Love... A Niall Horan Love Story

Chapter 36: Give In

Brielle’s P.O.V.

Logically, being with my father for the first time should have been incredibly awkward. Actually, it wasn’t. I mean, sure, there was the first couple days when we kind of top-toed past each other, getting used to each other. But after that, we seemed like any old father and daughter.

We learned a lot about each other in the five days we’ve known each other. He told me a lot about James when he was a little baby and I told him about my trial, all the details. He wanted to know more about me, and I told him. I told him about myself, and in turn he told me about himself.

I told him that I could sing, and he demanded that I sing him a song. He made me sing for him right there, on the sidewalk.  Once I finished my song, people applauded for me. Since then, I’ve sung the streets a couple times, making a few bucks. My dad usually comes with me. Actually, he’s watching me play right now.

“Thank you!” I called, strumming one last time.

A couple coins clinked into the bottom of my guitar case. I smiled at the little girl who put money in.

“The next song I’ll be playing is Dear Mr. President by Pink,” I announced then strummed my guitar.

“How do you walk with your head held high, can you even look me in the eye,” I sang. “Let me tell you about hard work.”

Some people stopped to watch me as I stood on a curb and sang loudly, as I didn’t have a microphone.  Some people clapped.

“Dear Mr. President, you’d never take a walk with me,” I finished the song.

Some people clapped, but I didn’t receive any money. I figured that because people didn’t know Pink as well as Americans did. Oh well. I like her.

“Next song is Oh My Goodness by Olly Murs,” I said. “You just winked at me as you walked by,” I sang, looking at a guy around my age walking past. When he noticed me looking at him, he blushed and walked faster.

“You’ve got me dreaming of a life that anybody else would die for,” I sang.

“Anybody else would die for,” I finished.

More money clinked in my guitar case. I smiled at them and said thank you. I messed with my strings a bit before I heard some money clink in my case. I looked up to smile at them but my smile froze on my face.

It was Niall. He looked tired and his eyes were red, but he smiled at me.

“Good job,” he said.

I barely nodded. My new policy to ignore him was working well. He’d called me once, and I just let it ring. In his message, he was drunk. Way drunk. So drunk that I could barely understand him because he was slurring so much. The gist of the message was that he missed me and he wanted me back. I didn’t even respond to it.

“Hi,” he said.

I nodded at him.

“How are you?” he tried.

I shrugged.

“Come on Brielle, talk to me,” he begged, blue eyes wide and begging.

I tried not to look at them. When we were dating, I’d always give in because of his blue eyes. I was a sucker for blue eyes.

“Why should I?” I snapped. “I have no reason to.”

“Look, I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I didn’t mean what I said.”

“Yeah right,” I retorted.

Niall looked like he was thinking, and then his eyes fell on my guitar. He opened his mouth and started singing.