NINE

I'm taking him to school today. You'll still have your time with him this weekend.

I read the text over and over as I rubbed my sleepy eyes.
The lights of my room were still out, my alarm hasn't even gone off yet and Brianna's text replaced my usual alarm that morning.

I was barely even awake, and still, I was sure that text didn't make sense.

He wants to go?

I typed, still trying to get used to the light of the phone making my eyes squint.
Dropping my head back on the pillow and seeing I still had two minutes till my alarm rings, I let out a yawn, waiting for her reply.

Not excitedly, but he's going. And you don't need to come this morning. I'll take him.

I yawned again, shrugging to myself.
Great. If that's what she wants, then I won't complain.

I quickly set up my alarm for thirty minutes later and dozed off again.

🌈

Fridays at the office were always eventful.
Everyone tries get work done fast and get ahead of their cases, not wanting to leave anything for the weekend.

And that meant, handing heavy paperwork to the paralegal.
As known as, me.

But even if I was buried in paperwork, I still found a little time to start looking for therapist for children.
Harry had given me the number of the one he recommended, but I knew Brianna wouldn't accept them easily. Therefore, I needed options.

Maybe Briana would come to her senses, maybe she'd be willing to take Freddie to a consultation session.
I should at least be prepared.

During my lunchtime, I called some of them that were close enough to Brianna's house and that specialized on kids, and explained them the situation.

The majority of them agreed with me. And Harry, for that matter.

Freddie needed someone to help him. But also, in these cases, when the child is so young, the therapy is also a guidance to the parents.
So it would help Briana and me as well.

We would all benefit from this.
Not just Freddie.

The drawings, his bad mood, everything was just a call for attention. And neither Brianna nor I were helping.

But now I understood which was my place, what I needed to do, what I wanted to do.
I wanted to help him, to be there for him, to have fun with him, to teach him things, to enjoy the time I had with him. To be everything he needed me to.

I didn't want to leave him again, I wasn't going to.

And if that meant getting him help from a professional, then so be it.

The phone calls took longer than I thought, so when my lunchtime was about to end, I had barely taken a bite of my food, completely forgotten as I talked to the different therapists.

I sighed, knowing I lost my chance to eat and that I had to go back to the pile of paperwork sooner than later.
Though, before I could bury myself in work again, my personal phone let me know I had a new text.

A text from Harry.

Brianna dropped Freddie this morning. What happened to you? Feeling well?

Yes, she told me she'd go. I'm fine.

Oh, alright. Thought something happened.

No, everything is good. Did she tell you something?

Just that she wasn't happy about what I told you. The therapist and all that.

Was she mean to you?

I'm used to dealing with parents, Lou. Don't worry.

So, she was.

Maybe?

I'm sorry. I'll talk to her.

You don't have to. Anyways, she also requested an appointment with the headmistress next week. So, that's what I'm most worried about.

What for?

Didn't tell me.

Ugh, alright. I'll ask her tomorrow.

Why not today?

Because today is a happy day.

Happy day, huh? Anything important?

Uhm, yeah. I have a date.

Lucky guy :)

:)

Okay, I just wanted to know if you were okay and that we were were still on for tonight.

We are definitely still on for tonight.

Great. See you, Lou.

🌈

"Shut up." - I laughed to the phone, shaking away my blush.

"What? Can't I laugh?"

"No, H. I told you I haven't been on a date in years. You shouldn't be laughing at me."

"I'm not laughing at you, just..."

"You're making fun of me for not knowing what to wear. That sounds like laughing at me."

"It's just." - He laughed. - "Just wear anything, Lou. We're going to a diner, nothing too fancy. Though I appreciate you wanting to dress up for me."

"You weren't going to dress up for tonight?"

"Mmmm... You are going to find out once you see me."

"Ugh, fine. I will put on the first thing I can find then."

"I'm sure you'll look good with absolutely anything."

"God, I hate you." - I mumbled, noticing he had somehow made me blush. Again.

Harry laughed on the other side.

"No, you don't. You know what? You should wear something blue. Or green, it'll stand out your eyes."

"So, you like my eyes then?" - I bit my lip, somehow shy about his comment.

"Very much, yeah." - He said, making my heartbeat raise.

"Fuck, I hate that you're so forward and that I'm a nervous wreck."

"I'm just breaking the ice for you." - He laughed. - "I can stop complimenting you if you want."

"I don't know." - I whispered, still trying to calm down my beating heart.

"Who are you talking to?" - Niall's voice from behind me made me freeze.

He was standing by my bedroom door, a frown on his face.

"Sorry, H. Got to go." - I quickly hung up, not even letting Harry say goodbye, and threw the phone on the bed. - "Ni, hi. Thought you left to work already."

"I'm not going today. Who were you talking to?" - He crossed his arms in his chest.

"Uhm... Nobody."

"Are you going out tonight?"

"Yes?"

"With who?" - His nose flared.

"Niall, don't make a big deal out of this."

"You're going out. You didn't tell me."

"Don't get mad." - I huffed.

"Then answer my questions."

"I'm going out with Harry, as in a date."

"What?"

"I knew you wouldn't like it." - I shrugged. - "That's why I didn't tell you."

"So you weren't going to tell me ever?!"

"I don't know." - I shrugged again.

"Seriously, what the fuck were you thinking?! You can't date him!"

"Why not? He's so nice."

"He's the teacher of your son!"

"He's also just a guy! And I definitely like him. Niall, please. This is the first time I genuinely like someone."

"You could have chosen someone else!"

"What?"

"You can't go to this date. I already told you this last time."

"I went to meet him last time too."

"Are you kidding me?"

"No."

"So you lied."

"Just hid the truth."

"I can't fucking believe it." - Niall huffed, moving away from the door and walking back to the living room.

Cautiously, I followed him.

"Ni, I just want to get to know him. I bet you'd like him if you talked to him."

"You don't get it."

"What?"

"He's not good for you."

"How can you know?"

"Because it's wrong! It's going to be a big problem in the future! Don't you see it?"

"I'm sure we can figure it out if things get more serious."

"What if you don't? What if he breaks your heart just like Lila did with me? What if he leaves you alone?!"

"Niall..."

"Don't Niall me." - He said and I snorted.

"Fine. I'm living my life, okay? Is this wrong? We can't know for sure. But let me make my mistakes, yeah? I know you want the best for me. Just like I want the best for you." - I sighed, getting closer to him and wrapping him in a hug. - "Even if this leads me to heartache, at least I'm feeling something for the first time."

"Why the fuck are you being so poetic? You're not Louis." - He said, still hugging me.

I laughed.

"God, I don't know." - I said, leaning back and shrugging. - "But seriously, I'm finally making peace with the fact that I like a guy. I don't want you to be against that."

"I'm not against that. Just against him in particular."

I sighed.

"Would you be open to meet him at least?" - I asked and he shrugged.

"I still won't like him."

"But I can be happy knowing that you tried?" - I smiled at him, hopeful.

Niall rolled his eyes.

"Fine. I'm going with you tonight."

"Wait. What?"

"You want me to meet him."

"I didn't mean tonight. Tonight is our date."

"No better time than the present." - He shrugged, walking past me towards his room.

"But Niall!"

"Tonight. Take it or leave it." - He turned around, looking at me and waiting for an answer.

"You're the worst."

"I'll take that as a yes then. Get ready, we'll take my car."