What A Feeling

The flight and the ride to Becca’s hotel seem to take forever. She’s still not answering her phone.
Thank God for perfect timing. As Niall is running inside the hotel, Becca and Kara are walking out.
“B!” Niall pulls her into a hug. She keeps her arms straight down at her sides though.
“Darling, you have to let me explain. I promise, it is not what it looked like.”
Becca doesn’t meet his eyes. “I have to go, I have to work.”
“B, please?”
“I can’t now, Niall. Later.”
Kara chimes in. “Becca, you go ahead. I’ll meet you later.”
“Fine.” Becca says as she gets in the car.
“Niall, how about you buy me breakfast? I’ve got a story to tell you; and you have some explaining to do.”
Niall sighs. “Sure.”

Kara suggests a quiet diner, where they can talk freely. “Aren’t you gonna eat, Niall?”
“I’m not hungry.” He replies.
“Whoa. Stop the presses. Niall Horan isn’t hungry?”
He grins, then turns serious. “It’s not what it looked like, Kara.”
“I assumed that, and I know that there is a part of Becca that understands that. But...there’s also a part of her that’s been hurt. That part is so afraid of being hurt again.”
“Kara, I would never hurt her.”
“I believe that, Niall.”
“How do I make B believe it?”
“Let me share a story with you. Hopefully Becca doesn’t get upset with me for telling you.”
Kara clears her throat. “Becca has only had one other serious relationship. They dated for awhile, things were going well, so they moved in together.” Kara sighs. “Within a matter of days, he cheated on her. She hadn’t even unpacked all the moving boxes yet.”
Niall shakes his head. “Is that why she doesn’t want to move in with me?”
“It’s not that she doesn’t want to, it’s that she’s scared. This guy claimed to love her, then his reason for cheating was that the commitment freaked him out.”
“Ass.” Niall grits his teeth.
“Yeah, exactly. Niall, she knows you aren’t like that, but sometimes we carry these past hurts with us, and they cloud our judgement.”
“Why didn’t she just tell me this?”
“She feels like it makes her look stupid, like you’d think she was an idiot for not seeing it.”
“What? He’s the idiot for losing such an amazing woman.”
Kara grins. “That’s my boy. I knew you were a good one. Just what she needs.”
“I’d never hurt her like that.”
“So start explaining last night.”
Niall fills Kara in on last night’s events. Clearly explaining why it was not what it appeared to be.
“I believe you, Niall. That makes sense.”
“Now I need Becca to understand. Kara, I can’t lose her. She means everything to me.”
Kara smiles. “Alright Romeo, let’s go win back your woman.”
Niall grins. “We should stop on the way, so I can pick up some flowers for her.”
“Good idea.” Kara looks Niall up and down. “We should probably get you some platform shoes too.”
“Why?” Niall asks, confused.
“Cause you’re gonna look hella short next to all those tall, hot basketball players.”
Niall rolls his eyes. “Thanks a lot, Kara.”
She laughs.

Notes