Crave You -N.H-

Chapter Thirteen: The Phoenix [EDITED]

Chapter Thirteen:

He looks at me so different now, like I’m some sort of fragile piece of tissue paper in the rain and wind. It was like he was waiting for me to rip into pieces at any moment. I’m completely unsure of how to feel about it, do I love his concern or is it over powering my life? Is it ridiculous that he feels the need to try and protect me?

He sits on the bench during practice watching my every move, he was watching so carefully for anything. Today is a good day though, I hadn’t experienced any headaches and my limbs were screaming for activity after the lazy weekend.

I am trying my best to save my energy for the upcoming game, semi finals. Our first round is against one of the toughest teams we could face. We are leaving the regular season in second place but is it enough to keep us going?

I need this championship so much it hurt.

Coach gave us an extra long weekend off, friday until monday to relax and refocus our heads before the game. I knew exactly how I was going to spend the weekend too, I was going to go home. I need to see my friends, Bradley and Jean.

I still can’t decide if I want Niall to join me but Jeanie would be upset if I didn’t invite him. She had grown fond of him over the weeks, but the last thing I need is for Brad and Niall to gang up on me.

“How's the head?” He asks as we climb into the car. I turn to him smiling sincerely and tell him that I've been clear all day.

He looks at me like he doesn't believe me but lately thats the only way he did look at me so I ignore it. "I wanna go home this weekend, you'll come?"

"That sounds great."

"Only one condition," I squeeze the hand he has placed over my thigh, "no sick talk, Jeanie has no idea and I don't want her finding out."

He looks at me, his eyes cold and like daggers.

"Promise me," I say, my bottom lip is throbbing from biting it.

"I promise."

He looks like he wants to say something more but he doesn't. Instead he shakes his head a little and starts the car engine.

 

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My cell buzzes in my pocket as the car turns onto my street. It looks just how I had left it and this make me smile. Sun creeps over the houses and light the street with warmth, it makes me excited to be home.

Niall parks and grabs the bags from the back of the car, his blonde hair is tucked wild under his favorite hat. His features are so gentle this more, it only shows that he is in a good mood.

"Sarah!" her tiny scream fills the quiet morning air as I spin to see Jeanie rocketing out the from door and across the cool wet grass. Within seconds she is on top of me her arms tangled around my neck and her legs wrapping tightly around my waist.

"I missed you," I whisper into her hair. I set her down on the ground and rub my hand around her face making sure to look at everything about her. Her hair is longer and her face has changed a bit, she's getting older.

I hug her tightly again hiding the pain that is in the back of my head well. I had woken that morning with a massive headache, my nose bled twice before we left the dorms. I look to the door where my mother stands. She smiles gently and looks to Niall who is still standing by the car with the bags.

She walks forward and hugs me tightly like she actually misses me and maybe she has, "I have dinner ready, bring your friend in too."

She disappears back into the house, Jean drags my hand behind her as we step into the house. My eyes find the empty photo frame hanging on the wall where I had taken the photo from before I left. I smile standing in the hallway looking at that space, I know if anything dad would be proud of where I stood in the world.