Falling For Niall (Sequel to FIOD)

Chapter 11

“Rhiannon! Rhiannon!”

“How far along are you?”

“Are you using the boys for money?”

The paparazzi were ruthless.  Overtime you learn to ignore the lies that pill from their ignorant mouths and onto the headlines.  Rhiannon, Chloe, and Preston pushed their way through the crowd.  Preston pulled open a car door and helped the two girls in.  Loud screams were muted as the door slammed shut.

The louder screams confirming her assumption, the boys were almost to the car.

“That was bloody mad!” Liam exclaimed as her climbed into the backseat of the car. Louis and Zayn followed Liam to the rear, Harry took the seat next to Chloe, and Niall took the last single seat next to Rhiannon.  Niall reached across her seat and laced his fingers with Rhiannon’s.  Her grip was loose and a wave of self-doubt swept through Niall’s mind.  He began internally panicking. So, he did the first rational thing he could think of: he let go.  Just before Niall’s grip went completely slack, a quick squeeze of his hand fully restored his faith. Niall looked over at Rhiannon and a smile spread on his face, which was turning a light shade of red. 

“I love you,” he whispered so only Rhiannon could hear.  She leaned forward and the two exchanged a quick kiss.

“Always,” she agreed.

~~

“Rhiannon? Wake up love, we’re at my brother’s house,” Niall gently shook her shoulder lightly. Rhiannon’s eyes fluttered open and she slowly got out of the car.  The first thing she did, when she did get out, was rub her stomach in adoration, still unable to comprehend that there was not one life, but TWO lives growing in her.

“Already?” Rhiannon responded finally.

“Yes, princess. Everyone else is inside already. ” Niall slung an arm over her shoulders.  A wave of nausea swept over Rhiannon as she realized this was the moment of truth. Of course the other boys’ families had been welcoming and accepting; sure she was pregnant, but it wasn’t their son’s sort-of-girlfriend who was pregnant with someone else’s kid! 

Niall began walking towards the house, the sounds of his family and friends calling him, but Niall realized his love wasn’t following him.

“Rhiannon, what’s wrong?”  he asked.

“What if they hate me?” Rhi muttered.

“It’s just my brother and Denise! They’ll love you, baby,” Niall comforted, pushing a loose curl back from her face.  Rhiannon relaxed upon learning that his parents, namely his mother, wouldn’t be inside, but grew nervous again as she asked the looming question.

“What are you going to say? ‘Hey this is my best friend. Don’t mind her, she’s pregnant with her dead fiancées baby and I’m taking care of her’,” Rhiannon choked. Niall was quick to wrap his arms around her in comfort, minding the protruding stomach of the eight months pregnant girl, before she could break down in tears. 

“No. I’ll tell them that you’re the girl I’m in love with, pregnant or not. And if it’s okay with you, although I wanted to ask in a better way, I’d like to introduce you as my girlfriend.”

A smile broke across Rhiannon’s face.

“Okay?” Niall asked with his forehead pressed against hers. 

“Okay,” she agreed.  With that, the couple began walking towards the house. 

‘How did I,’ Niall Thought, ‘get so lucky?’