"Niall," I protested quietly, but he didn't stop.

"You were supposed to be there for her! You were supposed to help keep the assholes away from her, but in the end you turned out to be just another one of those guys! In the long run you got what you wanted, but to what extent?! Did you even stop to think about the people who would get hurt in the process? Of course you didn't! You only thought about yourself and your needs!"

This time when Niall raised his fist to punch Jimmy in the jaw I didn't stop him. Because Niall's words rang true, Jimmy was supposed to be there for me but he pushed me away. He hurt me in one of the most unimaginable ways when he was supposed to protect me. I know in my heart that I can never forgive Jimmy for what he did to me, no matter what he says or does to try to persuade me otherwise. That just isn't going to happen, and it's not the only way I can move past this which is the most important thing to me at the moment. I need an explanation from Jimmy.

"Why would you do that to me?" I asked as confidently as I could.

"Because I... I love you," Jimmy stammered.

"Do you realize how twisted that sounds?" Niall scoffed.

"Yes, but it's the truth. Natalie, I've been in love with you since the day we met in that English Lang and Comp. class last year," Jimmy said as he looked at me past Niall's shoulder.