Disastrous

Nine

A pestering knock at my door pulls me through the deep, peaceful sleep I was finally granted. Rolling over onto my right side, I groan out and blindly reach to pull the covers away from my body. They're tangled around my legs, and when I finally manage to kick them away from my feet the knocking has become more persistent and annoyingly obnoxious.

I stumble out of my bedroom and yank my robe around myself, tying the string over my stomach. The knocking is now pounding, rattling my entire apartment and immediately I fear that something may be wrong, someone I love may be hurt.

With one swift yank I have the door open, and I stare directly into the cold, menacing dark blue eyes of my father.

My blood runs cold.

With his jaw locked tight and his head staying firm in place, his eyes look down at the swell of my stomach. When they meet my own terrified ones once again, I can hardly breathe. I can see the anger flourishing within him, plummeting to it's full extent and I fear the worst.

My hand twists tighter around the door knob I still held and eyes snap shut as his own rough hand lifts, coming down across my cheek bone in a slap.

The sting on my flesh is something I hadn't felt in a while, nor had I ever done anything so unforgivable like this before. I knew he was disappointed, angry, and ashamed that his young daughter was pregnant, and I didn't even get the chance to tell him myself.

"I'm sorry, dad. I-"

"Save it." He spits, nudging passed me into my apartment. I was afraid to close the door behind me, afraid of what gut wrenching words my father would harshly spit at me.

I was afraid that he would banish me from his life, that he would punish me for being a girl that sleeps around.

I knew that was exactly what was coming already.

"I am so disgusted, disappointed, and completely sick over this Shay." He begins, crossing his arms over his chest. My cheek is burning but for the time being I do not care, all I wanted was for him to leave.

"Look at me when I talk to you." He demands, his long legs carrying him a few steps closer to me.

Protectively, my arms wrap around my stomach and I take a step back. I wouldn't have him hurt my baby.

"I understand you're upset, but this is my life."

I dared to actually speak my mind to my father, I wouldn't let him control everything revolving around me anymore.

"Upset is an understatement. You opened your legs to a man out of wedlock, and look where it got you!"

Taking another step away from him, I cringe at his choice of words. The tears are slowly rising to the surface, my father hated me already. I had already lost so much, and now I was going to lose my dad too. Lord only knows who else he would have turned against me in no time, too.

"I'm sorry you feel that way." My voice cracks half way through and dad shakes his head at me. Without another word, he steps around me and slams the front door behind him.

In that moment, I feel a small piece of my heart being chipped off and I crumble to the floor, crying out softly. My back slides down the wall and I bury my face in my hands, wishing that I could just disappear.

*

"Shay, please pick up your phone. We really need to talk, I don't know if I did something but I haven't heard from you for days now. Call me back, please."

I hang up the phone, setting it down on my bed in front of my crossed legs. There's soft music playing from my stereo, my hands rubbing over my belly. I really should phone Niall back, I was just so scared.

It had been a few days since my fathers visit, and my cheek bone below my eye was bruised from his slap. Arabella had seen the purple mark briefly, but surprisingly I was actually able to convince her I had walked into a wall with my clumsiness and all. Somehow though, I had a feeling Niall wouldn't believe that.

He had been nonstop calling me for days, and I knew the only reason he was even bothering was because he was worried I'd do something to hurt the baby. He didn't care about me, he cared about his child.

I, on the other hand, didn't care about much of anything anymore.

However, much against my will, I had started to become emotionally attached to the baby growing inside of me. It needed me, no one else needed me; my subconscious mocks quietly in the depths of my mind.

"Shay! Niall is here and he refuses to leave until he sees you." Arabella calls through my door. I had told her a few days prior that I didn't want anyone just barging into my room anymore. I wanted to be as alone as I felt.

"Tell him to go away." I mutter back, stuffing myself into my bed sheet and comforter. I face the wall, yanking the blankets up to my chin. I knew he wasn't going to leave, in the short time I've known Niall his stubbornness has always been present.

I hear my door being opened and knocking against the wall carelessly, before it's closed. I shut my eyes, clutching the sheets tighter beneath my chin.

The bed dips behind my bum where he sits, the silence antagonizing. I'm sure he can hear my pulse racing, my breaths low and shaky. Niall's hand cups my hip, and he gently forces me to roll over until I'm laying flat on my back. I'm taken aback by his soft, gentle touch.

For a split second, our eyes lock. Niall is frowning deeply, and as I look away his fingers curl underneath of my chin and he tilts my face towards him once more.

"Who did this?" He asks lowly, his tone nearly a whisper as if he didn't want anyone but us to hear this conversation. I know what he's talking about, but I wasn't about to divulge this information. My eyes flutter as his thumb lightly swipes over the bruise.

"I-I bumped into a wall."

My eyes look anywhere but at the pained expression on his face. Instead I choose to look at the design on the front of his t-shirt, and how the sleeves cling to his biceps.

"Don't lie to me." His tone is cool, but not so much so that I'm frightened by it. I knew he would be able to call my bluff, somehow.

"I'm not," I defend, taking his wrist and prying his hand away.

Niall shakes his head, shuffling closer. "I know someone put their hands on you, and I want to know who it was Shay."

"You know nothing." I can't help but snap, Niall didn't know me.

He sighs, running his hand through the long strands of his hair and tugging at the roots. He was flustered, his hands shaking in anger. I didn't understand why he was so upset.

"No one should be hitting you. You're pregnant Shay, don't you understand that?"

"Do you think I asked for it?" My voice raises an octave and I push him away by the shoulder. This is exactly what I didn't want to get into, it always seemed to be my fault.

"Of course you didn't Shay, I never said that."

"Please Niall, please just go." I beg quietly, a familiar ache settling in my chest. I wanted to be by myself, so I could cry myself to sleep in peace.

"No," He refuses, scooting closer into my small twin bed. I fall back against my pillow and Niall settles in beside me, tucking me into his chest. I don't know why, but I allow him to hold me. The soft touch of his warm hand caresses the small of my back and I press my face into his chest. "You need me as much as I need you right now, Shay." He whispers.

I didn't want to need Niall. I knew the moment I allowed this of myself, the moment I allowed someone else into my heart everything would be ripped away all over again. I didn't need another Julien, in fact I couldn't handle another Julien.

But, whether my mind perceived it as a good idea or not, I closed my eyes and let myself drift to sleep with Niall's arms locked around my body; minus the tears this time.

A/N:

Listened to some heavy Ed Sheeran while writing the last bits of this chapter it makes it better tbh

Next chapter is going to be quite longer than this one

vote/comment xo :)