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Souderton Abbey

Off for the Holidays

Chapter 16

A week before Christmas, Niall and Harry were helping Mr. Dates put up the massive Christmas tree up in the parlor between the two staircases. Hayley came in with a box of garlands and ornaments for them to put on the tree, but only handed them to Mr. Dates. She normally would have given them to Harry, but lately he had been so submissive to only himself and seemed to have his guard up all the time, and she was really getting annoyed by it.

Harry was not mad or sad, he was just embarrassed. He still had never told Hayley the real reason why he beat up that guy a couple of months ago, but if he had he would have had to explain everything, and he was not ready for that yet. Most of all, he felt as though he didn't deserve Hayley, and by the way he had been acting lately, she started to feel that way too.

Niall climbed down the ladder he was on and took a couple steps back to look at the star at the top in its full glory. When backing up a couple steps more, he accidentally bumped into Hayley and grabbed her by the shoulders before she fell down. "I'm so sorry. Wow I'm such a klutz." Hayley laughed at Niall's embarrassment and assured him that it was perfectly ok.

"It great that I bumped into you, literally. I actually have something for you." Hayley grabbed Niall's hand and held it tightly, but it actuality she put a piece of paper in his hand. Niall smiled and went somewhere where he could read the note, but Hayley stayed back in the parlor in hopes she made Harry somewhat jealous. When she looked over toward the ladder he was standing on, she found that all of Harry's attention was on the tree, and she decided it would be best to just confront him, but not at that moment.

Niall turned the corner into a small hallway to read the note, but instead found Carrie waiting behind a bust of her great great great grandfather. "So I see Hayley gave you my note."
"I actually didn't even have the chance to open it before I stumbled upon a pretty girl." Niall leaned down and kissed Carrie on the cheek and she blushed and put her hands on his chest.

"You know we aren't supposed to do anything like that inside the Abbey, but outside has no limits." Niall only smiled as he scratched the back of his head.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself. Your cheek was just begging for a kiss." Carrie couldn't help but giggle as she reached up and placed her arms around Niall's neck. He wrapped his pale arms around her waist and she dug her face into his neck and smelled his cologne.

"I wanted to see you before you left this afternoon. I know it sounds selfish of me but I was kind of hoping to have you all to myself the day after Christmas."
Niall kissed the top of Carrie's head and rubbed small circles on the base of her back. "I know and I would love to, but I haven't seen my family in months and I think they're missing their favorite son."

Carrie slightly chuckled into Niall's chest and took another whiff of his cologne. "Well I've met him before, and I don't think he's as great as he thinks he is."

Niall smirked and looked down at Carrie. "Well I heard that he was very handsome, hilariously funny, and has the most perfect body anybody has ever seen."

Laughing, the brunette moved her hands from the back of Niall's neck to his biceps, lightly squeezing them. "I will admit he has nice arms, but funny, I'm not so sure of."

"He surely makes you laugh quite often." Niall leaned his head down until he he could feel Carrie's breath on his own lips. Before their lips were able to touch, Harry cleared his throat as he walked down the hallway to an unknown destination with an unpleasant expression on his face.

"What's gotten him so grouchy?" Niall turned back to Carrie and shrugged his shoulders.

"I honestly don't know. Lately he's been really upset about something but won't tell anybody what it is."

Harry had heard the conversation between Niall and Carrie and scoffed lightly to himself. He was upset because the person he shared a secret with made him out to be a bad guy. Sure he was in the wrong, but they were also equally to blame.

That afternoon, Niall put the final items in his suitcase and tied the leather straps in a knot to secure it shut. He had changed into a more casual brown suit pants and a long sleeved white shirt with a matching brown jacket. When he turned around to leave the room, the door opened with a solom faced Harry who seemed shocked by the sight of Niall carrying a suitcase.

"I didn't know you were leaving so soon." Niall looked down at his suitcase before mumbling "yeah" in response.

"Look I'm sorry I've been such an ass hat lately. It's just that I trusted someone I should have never believed and they lead me on and I've been taking it out on everyone else."

"Look I knew that you were upset about something else and I'm not mad, but I'm glad you apologized. Besides, I'm not the one you should be talking to, but more Hayley. She's been really mad at you lately because of the way you treated her and you'll be lucky if she forgives you." Harry sighed in realization of how bad he made this situation. Of anything, Hayley was the last person that deserved the way he had been treating people lately.

"You're right, and I will. Just promise you'll have a great trip ok?" Niall nodded his head and hugged his best friend on the way out of the door. Lucky for him, the Barlow's arranged for a car to take him to the train station, and soon he was on his way back to Ireland.