Feelings

Chapter 18 : Promise

Meredith's POV

Niall and I are in a Rest Stop in Tennessee. We just crossed the state border from Kentucky about ten minutes ago, and we both needed to pee, so we pulled over at the first one we saw. It's been eight hours, and we're halfway there. I walk around a kiosk, waiting for Niall to come out of the bathroom. The brochures tell me we're in Kingsport Tennessee.
"Mars?" Niall walks towards me. We've been using our spy names the whole ride now.
"Hi," I whisper. After almost an entire case of water, a whole bag of cough drops. And eight hours, my throat doesn't hurt as badly, and I have enough voice to whisper without using MM. I also had four Ibuprofen in total, so my head barely hurts at all.
"I'm starving, what about you?"
I nod. "It's dinner time."
"How's your throat?"
"Better. I don't need MM anymore."
"Who?" He looks confused.
"Oh. It stands for Miss Monotone, it's what I nick named my phone," I say quietly.
"Oh," he laughs. "Yeah, MM was too emotionless."
I nod. "We should eat somewhere."
"There's an exit a mile from here to the actual town of Kingsport, not just its rest stop. We can find a restaurant there?"
"Ok," I smile. We walk back out to the car, and Niall looks at me before starting it.
"So there's something I should tell you."
"What's that?" I whisper.
"I'm kinda... Well I'm sort of rich," he says sheepishly.
"Like how rich?" I frown.
"Erm, really? I mean, it's my parents that make the money but I get an allowance each month."
"You still get allowance?"
"I wouldn't really call it that."
"How much is it?"
"It's a lot," he blushing. How much can it be?
"Niall," I use his real name.
"It's 50 grand." He blurts.
My jaw drops, my eyes going wide. "What?!" I say, my voice cracking. "That's more than my mom makes in a year!" I breath.
"I told you it was a lot," he shrugs.
"Oh my god, I thought you mean like a thousand a lot, Jesus, what do your parents do?" I say incredulously.
"My dad owns a company and my mom is, well... She's an actress," he shrugs again.
"What kind of actress?" I asks suspiciously.
"Umm... The famous kind?"
"Niall!" I screech, my throat hurting.
"Calm down. It's not important. I just want you to know that money is not a problem, so we can do basically anything." He shrugs for the third time.
"Stop shrugging," I say. "I'm not going to let you pay for everything."
"I didn't say everything, although I'm fine with that."
"No," I shake my head.
"I was just saying if we want to go to one of the theme parks in Orlando or anything, I have the money to pay for it."
"Oh," in all honesty I had been wishing I had the money to go. "Maybe."
He smiles. "Let's go get food."
I nod. I can't believe Niall has that much money. I feel bad, because I usually think of rich people as selfish and snobby, but Niall is neither. He's so nice, and generous.
He starts the car, and pulls back onto the highway.
It only takes about five minutes to get to Kingsport. We drive around for a bit, until we end up at a steak restaurant.
"I'm so hungry," I say, reading the menu.
Niall laughs, nodding his agreement.
A young waiter comes up, smiling.
"My name is Randal, I'll be your server today," he says.
"Hello Randal," Niall waves, laughing slightly. I roll my eyes, and take notice that he's using his American accent. I kind of like thinking that I'm one of the only people he doesn't pretend around.
"Can I get you something to drink?" The waiter asks.
"Yeah, but one question. Do you go by like, Randy? Or are you really just Randal?" Niall is clearly amused, but I kick him under the table, shooting him a look.
Luckily Randal laughs. "Actually I'm called James by my friends, it's my middle name," he grins.
"Mine too!" Niall says, and I giggle, thinking back to when we picked our nicknames.
"Yeah, but I call him Newt for short," I say, my voice hoarse but only hurting if I speak to loudly.
"Newt?" He frowns. "Short for James?"
Niall and I share a look. "Well, we're secret spy's, so we went for scientific nick names, and Jimmy is a nick name for James, and then we thought of Jimmy Neutron you know, and then we said Neutron but it's not good enough, so we shortened that to Newt." I giggle through the explanation, and then cough a few times, clearing my throat.
James stares for a second, before throwing his head back and laughing. "Well it's an honor to serve secret spy's."
"Well, don't get too excited, we've said too much so we'll have to kill you now," Niall jokes.
He laughs again. "Well, what do spy's drink?"
"I'll have a Mountain Dew," Niall says.
"And I'll have water," I smile, knowing it's what my throat needs.
"Can we have kiddie cups? We're undercover, you know..." Niall says.
"Of corse, sir," James laughs, heading off the way he came.
I giggle. "Are we really getting kid cups?"
"Yeah, they'll have lids. I mean I'm a klutz and you're emotion able unstable, so we wouldn't want any one to drop their cup or pass out while holding it..." He laughs loudly.
"Oh, you're hilarious," I stick my tongue out, then sigh when my phone rings. I check, groaning.
"Who is it?" Niall raises his eyebrow.
"My mom," I tell him.
"She's probably worried, you should answer so she at least knows you're ok," he suggests.
I nod, hitting answer. "Hello?" I answer tentatively.
"Meredith?!" She squeaks. I can tell she's worried and she's also nervous about using the phone.
"Yeah mom, it's me," I sigh.
"Are you ok?! Where are you? You can't just leave, you had me worried sick!" She breaths.
"I'm fine, I can't tell you where I am, and I thought you wanted me out?" I answer calmly, speaking softly so I don't hurt my throat again.
"I didn't mean that.."
"Yes you did, mom. Don't worry I'll be home by Friday, it's only Sunday." I say.
"You don't have to move out," she says. "I'm sorry I was upset with you I should have waited to confront you after you were feeling better," she apologizes.
"No you shouldn't have, I was a brat and broke all of the biggest rules."
"You ok?" Niall mouths.
I nod at him.
"Promise you're coming home?" She asks.
"Of course," I tell her.
"We will talk then," she says. "But why can't you tell me where you are?"
"Because I know you'll yell or come after me," I admit.
"Are you with him?" There's a whole new tone to her voice.
"By him do you mean my boyfriend, who may have left me because of you?" I asks, balling up my fist.
"Yes I do mean him. I can't believe I once liked him, I can't believe I let you go out with him. It's obvious it's his fault you acted so foolishly. You can't see him anymore, Meredith."
"Mom, please don't. I may not have meant what I said about not having to call home since I'm eighteen, but trust me when I say that I will see whoever I want, and that most certainly includes Harry." I can't believe I'm saying this, after all he's put me through, but I can't stay away, and after the other day I was starting to feel like maybe we actually care about each other.
"Well he's not coming in my house!"
"I know, that's why I'm moving out."
"But are you with him?" She asks quietly.
"No, I'm not."
"Are you alone?" She sounds worried again.
"No, I'm with Newt. I mean Niall," incorrect myself.
Niall chuckles, and James sets out drinks down quietly, disappearing again.
"Newt? Niall? Who are they?"
"Niall was the blonde guy at the hospital, Newt is just his nick name," I explain. "Look, my throat is getting sore again. I promise I'm ok and I promise I'll be back. I love you."
"Ok, I love you too."
I hang up for she can say anything else, and take several sips of water.
"So you still want to be with Harry?" Niall frowns.
I meet his eyes. "I know you don't understand, but a lot has happened. A lot has been said and a lot has been done, so yes," I nod.
"I don't understand, but I'll try to," he shrugs.
"Thanks."
James reappears, smiling and holding a notepad. "Are the spy's ready to order?"
"We kinda forgot to look at the menu," Niall chuckles. "What would you recommend?"
"The house special. It's steak, mashed potatoes, and a veritable of your choice, plus soup and salad."
"Potatoes!" Niall cheers, his Irish accent breaking out.
James seems to think Niall was faking, but laughs.
"That sounds good to me," I nod.
Niall agrees, and we both order corn as our vegetable and beer cheese soup.
My phone rings again, but this time I don't dread answering. Niall must have recognized the look on my face.
"Harry?" He asks.
I nod. I'll be right back, ok?"
"Ok," he nods, sipping his pop.
"Thanks," is answer the phone, standing up to walk outside. "Hello?"
"Mere? Meredith?" He rasps, his voice and accent making me feel better immediately.
"Harry?"
"Fuck. Jesus are you ok?" He sounds awful.
"Ok fine, are you alright?"
"No, fuck. Where are you?"
"I can't tell you."
"Fuck, you're giving me a heart attack. I thought, I don't even know what I thought."
"I'm ok, I promise."
"You aren't driving to Chicago are you?"
"No, but are you ok? What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? I drove home thinking we were over, and then I find your fucking envelope and thought you'd left for good, and... Please don't ever scare me that way again?" He says, his voice shaking.
"I'm sorry," I whisper. "I promise I'm coming back, I'll be back by Friday."
He breaths an audible sigh of relief. "Please tell me where you are? Are you alone?"
"I'm not alone, but I can't tell you where I am because I know you'll come after me."
"You don't want me?" He sounds hurt.
"I do, Harry. I do, but I need this badly, and I'll be back on Friday."
"Who are you with?"
"Niall," I bite my lip, wondering how he'll react.
"You don't want me there... Because you want him there."
"No, Harry, it isn't like that."
"Then what is it like?"
"You left, and my mom kicked me out and the left and Niall was the only person still there. He signed me out, and now we're... Somewhere." I trail off.
"Why can't you be somewhere with me?" He whines.
"Because you walked out," I say quietly. His action still hurts.
"I know. But that was for your own good. I wouldn't have called if you hadn't scared me so fucking bad, and then as soon as I heard your voice you sucked me right back in."
"My own good?"
"Yes, which is the opposite of me. You don't need the shit I've brought you, and I'm sorry."
"Harry, it's not up to you. I'll decide what I want and need, and I decided on you," I tell him.
He's quiet for a moment. "Fuck, do you mean that?"
"Yes."
"Please come back."
"I can't." I sigh. "I'm glad you called. I'll come see you first thing when I get back," I promise him.
"Where will you live?" He asks. "You said your mum kicked you out?"
"Niall said I could stay at his place," I say slowly.
"No. You'll stay with me."
"We'll discuss it later, I'm exhausted and my throat hurts right now."
"Be careful. I'll call you in the morning."
I'm shocked that he didn't argue, and that he's agreed so quickly.
"Ok."
"Please, no later then Friday?"
"I promise."
"And you'll answer my calls?" I've never heard him so anxious or worried.
"Yes."
"Don't scare me like that again," he whispers.
"I won't," I whisper back.
There's silence for almost a full minute, before he whispers almost inaudibly,
"Promise?"
"Promise."

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A/N... Hope you like!!! Please vote and comment if you could, it would mean a lot (: