Fighting For Love

Chapter 16

Michael sat in the living room and stared at the t.v. he really wasn't paying attention to what was on, because his mind was on Niamha. He still had feelings for her, hell he missed her a lot. After she caught him and Alana kissing he felt bad. There is no other way to describe the emotion that he felt as his heart strings constricted in his chest when he saw the flash of emotion before she masked her face. He continued on thinking about Niamha and didn't notice his grandmother come into the living room.

"Michael."

He turned his head towards the door and saw that she was sitting with her arms folded in the door frame.

"Yes, Maw?"

"I need your help with something."

Michael got up and followed his grandmother into the kitchen where she sat down at the table. She motioned for him to sit down across from her. Michael took the seat and looked over at his grandmother and her all knowing smile.

"Son-" she started, "what's going on?"

Michael knew he couldn't hide anything from his grandmother, so he laid it all out on the table. "Everything has gone wrong Maw," Michael told her everything that had happened between him and Niamha. The situation with Landon, everything. Even when she caught him and Alana kissing like he wanted her to. After listening to everything Michael looked over at his grandmother who was looking back at her with her knowing look. She sighed and got up to move to the fridge, she got her a cup of water and went to go and sit back at the table. She drank he water and then looked at Michael long and hard before speaking.

"Michael," she paused, "how do you feel about this girl? All issues aside how do you feel about her as a person?"

Michael stared back at his grandmother with a blank expression. His mind was trying to process his feelings about her. How did he feel about Niamha? He sat back and really tried to concentrate. He was about to speak to his grandmother but the door bell rang. She gave him a knowing smile and moved to answer the door. Michael was still contemplating his feelings for Niamha when she left, so he didn't hear his grandmother's conversation at the door. He looked up at his grandmother when she came back in the room and stopped short. He stood up and looked silently at her. His grandmother moved to grab her cup and headed into the den as she passed Michael she stopped and whispered under his breath.

"Thinking won't give you an answer, but emotions will."

She headed out of the kitchen. Michael still stood there looking at her. He cleared his throat. Neither one of them spoke and it was falling way past awkward. Michael shifted his feet and his gazed. Finally about to break the silence he moved to say something but then he heard her speak.

"We need to talk."

Niamha stood there in Michael's grandmother's kitchen staring at him. On the drive over she had been rehearsing what she was going to say, but now that she was standing there in front of one another she couldn't form a coherent word to speak so there they stood staring at each other. Niamha watching him fidget and shift uncomfortably before speaking.

"We need to talk."

She watched his head snap in her direction as if he was thinking about what she just said. After a few more seconds he snapped out of it and suggested they take a walk. As they were walking the silence fell back upon them. Niamha looked out not really looking at anything in particular. She took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry Michael." She kept looking ahead not wanting to chance a glance in his direction for fear of what she might see. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just..I was confused, not knowing who Niamha was first before jumping into this and getting emotions involved. There is nothing more than the greatest pain in my when I think about what I did for you. I deserve any and every type of punishment you should give me." She finally chanced a look at him and saw him looking ahead with an unemotional mask on his as she explained herself.

"Michael I don't know what else to say besides how sorry I am."

They came to a stop in front of a bench at corner. Michael sat down and Niamha followed suit. They sat in silence for a long time before Michael spoke.

"It hurt to know put the pieces of the puzzle together, and then realize that shit just blew up in your face," he looked over at Niamha briefly before turning to stare ahead, "and then not to have you tell me. For me to find out that way was what hurt the most. I trusted you Niamha. I.." he sighed. "I thought I was beginning to fall in love with you." He whispered the last part but Niamha heard it and she felt her heart swell when she saw that he had tears in his eyes. She moved to wrap her arms around him, only to have him flinch away. She sat back and quickly hid her hurt emotions.

"I don't know what else to do Michael," she silently pleaded, "I'm so sorry." She got up off the bench and walked back to her car, trying to keep her tears at bay. When she got in her car she headed home. She knew she had lost Michael, for she only hoped it wasn't permanently.

Michael watched Niamha pull off and sat on the bench thinking. As it got dark he headed back to his grandmother's house. Skipping dinner he headed in to his room and lie in his bed and stared at the ceiling thinking. 'I'm sorry too Niamha. I really am.'