Broken Promises and Half Truths

Chapter Four

     "Hey, Bri, can I talk to you alone?" Louis pleaded, glancing at her and then at Maddie.  Brianna scrunched her face up in wonder.  Bri?  She shrugged, knowing that Maddie believed that she had known him far longer than she actually had, which was a grand total of three minutes.  Brianna nodded.

     "Sure, Louis."

     They fled to the comfort of the well lit hallway, much unlike her hotel room, which was idly lit.  Louis looked at Brianna as if she was either mentally insane or just the greatest actress he had ever come upon, even better than Niall.  Though, Niall usually messed it all of by laughing like an idiot before his line was over.  Not that anyone could understand him with his thick-as-cheese Irish Accent.

     "What the hell was that?  Now I'll never get to introduce her to Niall.  Couldn't you have suggested Zayn?  The moment she saw him she would know why he felt the need to cheat on you!"  Louis nearly shouted, exasperated and somewhat angry that anyone would suggest Niall cheating on a long time girlfriend.

     "Hey, are you calling me ugly?  Not good enough for vain ol' Zayn Malik, am I?" She spat, glaring at him harshly.  Not only did she feel offended that he would suggest that she was unattractive, that he would dare undermine her need to protect his famous secret from her best friend.

     "I'm not calling you ugly, you're beautiful, one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen, alright?  Glad that you got that out of me, eh?" He spat back, glaring at her with just as much intensity.  Oh, this guy is lucky Maddie likes him.

     "You'll get to introduce her to Niall.  Just call him now, tell him the deal, give the phone to me, and I'll pretend to make up with him.  Simple."  Brianna grinned at him, the fiery intensity gone from her look.

     "I'm not hooking you up with my best friend, okay.  But it'll work."  Louis grabbed his cell phone from his pocket and pressed 6, where Niall was on speed dial.  5 was Harry, 4 was Zayn and 3 was Liam.  2 was his sister, Charlotte, which he would definitely be pressing as soon as he walked away from Maddie for the night.  He figured Brianna would be included in the mix.

     Really, Louis thought that Brianna was an interesting girl.  Different in way Maddie could never approach, though their personalities contradicted the other perfectly.  It wasn't a surprise they had been friends for so long.  Another thought crossed Louis' mind, She would be perfect for Niall, though.

     The phone rang three times before Niall picked up with a yawn.  "Hey Louis," he said, though it really sounded like 'Ay "Ouis, due to his full mouth.  It didn't surprise Louis that Niall had barely gotten up and his mouth was full.  Louis wondered where it all went.  

     "Look, Niall, I met this girl and she didn't know who I was," Louis said.  He explained the situation in full while Niall munched on a hearty breakfast of Oreo's, milk, and scrambled eggs.  Niall nearly dropped his spoon at the mention of him cheating on someone.  What?  When was this?  Who's Brianna Jenne?

     "Who's Brianna Jenne?  I don't remember cheating on one, either," Niall mused, dunking the last cookie from the package into his tall glass of whole milk.  His eggs were long gone.  

     "She's the girl's friend -- the one who knew who I was!  She came up with a story on the spot and used your name.  Oh, she said she's sorry, by the way.  Sorry that she... reacted in the wrong way at seeing you kissing the girl.  Niall, you're a great actor, and she's an even better one, roll with it."  Louis quickly handed over the phone to Brianna, who accepted it with a wink.

     "Hey, Niall, it's been so long since I've talked to you," Brianna said into the phone sadly.  Brianna pushed her card key into the slot and entered the room again.  Maddie was seated on the bed watching a reality TV show.

     Madeline watched Brianna curiously.  Niall, I thought... "It has been awhile, yeah?" Niall said slowly, testing out his words.  He wasn't sure how he should react.  Brianna sounded pretty.  Okay, he told himself, think pretty.  "Look, I'm really sorry --"

     "No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have," she took a deep breath, only making Niall even wilder on his end.  Oh god, she's crying.  The pretty girl named Brianna Jenne is crying!  "I reacted horribly.  I didn't even let you explain yourself!  I should have, and I'm sorry."  Niall heard her out, not wanting to interrupt.

     "Brianna, please, listen to yourself.  I'm the one who -- I'm the one who kissed that other girl.  You should have left, you had every right to," Niall admitted, sounding completely sure of himself.  Damn, this girl is good!

     "But I loved you -- love you," she corrected herself, flickering her eyes over to Maddie.  Madeline was still fuming over the whole Niall cheating on her best friend story, but if he was apologizing, then maybe Madeline could, too.  "I'm sorry," Brianna breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.  

     Niall was in pain -- mentally.  Damn, she must have really been in love with me.  "Hey, hey, I love you too, Brianna.  You don't have to apologize for loving me."  Madeline was so close to Brianna that she heard his every word.  Maddie only frowned.  

     "Don't fall for it, Bri, isn't that what all guys say?" Madeline hissed quietly into Brianna's ear.  Brianna placed her hand over the reciever, though Niall could still hear what Brianna was saying loud and clear.

     "Not Niall, he wouldn't do that to just get back into my pants --" Brianna was cut off by Maddie's loud squeal.

     "Back up!  He's already been there?"  I've already been there? Niall thought with a smirk.  

     "I loved him, Maddie.  Of course I was going to show it.  You're not a virgin, either," Brianna hissed back.  Maddie's face flamed, Why did she have to say that in front of Louis, that was none of his buisness!

     "Hey, Brianna, how about we meet up sometime -- again," he corrected himself, mentally scolding himself.  He wanted to meet this Brianna more and more every second.  

     "I'd like that," Brianna murmured into the reciever before hanging up.  Looking over to Louis, she grinned like a crazed person.  Only because he was, too.  Louis was surprised that Niall had pulled through, and he was surprised by Maddie's reactions.  

     "You're not dating him again, are you?  I swear to god, if you guys --"  Brianna glared at her friend.

     "I won't.  I'm not stupid.  I'm not going back to him for that."  Brianna looked over at Louis and gave him a look that said, you owe me big time by, like, ten.