Simon's Secret (One Direction FanFiction)

Chapter 31

  After a bit of struggling, and even slipping a couple of times, I actually managed to get my phone down from the cabinet. I sat down with my legs dangling over the counter's edge and dialed Emerald's number. Two rings later, there was a click and the sound of Emerald's voice saying, "Hey, Alex! How are you feeling?"

  "We don't have much time," I said in answer, ignoring her question and trying to sound as epic as I could.

  Em laughed through the phone, "You some criminal on the run? Or should I say 'on the hop?'" I rolled my eyes at her joke towards my booted foot. That made me remember that we really only did have a few minutes to talk, because my dad would be home soon.

  "Yeah, that works better," I said into the receiver, shrugging. "Seriously though, I can't talk for long. I'm kind of supposed to be upstairs in bed - without my phone. I needed to talk you, though." Emerald was silent for a moment, probably trying to decide whether I was telling the truth or not. I nervously watched the door as she paused.

  "Alright," she said finally. "If you need to talk, talk." I told her all about my journey home from the hospital.

  And then I told her about Niall. How he came home with me just to make sure I was okay, how he kept apologizing over and over. My heart fluttered just at the thought of him. Emerald listened patiently, and then I finally got when we had gone up to my room.

  "My dad left Ni and I alone," I said. "At first he just apologized again, but once we got past that... Well, we might've kissed a little. But get this, Em - after we kissed, he told me he loves me." Emerald gasped and we both squealed excitedly, causing the phone to go static-y. 

  "Wellll, what'd you say?" Emerald pressed.

  I paused, blushing. Did I really want to tell her? She is my best friend. Ah, screw it. "I told him that I love him, too. I really do, Em."

  Emerald shrieked through the phone and I could just imagine her jumping up and down. The thought made me laugh, but my giggling ended abruptly when I heard a car pulling into the gravel driveway. "Gotta go, bye!" I said quickly, ending the call before Em could reply. I pulled myself up to my feet on the counter and shuffled to put the phone back where I'd gotten it from.

  There was no way I had time to get back upstairs, but I at least had to put the phone away. Then I could sit at the table, maybe pretend I was getting a snack. Better yet, I could go out into the living room and lay down on the couch -

  "Alexandra Cowell, what on earth are you doing?!" The phone fell right out of my hands as I jumped at the sound of my dad's voice.

  I spun around to see him standing in the doorway, a shocked look on his face. Slowly my eyes traveled down to the floor, where my phone was lying with a shattered screen. This situation was just getting better and better.

  "Uh, Dad!" I stuttered. "I, um, was-"

  He interrupted, "Trying to get your phone after I already told you not to use it. I didn't take it away to be mean, Alex, it was for your own good. And this is not okay. I've been letting you get away with loads of terrible things lately, and this is how you repay me?"

  I said nothing, just stared guiltily into his eyes. He was right, honestly. I had done some bad things lately, and he'd let me get away with them, but what would have happened if I hadn't done them? Lots of these things involved meeting the boys, or secretly hanging out with them. If I hadn't done that, I would still be known as Alexandra White.

  "Get down from there," my dad commanded. I complied quickly, nearly falling off the counter in the process. Before climbing down, I was sure to grab my phone. "You know what, Al? I don't even care about the phone. You're a teenage girl, you need to talk to people. But the fact that you've been ignoring every word I say."