Let's Pretend [Niall Horan]

Chapter 30

-Aria-

••Feb 4, 2013••

"Payton?!" I said with my mouth gaped open.

"Hi Ari," Payton said as she smiled, then turning her attention to Max who stood below me, holding my hand.

"Oh, Maxwell..." Payton said, kneeling down and opening her arms to give Max a hug but Max took a huge step back and hid behind my leg.

"Say hi Max..." I said. My voice was shaking and I could feel knees feeling weaker and weaker.

"It's alright," Payton stood back up, shrugging. Her body seemed broader and much stronger than it used to be, but I suppose that's what happens when she's in the army for the past three years. She smiled, but it seemed like one of her fake smiles. "I didn't expect him to remember me anyways."

"You look great Aria," her voice was just as I remembered it.

"What are you doing here?" I asked kindly, disregarding her comment.

Although my sister and I had been somewhat close all my life, I had never known her well. And that was mainly my fault. I was always the one that was busy with Harry, Gemma, and Aunt Annie that I was rarely home, I mean, I couldn't be, since my mother and I didn't get along. The only time my sister and I got close was when we were at the end of our teen years. Right before Harry auditioned to X-Factor. I always imagined Harry apologizing to both Payton and I when everything had happened but he never did. And Payton was the one that constantly told me to text him or give him a call. But I continuously refused. I suppose Payton understood that Harry's intentions were only good, and I, I mean, knew it too but only after I had yelled at him. He was the first to know that my boyfriend of the time had not only cheated on me but also made Payton pregnant. And at first I was angry at the world, including Payton for letting it happen. But after piecing my mind back together, I realized that I had to be there for my sister.

And soon after Payton left to the army and I promised to take care of her son Max. I never imagined she would be gone for such a long time. It actually got to the point where I thought I'd never see her again because she would never return any of my calls or e-mails.

"I had some time between flights so I wanted to stop by and say a quick hello." She smiled before rummaging through her small bag before pulling out a closed envelope. "Oh, and I wanted to hand you this..."

Slowly I took the envelope, looking down at it but nothing was written on it.

"What is this?"

"Mommy, I need to go to use the loo." Max said from behind me.

"Mommy duties never end, do they? I give you props for keeping it up for so long," Payton's smile was weak before she took a huge step backwards. "It was nice seeing you sister. I thank you for everything."

"That's it?! You're leaving?!" I asked, taking a huge step outside, after her.

"Mommy!" I heard Max call once again, making me stop from following her.

"It's not my life here anymore," Payton said as I furrow my eyebrows.

"Payton, I need you... Max needs you!" I screamed after her, at verge of tears. I couldn't believe she was leaving already. Why was she in such a rush? Why didn't she want to speak to me or take time to at least spend some time with her own son? I felt my anger boil as I watched her get into the red rent-a-car that was parked in my driveway. Why was she always so immature and secretive?! She had always been this dramatic and I didn't understand why she was!

"I love you Ari." she said waving from the car window as she turned the corner and was out of my eyesight.

I stood there for a few seconds, so frustrated and confused on what had happened before remembering that I had that letter she had handed me in my hands. Slowly I turned my attention on the letter and stepped back inside, closing the heavy doors behind me and taking a seat on the couch.

"Mommy, I'm hungry!" Max ran up next to me, grabbing my legs.

"Hold on sweetie. Did you go to the bathroom?" I asked, although my mind was fully on the letter.

"Yes. Can you get me cheese chips?" he asked sweetly, smiling up at me.

"Magic word?"

"Please!" Max replied grinning and I smiled, getting up, quickly walking to the kitchen and handing him a small bag of chips. I watched as he sat down at the table as I heatedly made my way back to the couch, turning my attention back to the letter that Payton had handed me.

Slowly I slid my hand under the envelope flap, pulling out the papers inside. The first thing I pulled out was a letter that Payton had obviously hand written. All that it said was, "You're the best, I love you. - Payton."

Quickly I opened the rest of the papers and immediately my hands started to become numb and tremble uncontrollably.

"Maxie, sweetie. Mommy will be on the phone in my room." I said as normally toned as I could, as I didn't hesitate to run to my room and pick up my iPhone, dialing a number I had memorized for years, waiting only a few rings for an answer.

"Hello?"

"H-Harry, Payton just gave me papers to legally sign Max over to me. I can't raise a kid Harry. I-I can't."

"Okay, take a deep breath," I heard Harry say calmly, without any hesitation or questions. He didn't act surprised that I had called him either. Instead he seemed to genuinely worry about me as I nodded my head to his demand and took a deep inhale of breath and exhaled it.

"Think about who's been raising Max this whole time? You have. And you've been doing a great job at it, A." I nodded to myself again but then realized he couldn't see me.

"Yeah, but I can't raise him alone!"

"Aria, soon it won't be alone. You're getting married, remember? You can raise Max with–,"

"No! I lied! I am not getting married! Harry, I can't do this alone! I need to finish school and, and, and, Harry..." My tears were uncontrolled as they rushed down cheeks.

"Stop crying Aria," Harry's posh accent said and I took another deep breath, trying to regain myself. He didn't seem to have any problem being there for me even when I told him that I lied to him. Because he stayed on the phone with me as I cried for about an hour before he asked me to come over and I went to see him.  This is where we finally had a decent conversation. A conversation we should have had years ago...

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Things are starting to get interesting ;)

Next chapter coming up soon. (Sorry for the delay for this one, my best friend from Brazil was visiting me.)

Love you all and I appreciate you guys always waiting for me, xoxo

Write in the comments why you like this story and one of you guys will get a dedication and a shoutout in the next chapter. 

Tina, xx