Epilogue ― All I need
A few months later...

“Ugh! I can’t do this. I can’t! I quit now, I’ll dig a hole and I’ll bury myself alive. Yes, that’s what I’m gonna do. Flawless plan,” I stated throwing my arms in the air.

I was literally freaking out and I felt like a silly girl. Nothing I chose to wear seemed okay, everything looked inappropriate. I was dead nervous, shaking like a Chihuahua and Belle and Phebs were laughing at me. They weren’t helping much! 

I was going to meet Niall’s family for New Year’s and I had this humongous knot in my belly and it was so horrendous that I hadn’t eaten in the whole day. That had never happened before! I was made a mess, it was miserable to behold.

“Relax, Alex. Everything’ll be fine,” Phebs told me trying to hold back her laughter but it was hard. They found my state very amusing.

“No. Nothing’s gonna be fine! They’re gonna hate me, they’ll think I’m some sort of criminal and that I’m corrupting their child!” I cried out pulling out my hair. Why didn’t I just dye it all black?

“That’s not true. If you make Niall happy, and you do, they will be happy too. That’s what families do. Plus, Niall told you not to worry, his mum already loves you!” Belle added and I just groaned like a dying animal. I had no hope, I was just sure they were going to hate me.

Phebs stood up and walked towards me, a sympathetic look on her face. “Alex, calm down. You have to be yourself, don’t try to hide what you are and if for some weird reason they don’t like you, Niall does and that’s all that matters at the end,” she told me.

I sighed deeply, fighting to calm down as Phebs told me, but it was so hard. I was bloody scared. However, she was right. Niall loved me as much as I loved him and that was what really mattered. I was in a relationship with him, not his family. I had to keep that in mind.

I took another deep breath and hugged Phebs for helping me even though she was laughing moments before. Belle also stood up and joined the hug. I would be lost without my friends.

I pulled away and went to change one more time. I picked black skinny jeans, a t-shirt of The Scripts and a grey baggy jumper. My combat boots, of course. I wouldn’t feel myself without them. I didn’t apply much eyeliner and Belle braided my hair Katniss’ style. When I looked in the mirror, I looked like myself and I felt comfortable.

I just hoped they wouldn’t hate me.

* * *

Niall picked me up and we went to the airport. Already on the plane, I was still shaking and he noticed it. “It’s gonna be fine, Alex. They’ll love you!” He said but I still had the knot in my stomach. “That’s what you told me when I met Ethan, remember?” He added and I sighed. Now I understood him perfectly. It was terrible to meet the family of the person you were with.

“But I’m gonna meet all your family. Your mum, dad and brother! It’s not the same! It’s three times worse, Niall!” I complained and he laughed. He laughed at my disgrace!

“You’ll be fine,” he repeated leaning in to peck my lips. “They’re clever and they’ll see what a great girl you are.”

“I just hope they don’t disinherit you because of me,” I trailed off and he laughed even harder.

“You’re so silly sometimes. I love you,” added Niall with a beautiful smile before kissing me properly that time.

“I love you, too,” I told them still brushing his lips softly. I had to remind myself that it was all that mattered. Nothing else.

After that, I calmed down a bit but I still couldn’t eat and Niall got worried. I just felt like if I put some food in my mouth, I was going to throw up and no one wanted to see that. The hours moved so slowly and yet I didn’t have time enough to prepare myself. I regretted the moment I accepted to spend New Year’s with Niall’s family. It was too much pressure and maybe I should have gone with him another day. A less special day.

By the time when we where walking to meet his mum after picking up our luggage, I was shaking again and Niall had to grab my hand tightly so I wouldn’t run away freaking out.

“Mum!” Niall exclaimed waving his hand and my heart stopped. The moment had come and I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t!

Oh, shame on me! I was such a pussy.

Niall dragged me along and my heart was beating like a crazy horse in my chest and I feared it was going to break my ribs and set itself free. What if I had a stroke in that moment? Oh my, it was my end.

“Mum, this is Alex,” Niall introduced me when we were in front of a blonde woman with a sweet smile and kind eyes. She smiled at me and before I could say something, she hugged me.

“I’ve heard so much about you! I’m so glad to finally meet you,” she said and all my muscles relaxed. I could finally hug her back and my heart started beating normally again.

“Thank you,” I whispered exhausted. Being nervous was tiring.

“Oh, you sound tired! Let’s go home so you can get some rest before dinner,” she said pulling away and with a cheerful tone. Then she hugged Niall and told him something in the ear that I couldn’t hear. I just hoped it wasn’t anything bad about me. I didn’t smell, right?

“Let’s go! I’m hungry,” Niall commented and his mum laughed.

“Like usual, son.”

Together we walked where she had parked the car and she drove us home. She was a wonderful woman, kind and sweet, carefree as his son and it was so easy to talk to her. Keeping the conversation going hadn’t been hard, she told us all the plans for that night and the next day and Niall was really happy as all those plans involved a lot of food.

When we got home I met Greg and Niall’s father. There were also other relatives and they all were nice to me. No one looked at me with prejudice in their eyes, no one treated me differently and they seemed happy to see Niall with me. My boyfriend was close to me all the time in case I felt uncomfortable in a moment, but I never did. Everyone was so nice and soon I felt like I was at home. Greg was very similar to Niall and he mocked his brother a lot about growing up and becoming a man. He also mocked him because he couldn’t grow a beard. I didn’t defend his honour, though. He laughed at me in the plane, I laughed at him in the house. We were even.

The evening was lovely and the whole celebration was a lot of fun. A lot of good wishes were exchanged as well as several toasts. We went to bed really late and I was dead on my feet by that time, but I was so happy. I was glad I had gone with Niall to meet his family. They all were great and they had accepted me. His mum talked to me in a moment of the night and told me how happy she was that I was with Niall.

“I always knew my boy was going to pick a good girl. He’s clever, he wouldn’t love you the way he does if you weren’t special. They way he looks at you says so much. He really adores you,” she told me when I was helping her a bit in the kitchen.

“And I love him, very much. It still amazes me that he’s with me when he could be with whomever he wants in the entire world,” I mused completely honest.

“That’s because none of them are you. You’re the special girl for him. I see that,” she replied and I felt my heart getting warmer. It felt so good to be accepted.

Niall and I were in his room and no one seemed to have problems with he and I sleeping in the same bed. Now I could understand why my boyfriend was such a carefree lad. We were under the covers already and as it was a cold night, Niall had his arms tightly wrapped around me. Well, it didn’t have to be a cold night for Niall to cuddle with me.

“Thanks for coming and meeting my family,” he said softly, almost whispering in my ear.

“It’s been great. They are all so nice,” I replied turning in his arms to be face to face. “Thanks for bringing me with you.”

“I told you they were gonna love you, didn’t I?” He inquired with a cocky smile and I just giggled.

“I shall never doubt you again. Please, do forgive me, oh wise Niall Horan,” I joked and it was his turn to laugh, that adorable laugh I loved so much.

“Good. But seriously, it was obvious they were gonna love you. In fact, I think they like you too much. Mum’s already asking me when we’re visiting her again.”

“Well, with you on world tour, I don’t think it’s gonna be easy to visit her soon,” I told them and I tried not to think too much of the fact that during this new year it was starting, I was barely going to see him. But I knew our relationship was strong and I trusted him with my life. I knew we were going to be fine and he had all my support.

“It doesn’t matter if I’m jumping in another country, she’ll wanna see you anyways. So prepare to receive a lot of invitations. You won’t get rid of my mum now,” he warned me with a serious expression at which I just laughed.

“I’m good with that. She’s lovely,” I replied and he kissed my forehead.

“It’s gonna be a great year,” Niall mused after a few seconds looking in my eyes.

“Indeed. I feel it’ll be a wonderful year,” I agreed and I believed it. I had him. I had all I could want, as cheesy as it sounded, but it was true. “I love you,” I added looking into his blue eyes, overwhelmed by the strength of my feelings for that silly blond boy.

“And I love you, very, very, very, very, very much!” I giggled at how sweet he sounded whilst saying that. “And I always will,” he added, seriously this time.

“I’ll hold you to your word,” I warned him leaning in to touch his nose with mine, our lips very close.

“Good, because I plan to keep my word,” he replied closing the distance between our lips and finally kissing me, slowly and sweetly.

I closed my eyes and kissed him back, my hand ruffling his hair calmly as I was getting lost in the taste of his kiss. He was, indeed, all I needed. I was never going to let him go again. Never ever.

...le end…

-:-:-:-

And now, officially, it's over. Whatever I write from her POV again it's gonna be in my book of extra material. Remember that after Backfire comes Misconceptions.

Bel, xx