Hater [Jaythan/Niam]

A/N: So after you read this, please tell me what you think below in the comments section. I hope you enjoy it. :)

“What is it?”

I asked worriedly, watching the blonde pace back and forth and pull at his hair. I sat down in front of him and waited until he stopped. As he did, he turned to face me and he knelt down in front of me. “I have to tell you something really important. It’s been gnawing inside of me; I can’t keep it inside anymore.”

“Well, whatever it is you can tell me.” I said as he moved to sit beside me. He reached up and I could see he was very hesitant as he took my hand. I began getting confused, feeling a little strange of what might be happening.

“What I am about to tell you” he began, looking down at our hands. I followed his gaze and he brushed my knuckles with his thumb. I became nervous and quickly looked at the door hoping nobody came in while he was holding my hand. The gesture felt intimate and my nerves fired up. I wanted to pull away but I didn’t want to seem rude. “might end up ruining our friendship and I’m terrified to say it.”

He paused, looking at me with sad blue eyes. Despite the awkwardness of him holding my hand, I wanted to comfort him. I wanted to pull him into a hug and tell him it’s okay, that whatever it was would not ruin our friendship. I tried to smile but I couldn’t, failing to ease the tension. “Go on and say it, Ni.”

I listened as a group of people laughed aloud downstairs and I wished that I was there instead of here. I wanted to see Danielle who I left with the other boys when Niall asked me to speak to me in private. I felt the tension then and I knew there was something wrong. I felt compelled to go with him and when the boys looked at me with knowing eyes; I knew I was in the dark in the situation. Niall had been acting noticeably different lately, something was bothering him and I asked earlier what was going on in his head. I wanted to help, to get it out of his system and just to be a good friend but he brushed it off as a family thing, saying he missed them and hoped he would see them soon. I was convinced and I comforted him. I have a feeling that was not it.

I am the ‘Father’ of the group and I always want to help the boys with their problems. I would listen to what was bother them and I would try to help as much as I could. Maybe it was because I had a feeling of what Niall wanted to admit that was making me on edge and want to bolt out of the door but I just had to get out of here. He reached up and touched my cheek, gently caressing it. My heart was racing and I was sure that he was going to say it. He opened it mouth and before he said something, I got up.

“Li?” His eyes turned red and droplets of tears streamed down his cheek. I had not said anything but that’s all took for him to understand. He hung his head and softly began to shake.

“I can’t.” I said because I did not know exactly what to say.

He laughed humourlessly and shook his head.

“I didn’t know you felt like that,” I whispered as I looked down at his shaking figure. “I didn’t even know you liked boys in the first place. It seemed clear that you were attracted to the opposite sex I guess I was wrong.”

“I tried to convince myself that I was.” He coughed, as he angrily wiped his eyes. “I guess it was an inevitable fate, you and Danielle are perfect. It was stupid of me to think that you returned my feelings. I mean, you’re straight as a stick.”

“Please don’t act as if it’s my fault-” I said, clearly stopping myself. I bit the inside of my cheeks in an attempt to keep my mouth shut before I said anything that I might regret.

He glowered and pushed past me. I grunted, stepping back and I watched him head to the door. Before he reached for the handle he turned around, shooting me daggers. We stayed like that for a long moment and his eyes turned soft. “I’m sorry for saying anything. I knew I shouldn’t have.”

“Ni.” I tried to stop him but he swung open the door and left. I ran after him but he was fast as he ran the stairs and I watched him squeeze through the crowd and head out the front door, slamming it shut in the process. I stood at the top of the stairs and slowly sat down on the top step. I rubbed at my face, feeling suddenly very exhausted.

“Liam!” I heard somebody shout over the music. I looked up and Jay sat down beside me. “What’s up? Hey, man what’s wrong?”

I didn’t say anything but when I looked him in the eyes, I didn’t have to. Even if he didn’t know the story, he didn’t budge as he passed me his bottle of beer. I took a sip and gave it back. I sighed, angry for letting Niall leave. But as I thought about it, I wouldn’t know what to say. I couldn’t return his feelings because I love Danielle and I just didn’t feel that way. Jay, looking very tipsy, wrapped his arm around me and grinned. “I said it.”

“Said what?” I asked, grabbing his drink for another sip. I looked over the party, scanning the room for Nathan who was nowhere to be found.

“I told him how I felt.” I finally spotted Nathan entering the room with Danielle. They were giggling about something and I noted the sudden change of mood with Nathan. He was very moody earlier; Niall had to convince him to come just to ease off a hard weeks’ work. I guess that’s the affect by being around Danielle, she makes everyone happy and you can’t help but laugh at her attempts to make jokes.

“Him?” I asked, looking incredulously at Jay. He smiled a goofy smile, the alcohol making him feel loose and calm. How come I didn’t know Jay and Niall are into guys? I tried to count how many months we’ve been friends. I do recall calling them my best friends, including Jay and Nathan in the One Direction family and the others, Tom, Max and Siva. I was teased for weeks for being really sappy but here I am, feeling like an idiot that I didn’t even know they are into guys.  

“Nathan. I told him how I feel.” He smiled, waving to him and we watched as Nathan and Danielle made their way through the crowd. Danielle sat between my legs and Nathan stood, leaning against the railing standing in front of Jay. Jay reached up and grabbed Nathan’s hand, causing Nathan to turn bright red.

“Aren’t they so cute?” Danielle asked, leaning against me and I wrapped my arms around her. I nodded and kissed her neck.

“Where’s Nialler?” Nathan asked. I didn’t say anything as they looked around the room. I just didn’t know what to say right now but Niall stayed inside my head for the rest of night. I didn’t try to ignore it and the more I thought about it, the more I felt guilty.