Mirrors |NH|

Chapter Eight

When the fifteen minute break came along, Edie rushed outside to inhale the cold air. April in London did not feel like Spring this year. She couldn't believe that she had just done that exercise and managed to not freak out at the slightest touch. Especially the touch of a strange man. She saw Niall, her trust partner, sitting on the stoop of the building. She walked over to him and sat down. 

She sat there for a few minutes before leaning in to whisper, "Thank you."  He simply nodded which she was appreciative of. They both sat there for a few minutes, in silence. But it wasn't an awkward silence; it was somehow fairly comfortable. Edie fiddled with one end of her scarf.

"I know you know I saw your face last week.  And I remember your reaction.  Was trying to be helpful. Although, I don't think they're as bad as you think they are," Niall softly said to her.

And the moment was gone, "What do you know about it," she snapped before standing up and walking back inside.

The rest of the meeting Edie ignored everyone and ran out of the building at the end.  Her brother was standing there talking to some curly haired boy. She rushed past them both and got into the car, slamming the door.

Benny got in to the car.  "What's wrong?" He asked her, concerned.

"I think I just joined a fucking cult tonight. All because I told you I'd try. And then it all backfired!"

"What do you mean?"

"That woman made us fall back into everyone but they left me to catch him and him to catch me!"

"Whoa!  He?"

"Niall.  My 'trust partner'" she air quoted.

"Did he do something to you?  I'll fucking kill him!" Benny said as he took his seatbelt back off but Edie caught him.

"No, he didn't.  In fact, he helped me out." Edie looked out the window of the car as she realized she had freaked out on someone who had just been trying to help her.  "Shit!"

"What?" Benny asked.

She turned to her brother, "He was just trying to help," she said, as a sob came out of her throat.  "God, Benny, am I ever going to trust anyone again?"

Benny reached out to hug her and calm her down, "One day, I believe you will.  But you have to put forth the effort.  If this partner of yours - Niall, you said?  He's here for a reason, too.  Maybe, just maybe, Charlie is right in putting you two together.  I don't know why he's here but part of why you are here is so you can learn to trust people again.  You know that all guys aren't assholes.  I know what happened to you destroyed that idea but somewhere in the back of your mind, you still know that."

Edie calmed down, nodding her head.  She had acted a fool.  She looked out the window and saw Niall getting in the car with his friend.  Edie jumped out, "Hold on, Ben, be right back."

She hastily walked over to Niall's car, he jumped a little when she tapped on the window.  Rolling the window down, he looked up at her, "What?" he asked rather harshly.

Suddenly, Edie wasn't so sure she had made the right decision in coming over here.  She looked up at his friend in the driver's side and looked back at Niall who was looking at her with impatience.

"I, uhh, wanted to apologize for snapping at you earlier.  Sorry." She said and quickly ran back to her brother's car before he could respond.

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Niall watched as she ran back to her car.  She hadn't let him respond and now he felt bad for being rude to her when she knocked on the window.

"Who was that?" Harry asked.