Disastrous

Twenty Two

Niall's POV

"How are you feeling?" I ask Shay when she emerges from the bedroom the next morning. Underneath of her eyes is swollen from crying and I feel even worse about it than I did last night.

She scowls at me, sitting down in the armchair across from the couch I'm on. I watch as she struggles to lift her legs up, positioning them in front of her chest and resting her arms on her knees.

"I'm not a child, do not patronize me." She snaps, angrily looking away from my eyes. I sigh, setting my coffee cup down on the coffee table.

"I'm not meaning to patronize you Shay, I just want to know how you are."

"How do you think I am?" Her words are so heavily laced with venom that my eyes widen. I knew she was upset, and I would be too, but I hadn't expected this.

"I know that you're hurt but-"

"You have no idea!" She cuts me off, clenching her small fists and looking straight into my eyes with deadly force.

"I'm going back to Kentucky." She whispers, and my stomach drops. I feel my throat closing in, my body going numb. I had expected her to say many things to me but this wasn't one of them.

"What? No. No you can't." I breathe, getting to my feet after she does. She glares at me, bracing her hands on her hips.

"You don't get to control what I do," she seethes through clenched teeth. "Clearly I can't control what you do, I mean really Niall, do I smell marijuana?"

I freeze.

Fuck.

"You're unbelievable." She spits, yanking her purse off the floor and walking towards the door. It seems to kick in in my mind then that she's leaving, and panic takes over.

I rush over to the door, pushing my body in front of it so she can't go. I know this is only going to piss her off more but I need to say some things, do anything to make her stay in New York.

"You can't just go, we're having a baby-"

"I'm having a baby, not you."

"I was part of the process so don't give me that shit." My temper is quickly flaring. I'm trying my best to control it but I can't stop the fury this stubborn woman causes me.

"I don't care." She childishly remarks, trying to reach for the door handle. I move my body over to stop her and take her wrist into my hand.

"Let me go, I'm going home. To my real home, Niall."

"You're not leaving!" I yell, feeling all of my options begin to slip away.

"I...I'll take you to court. That's exactly what I'll do. You can't just leave this state with my baby and expect me to do nothing about it."

Her mouth drops open, eyes filling with tears. I didn't want to have to say that but I needed her to stay, I was desperate to keep her here.

"You're threatening to take my baby away from me and he isn't even born yet?" She whispers, her voice cracking and tears beginning to roll down her cheeks.

"No, Shay, that's not what I'm saying. I just want you to compromise with me."

"I can't!" She sobs, wrenching her arm from my grasp. "Don't you get it?! I have no one here! My mom isn't here, and she is who I need! I'm driving myself sick here, being with you. I'm physically sick, Niall. Do you want something to happen to this baby?! Because I don't. I'm trying to protect our son by getting away from you and all of this stress, you're just too selfish to see it."