piper [n.h.] -Discontinued.

Chapter Ten

I wake up to the sound of Derrick singing in the shower. I groan and cover my face, but I swear I saw someone else in the room with me.

"Piper? What are you doing in here?" I ask her with a groggy voice. I pull the blankets up to my chin.

"He said I could come in." She points to the bathroom door, where Derrick is now doing a tribute to Imagine Dragons.

"Oh, well. Did you sleep well? Where did you even sleep?"

"I couldn't go to bed after I woke from my nap. So I watched television for most of the night."

"Do you want some breakfast?" I ask, surprising my own self. I haven't cooked this much for anyone. She nods and I pull myself out of bed. It was quite comfortable in there, so it was a struggle. I head for the kitchen, and she's following right behind..

"Uh, we have eggs. And... and I could make some pancakes. Do you like pancakes?" I ask, searching through the cabinets.

"Yeah. Yeah I do."

"Can you go set the table while I cook? We both need plates, and I guess one for Derrick." I turn to face her. "Sorry I didn't tell you about him. Just slipped my mind."

"It's okay. If he doesn't mind me, I don't mind him."

"Do you want some coffee also?" I pull out the skillet and pans, setting them on the stove.

"Yeah I'd love some, Chef Niall." Derrick walks into the kitchen with just his navy blue robe on. I glare at him. He has a cocky grin on his face. That pisses me off even more.

"You didn't have the decency to put some damn clothes on?" I ask, clenching my teeth. He shrugs.

"Says the one who is just wearing sweatpants and no shirt from the day before."

"Well, sorry that I've been a bit busy with our guest to worry about fucking fashion. But you come in naked with just a thin robe covering your dick!"

"Are you serious? All you have on is sweatpants that are riding below your hips. You're the one who is indecent."

"We have a girl here and you decided to walk in practically naked. How uncomfortable do you want to make her?"

"You need to calm the hell down, Niall. You're treading on dangerous territory."

"You want to fucking bet? I'll beat--"

"Stop!" Piper yells. We both turn and look at her. I see the nervousness in her eyes. She just escaped a violent man, and now two are about to fight in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Piper." Derrick says, walking back into his room, not before slamming the door as hard as he can.

I steady myself against the counter and close my eyes. I'm acting just like Will would, and Piper doesn't deserve that. But still, it's my house and I'll act however I want.

"What was that?" Piper yells. I can't believe she's getting so angry. Her fists are clenched, and her face is red. She's so cute when she's pissed at me. Stop, Niall.

"I was trying to protect your eyes from him. He shouldn't be dressed like that with you here. He knows that."

"But you don't have to act like a...an asshole in front of him!"

I haven't heard her curse since she's been here. Yet again, she hasn't been here long.

"I wasn't acting like an asshole! That's my normal self. Sorry if you can't handle that."

"I can't! You know, I thought I was starting to know who you were, but now I'm not so sure."

"You haven't even given me the chance to get to know you, so how the fuck do you know me? If you weren't so damn stubborn, we could've gotten closer. But you're just being a bitch and ignoring my questions!" I bite my tongue. I shouldn't have yelled at her in the first place. She's in no condition to be hurt by someone else.

She backs away. I step forward, but she puts her hand up to stop me.

"You're just like him."

"Don't compare me to him. I'm not like him at all."

"Yes, yes you are."

"Don't you walk away. You're not leaving."

"Excuse me?" She frowns.

"If you leave, you'll go right back to him. And when that happens, he'll hurt you for leaving in the first place. You and I both know that."

"I'd rather go back to him than stay here with you." She spits. That hurts a lot, actually. My anger is back, just as I was starting to calm down. I don't think about my next action. I pick up the skillet that the eggs would have gone in and throw it across the room. The power of my throw makes the skillet form a hole in the wall.

She jumps, and when I look at her face, she's crying. She's scared of me. I never wanted that.

I walk to her, and she flinches as I bring my arms up. She thinks I'm going to hit her, but I wrap my arms around her shoulders as she lays her head on my chest.

"I'm sorry."

"I know."