Putting Together the Puzzle: A Dark Niall Horan FanFiction

Chapter 3

"The food is amazing Mrs. Gallagher." I nod trying to ease the thick tension at the dinner table. The only person who has really talked was Theo when he demanded me to give him more peas. "I haven't had a home cooked meal in a long time." I laugh slightly.

"Do you see your parents a lot." Niall's mother asks me.

I take in a deep breath, looking over at Niall who is already looking at me.

"Well, uh, my parents are divorced. I don't really have a good relationship with my mother and my dad was never around for more than a few days." I shrug.

"Mhm." Niall's mother nods, raising her eyebrows as she sips her wine.

Niall hasn't said a word to me since we got down for dinner. He hasn't said a word period, only giving small nods.

"So how is school going Niall?" Greg asks and I mentally thank him for taking the spotlight off of me for a moment.

"Fine." Niall nods. "Charlie and I have decided to take a gap year."

"You've got to be kidding me?" Maura loudly slams her glass onto the table and I jump a little. "You are taking off of school for this girl now?!" She talks to Niall as if I am not even here.

"I am taking off of school for myself mum." Niall groans. "Charlie is the one that wanted to go to school and I convinced her to wait a year so we could figure everything out."

"What right do you think you have coming into my home like this?!" Maura turns to me and I can feel my emotions running high.

"I-I just cam-"

"I am full." Maura stands up, walking away from the table with her glass of wine. "Greg you can take care of the dishes."

"Please don't mind her." Greg stands, taking his and Denise's plates into the kitchen.

"You okay?" Niall places his hand on my knee, lifting my face so I am looking at him.

"I think I am going to take a walk." I nod trying my best to hold back the tears. "To get some air." Before Niall has a chance to respond I remove myself from the table, making my way to the front door and outside into the crisp evening air.

                              ~

I tightly wrap my jacket around my body as I start on my walk toward the light of town. My mind is racing with every problem in my life at the moment. Everyone I should be pleasing but nothing I can do will please them. I am overwhelmed with the thought that at the end of the night I will have to go back to that house and face everything that is inside.

I take deep breaths as my boots crunch against the fallen leaves, soothing me a bit. I reach town and feel a sense of relief as I pass the small shops and people. I am relieved for the fact that I am around strangers. People who have no clue who I am nor do I have a clue who they are. I don't have to try.

I enter a small diner and sit up at the counter two seats down from a rather tall man. I can tell, even when he is sitting down, that he is tall.

"Are you okay miss?" He asks nicely, moving down a chair closer to me. His light brown hair is slicked back in a beanie and he wears a thick brown Carhart jacket.

"I'm fine thank you." I nod, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"Ah now I know what the problem is." He nods and I look up at him confused. "Greg was telling me about you today. You are the American that little Niall has become smitten with." He laughs a bit but holds out his hand for me to shake. "My name is Oliver but everyone just calls me Oli."