Break away - Niall Horan Fan fiction

Break Away - Chapter 8

*Niall's P.O.V*

It's 3:30pm - time to get them from school.

Luckily, it only takes a few minutes to get from mine to the school or I'd be late. I pull up in a space directly outside of the black, chipped school gates which stand a few meters from the archaic building. They're late, which honestly isn't a surprise, but at least it means they didn't notice that I was late too.

"I don't care, to be honest, I'm not talking to Luke." Lola says to Ella as she gets into the seat next to me. Luke, Mae and Ella all get in the back and the girls continue to talk as if Luke isn't even here. I kind of half nod my head at him in the mirror and he nods back - just a way of acknowledging each other.

"Hey," Lola smiles sweetly as she takes a break from her conversation and leans over to kiss me before going back to talking about what ever happened with them and Luke earlier. I look at Luke through my rear view mirror and watch as he rolls his eyes and looks out of the window.

I drive him back to his hotel because he didn't want to come back to Lola's with us for some reason. He just tells me that he'll text me later so he can explain what's going on and then left.

"That should do the trick." Ella smirks as we drive back off again to go back to their house.

"What?" I ask with confusion painted all over my face. I glance over at Lola who is staring back at me with a cheeky expression - they're up to something. She bites her bottom lip as the grin on her face grows and Ella giggles in the back. I don't think I even want to know.

"Basically Luke is planning to go out with a bitch tonight, even though the girls told him she's a bitch, so we're trying to make him feel bad." Mae explains. I can't help but roll my eyes though because I know Luke isn't going to call off the date because they're annoyed at him. Especially because he's blatantly trying to wind the girls up for some reason.

When we get out of the car, just outside the apartment, I walk around to Lola's door and open it for her. She smiles up at me before wincing slightly as she gets out of the car. I decide to ignore the fact that she winced as it's probably just my imagination because at times I know I can be overly protective.

As she gets out I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her in for a hug. Instantly, she jumps back and her eyes become watery. I look at her with confusion as she tries not to make eye contact with me and attempts to blink away the tears.

"Lola what's the matter?" I ask worried. But she ignores the question and instead pulls the keys from her blazer pocket and begins to make her way towards the block of flats. I turn around to look at Mae and Ella in hope to find some answers but they both seem as clueless as me. Ella jogs over to her whilst me and Mae follow behind her but Lola stays quite as she fumbles around trying to find the right key.

"Lolli what's going on? Can you answer me, please?" Ella asks calmly but there's an element of desperation in her voice still. Lola doesn't say anything and just opens the door and makes her way up the stairs to get to her apartment. In silence we follow her up the stairs. Without even needing to open the door I can hear Louis shouting 'shut up the Payno' which makes me half laugh under my breath.

As soon as we get in Lola goes over to her room to get changed and as she does we explain what happened to the boys. Mia was sent home early from school because she was 'ill', but it was probably just a lack of sleep, so she knows about as much as I do when it comes to why Lola is suddenly being so jumpy.

"So Mia when are you moving in?" Lola asks as she re-enters the room. She's wearing Calum's baggy jumper again with her black leggings and is acting like she's fine. Mia looks at her in disbelief.

"I can move in?" Repeats Mia sounding shocked. I know Lola is just trying to change the subject and distract us from the events that happened downstairs. As Lola nods her head Mia squeals and runs over to her and throws her arms around neck. Her eyes slam shut as Mia's body collides with hers and I watch as Lola tries to act like she isn't in agony.

"Shit Lola I'm sorry. What's wrong?" Mia says as she jumps back. Lola grabs her ribs and bends over in pain.

"Lola please can you tell us what's going on? I'm worried." I beg but she just shakes her head. I need to know. I've never felt like this before. I know its selfish but it's frustrrates me that I can't help her and that she won't tell me; I just care about her so much.

"I'm fine." She finally manages to get out. Zayn walks over to her and helps her stagger over to the sofa and lays her down flat. He tells me to get her some painkillers and a glass of water and I do as I am told.

I walk into the kitchen and begin to search the cupboards in hope to find some sort of pain killers. As I do Louis comes in and starts to look too.

"Niall you didn't say it was this bad." Louis whispers as he looks over at Lola who has everyone around her making sure she's okay. I look over to her too and I can see the pain in her eyes as Mae and Liam try their hardest to help her get comfortable. In silence I nod my head and continue looking. I can't deal with seeing her like this. It's breaking my heart. I need to get out of here.

*Lola's P.O.V.*

My rips hurt. My torso hurts. Everything hurts and I can't seem to shift the pain. Although, the pain has never left me, because I was pounded in the stomach for Christ sake, ever since Niall hugged me the pain has done nothing other than grow. It feels like I'm being stabbed every time I attempt to sit up normally.

I'm just really worried that I've damaged my bones. Ever since I was little I've had brittle bones meaning I was in and out of hospital for things like breaking my arm just because I fell off of the swing but I've learnt what I have to be careful with. After mum became ill hospitals became my nightmare and once she died things just got worse. They became a phobia and I have panic attacks every time I even think about having to go to one - that's why I cried when Niall hugged me earlier. Even though the pain was excruciating the thought of having to go to hospital was worse.

I look over to Harry who is whispering in Ella's ear and suddenly a smile starts to form on her face. I'm glad they're together. He makes her so happy and seeing her smile started to become a rare sight because things with her dad just got worse so Luke coming along when he did was perfect.

"Explain." I tell Ella as Harry goes to the toilet and she comes over and kneels by my side.

"Harry offered to take me out for dinner tonight." She grins making a smile appear on my face too. Excitedly she squeals and then rushes into her room to get ready.

"You don't have to put on a brave face in front of her Lola. You know that, right?" Mia tells me as she comes over to me. I nod my head and clench my fists as soon as the pain starts to creep back. Where is Niall and the pain killers?

"She's like our little sister though; I have to look after her." I remind Mia as if she's forgotten. She tells me that 'she knows' but she doesn't. Mia is like a sister to me too but she doesn't completely understand it. I've seen Ella when she's been in her darkest places. Wether she was crying at half two in the morning or screaming into her pillow after school I've always been there and not just metaphorically but physically too. I've mean I lived with her since mum died. To Ella I've always been the strong one but Mia sees through that act and can tell what I'm really feeling. I'm not saying that Ella can't it's just I don't let her. I'm the one who has to look after her.

"I know you're scared that if you show Ella that you're not okay then she'll freak out because you're 'meant to be her rock' but she won't. She'll get it - I promise." She tells me. Subconsciously I bite the corner of my lip as I try to think it through. Everyone knows that me and Sophie hate each other but no one knows how bad it's become. Her little performance today has definitely not been her first or worst and I know it won't be her last.

People say that a problem shared is a problem halved but this time it's far from true. Telling the girls about Sophie will not only make her take it out on me more but will make their chances of being her next victim higher and I can't risk that. They're family to me and the only family I've got. I don't know where I'd be with out them.