No Control

You Put Your Arms Around Me

A little bit of a moment from Stockholm Syndrome in the chapter, but it's with a twist. Also, an ending that may make some of you rage again, but that you'll... like?

Chapter 10:

NIALL

I held the phone to my ear, listening to it ringing again and again and again. I perked up when I finally got an answer. "Hello?" I heard Harry ask in a sleepy voice, but there was also something else to it.

"Good morning, Harry. Are you okay? You sound upset." I said, waiting to get my coffee from the barista. I didn't like hearing him sound that way, but what could have made him upset? Was it Zayn? If it was, then I need to know what happened.

"Um, no. Yeah, everything's fine. I just feel a little... maybe I'm a little sick." He said, and I heard a bit of shuffling like he was moving around on his bed.

"Are you okay? Do you want me to go over there and take care of you? I can call off of work if you need me to. I just need to-"

"No!" He said, cuttjng through my words. "No, it's fine. Go to work. I'll be okay. Just a... just a bit of a headache." He said, and then whispered something under his breath that sounded like, "and a sore throat from crying and yelling."

"Crying and yelling?" I asked, making him stay silent on the other side. "Harry, are you sure you're okay? Babe, you have to tell me if something's wrong with you. Was it Zayn? Did he do something or say something to you?" I asked, needing to know if anything was wrong with him. I loved Harry so much, and if he was upset I had to know. I wanted to fix it and make him happy.

"No. I yelled at him for nothing. It was a stupid and childish incident. I just hope he accepts my apologies." He mumbled the last sentence, which made it seem like he was talking more to himself than to me.

"He will. He's your friend, and he'll understand. Nobody could ever stay mad at you. It'll be okay." I said, the barista finally handing me my coffee, which I thanked her for. "I have to go now, Harry. Just stay in bed, and I can go over there later if you need. Just rest. I love you." I said, stopping at my car door with my hand on the handle. I felt like I couldn't breathe, just waiting for a response that was yet another heartbreak.

"Okay. Goodbye, Niall." He whispered before he hung up, leaving my frozen for a while. It hurt. It hurt so much that he never said he loved me. When he did, I knew it was only as a friend. He hasn't really said it since I asked him to be my boyfriend, and I have no idea if hearing it platonically or not hearing it at all hurt worse.

I got into my car and sat in the seat, just staring out the window for a while. I loved Harry, so how was it possible that being with him made the pain worse than being without him. Was that just how love worked?

I blinked away the few tears that were gathering in my eyes and started my car, needing to get to work on time. A part of me wanted to turn back around and go to Harry's house and take care of him, but the bigger part of me knew I should go to work. The money wasn't only for myself. It was for my parents as well.

   I haven't told anybody about my mother's condition- not even Harry. I just didn't want anybody else to carry the burden, especially not him. I didn't want him to have to worry about another person when he was so broken down himself. I just wanted to make him happy- not even more upset. But I loved him, so shouldn't I tell him?

    I didn't have time to think about that as I parked my car in the car lot and got all of my things collected to go in to work. A moving job didn't pay as much as being a doctor did, but it was enough to get by and help with medical billings.

    "Hey, Niall!" My boss called. I looked over to him and walked over, raising an eyebrow. "I've got a new employee here today. Why don't you take him under your wing? Help him get on with some of the guys?" He asked, and I nodded.