Broken (a Niall Horan love story)

Chapter 8

***Navaeh's P.O.V.***

''One of my coworkers said he saw you at the zoo with a young man when he was patrolling,'' my step father called to me as I washed the dishes in the sink. I froze at his words and then let out a laugh.

''Must've been someone else that looked like me,'' I replied and continued my task. My day with Niall had ended way too soon and I was already missing the comfort of talking to him. My step father was the last person I wanted to open up to.

''I said the same thing,'' he chuckled and even from in the kitchen I could here the swish of the alcohol in his beer bottle as he drank from it. ''Though he insisted it was you. Eh, he's been seeing things since his rookie days. I think we might of damaged his head with all the tricks we played on him.''

I chuckled, because that was the only thing I could do other than go back to washing the dishes. I was just waiting for him to say the words I dreaded, or worse; start slurring them. I hated when my mum wasn't around the house, and she almost never was. So, I had to tuff it out until she got back.

''Where's Angela now?'' he wondered.

''Working,'' I answered simply.

He scoffed while turning on the TV to the football channel, ''she's always working. When'll she be getting home?''

''She said she didn't think she'd be home until ten tonight,'' I told him.

''Mm, that wont do...'' he trailed off and I leaned up against the counter as I waited for him to speak again. I could only hope tonight wouldn't be as bad as the others. ''Bring me another beer,'' he demanded. Quickly, I reached into the refrigerator and grabbed one of the cold glasses before walking it out to him.

He really did look disgusting when he drank. His feet would be kicked up on something while a toe or two stuck out from the holes in his worn out socks. He had the shared smell of alcohol and smoke on his skin that probably wouldn't go away even if he took a hundred showers. His scraggy beard and medium length hair made it easy to write him off as a drunk. It was a miracle that he was still on the police squad. I'm actually surprised that he would wear one of those outfits.

By the time I passed him his beer his blue eyes trailed over me before smirking and nodding. ''Good job, sweetheart, now make dinner.''

I cringed at the name and went back to the kitchen to start the dinner. My rebellious attitude had been wiped away from me after yesterdays events and I didn't think I could handle going through that twice in a week. It was bad enough that it happened at all. I had learned that it was best to do as he said, but that didn't stop me from being a spitfire sometimes.

''Make sure it's chicken, too,'' he called and I checked the freezer before sighing loudly.

''We don't have any chicken,'' I responded.

''Dammit,'' he cursed before setting his glass down on the side table and marching into the kitchen. I backed away from him, but he just opened the door to the freezer and searched through it himself. After a few minutes of looking he threw something towards me and I caught it though it surprised me. ''Cook that instead.''

''I don't know how to cook steak,'' I mumbled as I looked down at the package.

''Excuses, excuses, go and grill it; it's not that hard,'' he hissed before walking back into the living room.

Why don't you cook it if it's so easy? I thought to myself bitterly. I wiped the glare from my features and headed toward the porch after grabbing the jumper Niall gave me. I had to make sure that he didn't see me wearing it, though, that would bring along a world of trouble. All I could do was cross my fingers and pray that I prepared it right or else there would be a long night ahead.

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Well, I think you can probably guess what's up with her step father. I am so sorry for not updating and this might be a little jumbled so sorry again. I hope you enjoyed :)

-cow_queen