Niall's Girl

Chapter Fifty

I have attached another song on the side, listen to it whilst your reading if you want a better feel of the chapter!

Dedication goes to LauraKilbane for her happy comments:)

- Laura xo



Chapter Fifty

Everything seemed to happen in slow-motion.

I watched as the back door of the arena swung open; a huge crashing bang sounding out as it hit the metal side of the building.

And then he appeared.

Niall looked absolutely frantic. He ran out onto the concrete, before pausing, although one foot was still bouncing back and forth, as if he urgently needed to keep moving. Even from a hundred metres away I could see how wide his eyes were, darting around the car park, searching desperately. And then they fixed upon me, stood frozen in front of the taxi.

Time was going so slowly so even though Niall ran towards me at a rate a cheetah would be envious of, it seemed as though it took him a year to reach me. Louis appeared behind him in the doorway, my mind recognising his expression as one of utmost relief as he spotted me stood there and threw his head back, rubbing his face with his hands.

All the while, as I watched as Niall sprinted flat out across the concrete, my mind was whirring at a hundred miles an hour.

This wasn't meant to happen. Niall wasn't meant to see me, I was meant to escape unnoticed and go home and try to forget about this perfect boy. I tried to tell my feet to move backwards, to retreat, to rush off in the taxi. But they wouldn't listen.

Instead, I found myself dropping my rucksack off my shoulder, dropping it carelessly onto the ground. My chest felt like it had a hundred tonnes pressing down on it, but every step Niall took towards me a hundred pounds disappeared. My face crumpled in despair and my feet took two shaky steps forward before my knees gave way. I almost collapsed but then Niall was there. He reached me just in time and wrapped his arms around me, preventing me from falling. His strong biceps held me up as he pulled me close to his body. I buried my face in the crook his neck, all thoughts of leaving vanishing. All I could think of was here and now and the boy in front of me. The unique Niall smell overwhelmed me and suddenly I could breathe deeply again, my lungs screaming for more air.

And then I started crying. I sobbed and I sobbed, my whole body quivering but Niall just held me close, now and then pressing a kiss to my hair.

I stood there, wrapped up in his arms for god knows how long. Long enough that I eventually ran out of tears and managed to untangle myself from Niall's constricting arms. I pulled away and took a step back, not daring to meet his eyes. I stared at the ground as if it were some interesting puzzle, but then I felt a fingertip on my chin and my head was lifted so I was forced to look into those familiar blue eyes.

Niall looked heartbroken. That was the only way I could describe it. His red-rimmed eyes looked hollow and there was a crease in between his eyebrows that I was desperate to get rid of. It had no place on the most optimistic person I knew. His eyes held so much sadness that another tear managed to worm its way down my cheek.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered and then I broke again. I felt like such a failure, such a horrible person. I dropped my head and again the tears were freely streaming down my face.

From my view of the floor I saw Niall's white Supras appear in my vision and then his warm hands took hold of my own. I choked a bit on my sobs and I just felt like crumpling to the ground.

But again, here he was. The boy who just kept saving me over and over again.

He lifted me up and my legs instinctively went around his waist. My arms clung around his neck and I dug my face into the juncture of his shoulder.

I felt so numb all of a sudden. I didn't even remember the trip as Niall carried me back to the tour bus, me clinging to him like a koala bear. I could vaguely make out him and Louis' hushed whisperings but I couldn't concentrate long enough to make out what they were saying.

I don't know how, but somehow Niall managed to lift me into his bunk. He really must have been working out. I was exhausted, so when my head hit the pillow I closed my eyes. I felt Niall's fingertip stroke my cheek gently, lingering, as if he didn't want to leave me. And I didn't want him to leave me, either.

"Stay." I whispered, my voice hoarse. I heard Niall pause and then he took a few breaths, before jumping up to me. He didn't touch me, though, so I opened my eyes. I frowned as I saw him cowered at the other side of the mattress, as if I had a contagious disease he didn't want to catch. He met my eyes warily, and I realised he was worried I'd break again.

I reached out and grabbed the material of his t-shirt in between my fist, pulling him close to me. And when he wouldn't come any closer, I fitted myself in between his body - wrapping my arms around him, tangling my legs with his and squeezing him so tight that I hoped somehow we'd become stuck together.

***

I slept for only about forty-five minutes, but I must have been asleep pretty deeply because Niall wasn't in the bunk when I woke up and normally even simple noises disturbed me.

I rubbed my sore eyes and sat up, hearing some talking coming from the back lounge area of the bus. I noticed Niall's voice instantly, but he sounded... distressed? I cursed myself under my breath; this was my fault.

"I just don't know what to do, Lou!" The Irish boy said, his voice cracking in the middle making my heart sink at how heartbroken he sounded.

"C'mon mate, it'll be alright." Louis' distinct voice didn't sounded like he didn't even believe himself and I could imagine the way he probably had a hand on Niall's shoulder, trying to calm him down.

"But-but she wanted to leave! She doesn't feel safe and it's all my fault. I should have looked after her better, I should have kept an eye on her more, I shouldn't have let this happen. I - "

I couldn't take any more. I jumped out of the bunk, the thud stopping the two boys' conversation and I raced to the back of the bus, only pausing when I was stood a metre from my two favourite One Direction members.

"Niall, shut up!" I shouted, causing Louis to frown and jump back a step. Niall only stared at me, before dropping his head. I couldn't bear the fact that he was blaming himself. "It's not your fault," I whispered, and then the most awful thing happened because Niall's eyes filled with tears and I couldn't take it.

I took two steps to close the distance in between us and I wrapped my arms around his neck. Suddenly I was the one doing the comforting - rubbing Niall's back and pressing kisses to his neck as he sniffled into my shoulder.

"I love you, I love you, I love you." I whispered over and over again. Sometime in the next half an hour, Louis left and Niall and I moved onto the sofa, although he refused to move from my arms so it was more kind of a fall-onto-the-sofa than a graceful sit down.

"I found your note," Niall said huskily, as he finally pulled away from me, looking into my eyes. "I didn't know it had gotten that bad." He looked down, as if the guilt were eating him away.

"Ni, I'm so sorry. It's not your fault. I just... everything's so overwhelming and the fans and then.." I paused as I tried to stifle a sob," my friends..." I trailed off but Niall took my hand in his and gave me the strength to carry on. "And then my parents... I just felt like everyone hated me... And that no one wanted me here."

"I want you here," Niall whispered and I finally looked up to meet his eyes.

"I know that now." I said, because honestly, I don't know how I had been so stupid to overlook it before.

My life suddenly had clarity again.

Why the hell would I try to leave because of other people? Most of whom didn't even know me? Surely, the main thing was that I was happy and that Niall was happy and both of these things were easy to accomplish if I just stayed.

I felt as if the whole world had been lifted off my shoulders.

"I'm not leaving, Ni." I said, and then I knew the words were true and finally I smiled and it felt like a lifetime since I had. "I'll never leave you."

Niall looked up, as if in shock. His face was full of something I couldn't recognise at first... until I realised it was hope.

"You won't leave?" He was still whispering, as if all the wind had been knocked out of his throat.

I laughed. Really laughed, with crinkled eyes and flashing teeth and everything. "Well, I need to leave at the end of the summer. But I'm not leaving today. As long as you want me, I'm here. I love you so much, Ni."

Niall's smile was the most glorious thing I had ever seen.

And then I realised that that was all I needed from life.

The fans didn't matter. The mean words didn't matter.

All that mattered was Niall. Niall and his perfect smile.

____________________________________________________

Yay : ) hope you guys are happy things worked out! I couldn't force nemma apart for long.

I need a moment to appreciate that THIS IS CHAPTER FIFTY! FIFTY! 5 0 ! That is absolutely insane, I never thought I'd get much past twenty!

Sorry for not updating yesterday, my internet's so temperamental and it's doing my head in.

6 CHAPTERS LEFT:(

Love you,
-Laura xo