Drive

Chapter 8

"What?" But before she can answer I see tears prick at her eyes, she tries to push them back but it's no use. I slowly stride over to her and wrap my arms around her, her head falling into my chest.

"Do you wanna talk?" I ask and she shakes her head, pushing away from me. But I grab her wrist and she tries to struggle to get away from me but my grip tightens, not hard enough to hurt her.

"Let me go," she says through gritted teeth and I shake my head. I pull her towards me but her hands hit my chest, pushing back and I release my grip.

"Alex, you know you can talk to me. What's bothering you?" She shakes her head and heads for the door, but I grab her wrist again.

"Let go of me! Now!" She screams and the door opens, Harry and Liam standing there with wide eyes. I drop her hand and hide the way I feel when she glares at me with glossy eyes, and pushes past the two boys out the door.

"Fuck," I shout and run my hands through my hair, tugging. I stalk off towards the door before I can start conversation with them.

The hot air gushes into my face, making my head spin a little at the sudden change of temperature.

Alexs P.O.V.

I sit on the bed with my head in my hands, watching Kaylee sleep. Her little chest rising and falling is actually soothing.

I admit, I was a little scared when Niall grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him. I shouldn't be, Niall would never hurt me. Not physically anyways, but him trying to butt in to what's bothering me, messes with me a little.

Yesterday, after Niall dropped me off from our lunch together, I decided to call my mother. I haven't spoken to her in what feels like ages, so when I heard her voice it was like a gust of fresh air. She sounded so lovely, so familiar, she sounded like she was alright. But after half and hour of catching up, she told me something I would've never expected.

It felt like that gust of fresh air had gasoline poured in it, and someone held a lighter a little too close. My chest ached, my eyes fell closed, and tears escaped all night long, and most of the day today.

Me and Kaylee went to the park today, and then we stopped at the corner store and that's where I found the magazines. It infuriated me that just because I was hanging out with Niall Horan, that meant we were dating. That couldn't be further than the truth.

The only reason I got so wound up about it is because i'm tired of loosing people. It's like everybody's slipping away from me. First Keenan, now my mother.

She has two weeks to live.

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It's been almost four days since me and Niall spoke to each other since our little fight. I've been dodging him at breakfast, ignoring him when he calls my name softly when I walk past him.

Both of the places I applied for called back, and I didn't get the job for either one. The only money I have to my name is the last six-hundred dollars left over from my last paycheck from Starbucks.

I managed enough money to go see my mother in the hospital today. I speak to her everyday, and in a matter of a week and a half her voice in almost gone, I can picture her face. Her blue eyes faded into a greyish color, her dark brown hair fallen in faded ringlets on her shoulders, her tan skin shriveled and bags under her eyes.

I shake Kaylee, trying to wake her. "Baby, ready to go see Grandma?" I ask and she flutters her eyes open.

"Mommy?" She whispers and I nod my head, grabbing her hands and pulling her up.

"Go brush your teeth," I tell her and she crawls off the bed, stumbling to the bathroom. I pull out a diaper out of her diaper bag and when she gets back I change it, quickly.

"Do you want to wear a dress today, Kay?" I ask she looks as if she's thinking about it, and nods her head.

I walk to the small closet I hung up some of our clothes in and pulled out her Minnie Mouse dress and reached to the top, pulling off her white flatts.

"Here, babe." I help her get dressed and pull her long, blonde, ringlets, back into a ponytail and add a red polka-dotted bow. She slips on her shoes and I undress from my shorts and hoodie.

I decide to dress up today, since i'm going to a hospital. It's about an hour away, and im not sure if I have the money, but it doesn't matter. I need to see me mother, because I think this might be my last time. She explained it was lung cancer, and she's had if for about two years. But my mother never goes to the doctor, no matter what. But she finally went and they found out she had cancer.

I slip on my Vans and head towards the bathroom, plugging in my curling iron.

After curling my hair, putting a buttload of makeup on, and changing into a sun dress and flatts, i'm ready to go.

I grab Kaylees diaper bag, my purse, and my keys to both the room and car, grabbing Kaylees hand and heading out the door. But when I look up I almost run in to somebody. I take a step back, examining who.

"S..sorry," I stumble and try to walk past him but he catches my wrist, turning me around. "What?"

"Stop avoiding me, it's killing me. Please, you don't have to tell me, I'm sorry I pushed you. But please, stop pushing me away!" He begs and I almost go limp in the knees when my daughter speaks up:

"Forgive him, mommy." She says and my eyes begin to water. How could I possibly stay mad at something that made me smile, he made it seem like nothing was wrong in the world.

"I-I'm sorry, Niall!" I drop Kaylees hand and throw my arms around Nialls neck, nuzzling my head in his shoulder. He squeezes my torso and tries to calm me down by rubbing circles in my back.

"It's okay," he whispers and I pull back, grabbing on to Kaylees hand once again.

"Come with me!" The thought escapes my mouth before it even runs through my mind and I scold myself for sounding so desperate.

"Where ya going?" He laughs his attractive cackle.

"Well, you see, the other day after you dropped me off I decided to call my mother, and told me she... uhm.." I trail off and Niall raises an eyebrow. "She has cancer," I mumble and I see Nialls mouth fall open.

"Alex, I am so sorry. Is that what's been bothering you?" I nod. It's partly the reason, the other is because I have no idea how I'm going to pay for my bill at the end of the week. I kinda didn't want to tell him, I only met him two weeks ago and I don't really know him.

"Let's go! I want to see Grandma!" Kaylee butts in and I scold myself. Shit, I haven't told her about my mom. She has no idea that she's sick, all she knows is she's going to see Grandma today. I nod and feel Nialls hand brush against mine, and I look down. His fingers interlock with mine and I look up to him, looking into his captivating eyes. A smile stretches across his face and he leads us down the hallway.

I can't hide my nerves as we take the stairs step by step. I take a deep breath. 'I'm ready,' I tell myself.

I'm ready..