Lost (Niall Horan)

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

(Aubrey's POV)

I wake up to the sound of Niall jumping on my bed screaming at me to get up.

"It's your 20th birthday!!! Get up so we can celebrate!!"

I look at my clock. "Niall. It's 8:00."

"So??? You're not a teenager. Get up."

"No. Let me just lay here," I whine, rubbing my eyes. He stops jumping and lays down next to me. I close my eyes, ready to fall asleep again, when my phone rings. I look at the caller ID and see that it's Winter.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Hey birthday girl! Happy 20th!"

"Thanks!"

"So, any plans today? Maybe with a certain special someone??"

"Hmmm, no?" I joke.

"So what are you two doing today to celebrate?" I look over to Niall, he raises and eyebrow, as if to ask me who's on the phone.

"It's Winter," I explain. I point to the door. He rolls his eyes and reluctantly gets up and leaves.

Before he leaves, he says, "When you're done, come downstairs. I'm making you pancakes!!"

"Sorry, Winter. Niall was in my room. But, I guess he's taking me out to dinner tonight after work."

"To where?"

"He says it's a surprise."

"How fun!! I'll be over after lunch to help you pick out an outfit!!"

I laugh. "Okay, see you later."

"Bye, birthday girl."

After we hang up, I slide on leggings with a long sleeve t-shirt and head downstairs.

I walk in the kitchen to see Niall by the stove, flipping pancakes. He turns around and gives me a wide grin.

I laugh and shake me head. "I cannot believe you're even awake. When we were little, you wouldn't wake up until lunchtime," I tell him.

"I guess being in a band changes you. There's not much free time."

"You say it like it's a bad thing."

He shrugs, putting three pancakes on one plate and five on another. "It's not all bad. It can be exhausting, though. But, I love it. I always wonder if the boys feel the same way."

He sets his plate of five pancakes down at his seat and my plate across from him. I sit down. "You guys don't talk about it?"

"Well, I only really worry about Zayn."

"Why is that?"

He chews his pancakes and he looks like he's deep in thought. I can tell Niall's thinking about something when his eyebrows are furrowed and he plays with the ends of his hair.

"I guess he just look like he's enjoying himself anymore. There are some parts, the fans, us, and the music, that he loves. But I think when it's all combined, he's not really happy."

"Well, are you going to talk to him about it?"

"I don't really know what to say... It's hard to think about one of us not being in the band and still continuing."

"You think he'll quit the band?"

"It's a possibility. What do you think?"

"Well, first off, I think these pancakes are really good. I didn't know you could cook," I say, getting up to get two more.