Niall's Girl

Chapter Fifty Six

Chapter Fifty Six


I left halfway through the concert so I'd be in time to catch my flight. I had some weird sort of déjà vu rolling my suitcase along to the cab, thinking back to my attempted run-away. The only difference was this time, Niall wasn't there to stop me.

I found myself in a sort of numb daze as I sat alone in the airport. I knew the grief of leaving would soon hit me, so for now I was just content with not feeling anything. I couldn't believe that this had come already, I had been with the boys for seven weeks and now I had to go back to stupid, stupid England with its stupid rain and my stupid house with my stupid empty bed.

It was that I would miss the most, I thought. Not having to sleep alone. Having Niall's body wrapped around me, his bare chest radiating warmth and the steady lift of his chest encouraging me to sleep.

It was when I boarded the plane that sadness... well, I was going to say hit me, but that's not right. It didn't hit me - it crushed me; it smashed into me and threw me through a glass window. My chest felt literally heavy, and I was glad that I had the window seat and the old lady next to me was asleep because I knew if anyone saw me they would probably get really worried and think I was going into cardiac arrest. I was clutching my stomach and trying to regain control over my tear ducts. Because my heart hurt. It really, really hurt to be flying away from the boy I loved, especially when I had no idea when I would be able to see him again, since he was so busy with the tour and the new album and all the promo that went with it. I didn't even know when I'd be in the same country as him again. And I missed him already.

***

I was bloody exhausted when I finally arrived in Manchester after the eleven hour flight. I looked a state as well, my eyes noticeably puffy. At least I had had the decency to wipe away the mascara stains from down my cheeks.

The only thing that could have cheered me up was waiting for me at the arrivals gate.

Ben.

"Can't believe you're so fucking tanned, I hate you!" My best friend shouted as I came into sight, gaining disapproving looks from the people around him.

"Jealous prick!" I called back, grinning at him and ignoring the fact that now I was the one being glared at.

I dumped my suitcase a few metres away from him and launched myself into his open arms. I had really missed him, even if he was an idiot most of the time.

I was also glad it was Benjamin that had picked me up because I wasn't quite sure how to deal with my parents. I knew that they had just been hurt that I had left them intentionally in the dark about my trip but I was an adult now and I felt like they couldn't just decide to parent me when it suited them, before leaving me to go on another honeymoon like they did every six months. Including now, actually. Although my dad had promised on the phone he would see me that afternoon, it turned out they had gone on a spontaneous cruise to Belgium. Lucky them.

"Hey, you drove past my house!" I informed Ben when we arrived back from the airport. But he just continued driving past a few streets until he parked in front of his own house.

"So you're gunna make me roll all my stuff all the back to my house? Jeez, thanks Ben." I snorted at his lack of thoughtfulness.

"Get in the house, numpty." He said, pushing me towards his front door. I poked my tongue out at him, but did as he said because I didn't want to go home just yet when I hadn't seen him for nearly two months.

But when I opened the door and walked into the dark living room, suddenly someone threw open the curtains and I screamed as a bunch of people jumped up from behind the sofas, yelling, "SURPRISE!"

I clutched my heart, gasping for air and rubbing my head that I had hit when I jumped back in shock and bashed it on the wall.

Sophie, Sadie, Eric and Will were all smiling shyly at me from their uncovered positions.

When I got my breath back, I wasn't quite sure what to say. We hadn't talked since the big argument a few weeks back and I had planned on going home for a few days before I saw them so I could plan what I would say. But Ben had stuck his foot in it and had got me stuck in this mess. I was going to kill him.

"Hi guys," I said, lamely waving my hand because I didn't know what to do. It was so terribly awkward.

But then, all of a sudden it just wasn't. My friends started babbling about how much they had missed me and how sorry they were and I realised that life was too short to hold grudges and to be honest the whole fight was stupid and suddenly we were jumping around in a group hug and falling onto the floor in a heap and everything was forgotten. I was just glad to have my friends back. Even though a voice in my head was telling me that it had come at a cost. Getting my old friends back had meant giving up five other people who were just as special to me.

***

I went home later that night after we had all hung out for a while, told each other about our summers. Our A-Level results were the next morning which was why I had come back and we were... well, we were absolutely shitting it.

I almost cried when I pushed the key into the front door of my home and pushed it open to reveal the dark house, the empty rooms, the suffocating silence. It was the objectification of loneliness.

I dumped my stuff in the hall, too tired to drag my heavy case up the stairs. I plodded up and went straight into the bathroom to brush my teeth and go to the loo. I spent a little longer than necessary in there because I was trying to avoid facing my room. But I had to eventually and when I did it hurt just as much as I thought.

Because everything was the same. Nothing had changed; my blinds were still drawn and my laptop was still on the desk and my carpet was still un-hoovered. And the bed was empty.

And it made me so furious because everything shouldn't be the same! How did everything look so normal, so unchanged when I was so different? My whole life had changed and yet now I was being forced to going back to living on my own in a lonely house with a fucking empty, cold bed and I hated it!

But the exhaustion hit me hard so I crawled unwillingly onto the mattress. I closed my eyes, squeezed them tight and wrapped the blanket around me to keep me warm. And then I just pretended. I pretended that he was there beside me, that I could hear his light snores and I could feel his cold toes pressed against my leg.



I missed him. I really, really missed him.


_____________________________________________

So, the next chapter is the last one.

I want to thank you all for everything, for voting and commenting and just reading the story. I never imagined, could never have believed that people would be enjoy my story this much and it means a lot so thank you!

I'm gutted it's ending. Absoutely gutted. Not just because I'll miss my characters and Niall and Ben and Emma. But I'll miss you guys the most:(

There won't be a sequel right now. Never say never, but not right now.

For the meantime, I have started a new Niall fanfic, called 'When Love Heals' so go to my profile and check it out!

I love you!

- Laura xo