The Boy In The Basement// h.s AU✅

TBITB|| LXI

Chapter sixty-one of 'The Boy In The Basement':

"Alice? Ae you okay?" Niall quickly lowered his voice, his act of being super happy immediately turned off when he saw the fear in my face. My throat tightened, and I wasn't able to speak at the moment. I just looked at them. I know I shouldn't this be afraid, but they have hurt me so much. I have the right to be afraid right?

"Avoid people in this aisle, Niall." I whispered to him quietly. Without him asking any question, he nodded and did as I said. We quickly brushed past the people and hurriedly grabbed everything that we would need-- Niall forgetting to grab the coloured pencils.

We were so close. So close of walking out of that horrifying aisle when they finally took notice of us--me-- and spoke up. Don't you hate that?

"Alice?" I halted in my place, Niall crashing into my back. Slowly he pushed himself off from me and turned to look at who was talking to me. Not getting anything from him, I turned around to face Kathy.

"Kathy." I said, my voice shaky. I didn't like that. Because if she can hear the sjakiness, she will know I'm afraid. Yes, I admit that I am afraid, but I don't want her to know that. She always wanted me to be strong, yet she never listened to me when I tried.

"Why are you here? And, with a boy?" Her nose wrinkled as she looked Niall up and down with disgust. Niall took notice of this and quickly moved slightly behind me, trying to shield himself from my sad-to-say-it mother's glares. I don't blame him, but he is taller than me so really hiding behind me isn't doing him so much.

"School shopping." I said forcefully. She breathed in through her nose, her nostrils flarring and I just looked at her.

"Well. Fair enough." She nodded. Still watching her, she stared me down.

"How's your father?"

"He's good. Better than ever since you're gone." I smiled, and she narrowed her eyes.

"Watch it, Alice." She growled, and I mean literally! It scared me, but right now, I will not show any fear because I need to stand up for myself.

"Or what? What are you going to do, Kathy? You don't have controll over me anymore." When I looked at her, happy memories with Dad her and I filled my eyes as I kept my eyes on her figure. They needed to go away. Because that's not who she is. She was just disgusing her eveil self with all those fake smiles and memories. None of that actually mattered to her.

"Don't test me Alice Dawson." She snapped. So, I stepped closer to her, seeing what she would do. How did my Dad ever love a monster like herself? How did I even love her? Guess disguises really do work.

Her hand flew up and moved across my face in a slap. My face turned from the impact. Tears welded up in my eyes while I bite down on my lip extremely hard to keep in a scream. To be honest, I was almost expecting that. But, what shocked me the most was that she hit me in the middle of the store.

"What the fuck! Why did you do that?!" Niall screamed with anger. This was a whole new side of Niall Horan. Slowly my hand moved to where I had been hit. It felt swelled up, but I know that it wasn't. I was just shocked.

"You can't just go around hitting people! That isn't right, whoever you are. Why in the world would you hit Alice?! I swear to God--" Niall's angered voice got cut off from my own mother slapping him--much harder than she did to me-- across the face.

"Mom!" I yelled. And I knew that I had called her Mom. She won't listen to me if I call her Kathy.

Niall was doubled over, almost falling to ground, holding his face in pure hurt, crying. Niall was crying. Why would she hit Niall?