This shot is what happens during that conversation between Niall and Mare. Chapter 36 in Little Shy Ariel.

Bel, xx

-:-:-

Contract
Niall Horan

The door opens and I turn to look at it, hoping it's Mare and when I see her walking inside I sigh. She looks pretty much like Ariel does. With big dark bags under her eyes which are bloodshot, as if she's been crying all day. I wonder if she has. She looks devastated, but didn't she betray Ariel? I mean you don't have to be a genius to know that Ariel doesn't see things in the same light. She is naive and too innocent and she misses many things. So if Mare knew Harry was there and Ariel was looking for him, why did she accept to go with him outside? Harry doesn't want to talk about it and I don't really understand. For me it seems Ariel is just overreacting because she doesn't know what else to do, but there has to be more there.

"Cami told me you were looking for me," Mare speaks and I nod. Cami, always so helpful.

"Yes, I need to speak to you, about Ariel," I tell her and she tenses. Her arms wrap around her waist immediately and she looks away.

"Did she send you to recriminate me for things I haven't done?" I can hear the bitterness in her voice and it makes me frown.

"She doesn't know I'm here. I came on my own will because I want to help," I tell Mare and I hear her snort.

"Careful with that, it might bite you in the bum later," she speaks and I frown even deeper. Why does she say that?

I'm positive there's more going on here, I'm sure this is a misunderstanding and I need to figure it out.

I don't like being here without Ella, it's painful, so helping Ariel is helping me to focus on a different thing.

"It's about that contract. I'll pay whatever amount there's needed so Ariel doesn't have to go with you. She can't hurt Harry. To be honest, it was cruel of you to ask for such a thing," I accuse her and she looks at me.

"I never meant for her to hurt him. I didn't think when I said that! I was just hurt because she chose him over me, when he doesn't even deserve her! I know she would never hurt him but I just said it," she explains and I frown. Then I notice she wipes away some tears. "I-I saw Ariel like my little sister, you know? And I know I asked her a lot so I was always trying to do more for her. To be even. You know I got offered three deals that night? I picked the one I picked because when I told him about Ariel he said it didn't matter. He wanted my persona, not the voice. So I thought that was fair and that way Ariel wouldn't have to sing for me. I though 'I will take her with me. She'll be a songwriter and she won't have to sing for me. This is perfect! I'll help her.' I chose that for her although the contract didn't seem that good compared to the others. For her. But do you know what she did? When the first misunderstanding came she immediately thought ill of me, as if I could do something to hurt her!"

Mare looks away, so hurt and crying. Her shoulders shake and she fights to keep the sobs in.

"I grew up with people thinking the worst of me but when Ari did it... it hurt more than any other time because I love her. She is important to me but she doubted me without a second thought. She didn't even let me explain things! I was hurt and I said that. I didn't mean it," Mare explains and I blink surprised.

I'm sure Ariel doesn't know how much she hurt Mare by reacting like that, by rushing to conclusions without giving Mare time to explain what really happened.

Mare looks devastated, worse than Ariel, I dare to say.

"I never thought Ariel would do that to me because she knew how much it hurts me when people think I can be the bad guy. I thought she understood but no, she did what everyone else did, thinking only of herself."

"You know she didn't mean to--"

"Do I know?" she cuts me off. "Do I really know? Does she know now how wrong she is? Harry just wanted to talk to me because he was confused, because Ariel never explained things to him! He wanted to be friends with me because of Ariel. Does she know that now? Does she know that I cleared things up for her and sent him immediately after her? Does she know that I refused to talk to Harry at first because I knew she was looking for him but when he said 'it's for Ariel' I accepted?" I can't answer because I know Ariel doesn't even imagine that's what happened. "Of course not! Because she rushed to conclusions and didn't give me time to explain things. She thought the worst of me because of a boy."

I stay quiet as I see Mare crying, letting go of everything she's been holding inside for all these days. Ariel has had me to vent but has Mare had someone for her? A friend?

"I don't want this contract either, I'll tear it apart if it puts you at ease. And you don't have to pay for anything. No need for that. Tell her that this is the last thing I do for her, for the friendship we had," Mare speaks softly, just a whisper. "And tell her I don't want to see her again. There are things I can forgive but I can't trust her again if she couldn't trust me to start with. Tell her she's free and I hope she's happy."

"You're letting her walk away from this contract?" I ask, just to make sure.

Mare nods, still embracing herself. "Yes, she's free to do whatever she wants."

"Mare," I call feeling sad for them, for the friendship they lost. "Maybe you need to talk to her and explain things. Maybe now she'll listen."

"Why would I do that? She thinks so poorly of me, she thinks I could betray her. There's no point," she ponders and I shrug, not knowing what else to do. "No, Niall, it's too late. Some things can't be fixed once they are broken."

I look at her, realising there's so much that Ariel needs to know. I realise they need to talk but no one wants to give in. One because she doesn't want to hear the truth, the other because it's too hurt as to try to fix things. Ariel needs to know the truth, to listen. She jumped to conclusions, that was her mistake.

I knew Harry was crazy about her, it couldn't be that he went after another girl. That didn't make sense to me. So what Mare said makes sense. If only Ariel would listen instead of shutting them out because of what she thinks it happened. She's not hurt by what they did, she's hurt by what she thinks they did. That's completely different.

"I'm sorry," I say and mare sighs heavily.

"Not as sorry as I am. I lost a friend that was like a sister to me," she says and I feel terrible for her.

She doesn't say anything else, she just turns around and walks away and I don't stop her because I know she can't speak about this anymore. Plus, I got what I wanted: Ariel's freedom, although I didn't have to do anything. At least I can give her that certainty, that she's not forced to go with Mare anymore. I just wish they could talk this out.

Later that night I receive a big envelope and I find the pieces of a contract inside with a note.

There you have it. She's free.
-Mare

And I sigh. I wish I could do something about it, to fix this. But I don't know what I can do when none of the parts wants to speak and solve this.

I just hope they find a way to clear all this up. Happy endings don't exist but closure does, and they need that.