FOREVER [Niall Horan] ✔

Chapter 18.

"I feel like a part of my soul has loved you since the beginning of everything. Maybe we're from the same star."

Niall's POV

"What are you thinking about, baby?" I quietly ask, when I feel her tense in my arms. She shivers, in the slightest, and goosebumps rise on her neck. I pull her closer, her back against my chest and my arms wrapped tightly around her middle with one of my legs over hers, as we lay on the couch together.

"Nothing." She shrugs.

"It's not nothing. You're clearly apprehensive." I run my fingers through her scalp, aiming to relax her, which I guess I succeed into when she softly hums and leans into my touch.

"Tyler," She whispers so lightly that I'm not sure if I even heard it. "And mom and dad and Nate," She says and leans further into my chest.

Fucking Tyler.

"What 'bout them?" I keep running my hands down her hair and ask, even though I know that she is still a bit shaken by the fact that he's here and that he'll hurt her. But I'm not gonna let him. I just pray to God that I meet him one day and give him what he deserves.

"Just."

I turn her in my arms so that our faces are only inches away. Our eyes meet and I can see that hers hold so much pain and sorrow in them. I lift my hand to her cheeks and she closes her eyes for a brief moment, before looking back at me. "You can tell me." I offer and nuzzle my nose against hers giving her an Eskimo kiss. She smiles her adoring smile.

"I miss my family." Her smile fades away and she looks into space. I don't know why but I think she purposely avoided that douchebag. I know how she's exactly feeling. I know what it is like to be away from your family, from someone who loves you as much as you do.

"Maybe you should call them," I suggest and she brings her eyes to look into mine. "Baby," I say and feel her shudder slightly. "You need to tell them about... everything. Even about that prick." Her eyes widen and she starts shaking her head. "Ana, they deserve to know."

After a few moments, she wiggles out of my grip and walks towards the hallway and to her room. I abruptly stand up and follow her. She is sitting on the edge of the bed, with her phone gripped tightly in her hand. She has a frown on her face as she stares at her phone.

I walk and sit beside her on the bed. "They should know."

She nods once. Her hands are trembling as she tries to call before placing the phone against her ear. I don't know if I should go or sit here, but I think that maybe she would want a little privacy.

"I'll be in the living room," I say and get up but stop when I feel her hand on my wrist.

"Don't go," She says, still staring at the wall in front of us. I nod and sit where I was sitting earlier.

"D-Dad." She whispers in the phone and I see her eyes welling up. She looks at me and I give her an encouraging nod to continue. "Dad... I'm s-sorry for- everything." Tears start to fall down her cheeks and I wipe the tears with the back of my hand. I stand up and sit on my knees in front of her with one of her hands in mine as I draw small circles on her knuckles in a comforting way, and she continues to talk to her dad. I can vaguely hear her dad as they talk through the phone.

"Ana, where are you?" I hear his muffled voice from the other side. He says other few words that I can't hear.

"I'm okay, dad. And-And I'm in- um- London. I'm s-sorry, dad, but I couldn't stay." She hiccups. "I'm- I was-He, Tyler," She stutters and I rub her arms and nod my head when she looks at me. "He was not what I thought he was," She simply states. "He-I didn't love him. He had hurt me, physically." My jaw clenches and I ball my fists when the words fall from her mouth.