Turning Pages (Niall Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Danielle’s POV:

Niall and I brought the drinks back into the hotel and sat on the bed. I watched him run a large hand over his face and sigh. He reached down by his feet and opened another beer. The condensation dripped down the bottle and onto his shorts. I sank down onto the made bed and reclined on my back. I watched him chug a whole bottle before he set the empty remains back onto the floor.

“I’m gonna change. So, leave now or close your eyes.” He stood to his feet and peeled off his shorts and shirt. It didn’t really bother me, which was odd. Changing and privacy usually had me on edge. He shuffled over to the switch that turned on the ceiling fan and flicked it on. Cool air began to circulate throughout the stuffy room.

“Does this bother you?” He was concerned. I shook my head no. Surprisingly enough, it didn’t.

He turned on the large television and flipped through the channels. I eyed every curve of his body. He didn’t seem to notice, he just stood there with his hand on his hip, in his boxer briefs, while he tossed around the idea of what to watch. He must have been very comfortable with me. Or, maybe that was just his personality. Maybe he was beginning to get drunk.

He eventually decided on an older black and white movie. It was the kind that had a good storyline but terrible acting. He slipped another open wine cooler in my hand and I took it. I watched him dig in his black backpack and pull out candy. He tossed a big bag of chocolate at me and leapt onto the bed with another beer. I pulled the comforter down off of the bed but slipped underneath the sheets. I loved the feeling of being covered up but hated being hot and sweaty. His legs slid next to mine and his hand found my side. He kissed my cheek lightly and squeezed my hip.

Niall’s POV:

She was louder when alcohol played with her personality. It was later now. The sun was down and the streetlights outside our hotel window had been beaming for hours. The old movie had ended and we had been switching between other channels for awhile now. I had guzzled down one too many beers myself and I could feel and hear the slur in my words. Our room was now absent of food but I didn’t want to leave and venture out to find more. She had changed into more comfortable clothes and took off her makeup. Her glasses sat atop her nose as well.

We finished another movie and I got up to flick off the light. She giggled as I shuffled beneath the sheets and piled the warm comforter back onto the bed. We faced each other and I ran my fingers through her tangled hair. I knew I was drunk but had such a tolerance to control the effects to a certain extent.

We lay there suddenly quiet. I slipped my hand to her back and pulled her closer to me.

“I’m gonna tell ya something I haven’t told anyone.” I heard myself say. I couldn’t stop the words from spilling out if my mouth. “After Demi and I broke it off, I couldn’t keep my hands off of any girl I laid eyes on.” I wanted to stop those secrets but I couldn’t. They just kept coming. Screw that damn alcohol. “After awhile, I lost count of how many I had slept with.” Danielle seemed to sober up. Why was she listening? I wanted her to be deaf. I hadn’t wished for anyone to know these things. But, I still couldn’t stop. “…She said it didn’t work. That we didn’t work. I gave her everything. I trusted her. We laid in her bed afterwards and she confessed that to me. How could she do that?” I watched Danielle’s eyes grow wider. I had an amazing girl next to me. She was right in front of me. But, the only face that came to my mind was Demi’s. “I felt so… used. So alone.” The last few words slurred together. A free hand came up to touch my face. Why was I sharing this with her? I hadn’t told anyone. Not even Liam.

Danielle’s POV:

“…I eventually just shut everyone out…” I heard him say. Why was he telling me this? He was either drunk or trusted me. It had to have been a bit of both. But, why me? I could keep secrets but that was a big one. He told me so much.

“You don’t have to keep going.” I managed. I ran my hand through his hair. Part of me wanted to run away. Maybe he’s just saying this to use you. The other part wanted to stay. I trusted him. He trusted me. He was now quiet.

I shifted closer to him to get a good look at his face. He was now sound asleep. His mouth was parted and a small snore escaped his lips. I peeled my glasses off of my face and set them on the side table next to the lamp. I rested on my back and stared at the ceiling. Hearing him say that actually broke my heart. I was the kind of person that took everything to heart. I also took other’s emotions and experiences and put them on myself. I thought that somehow, I believed that in doing so, it would make things better.

I sighed and scooted closer to him, running a thumb along his cheek. He stirred and smiled sweetly at my touch. Did he remember all that he had just revealed to me? I guessed not. I felt a warm hand pull me closer to him and slip up my shirt. His fingers grazed the skin at my back and I felt his breath on my face and neck. I moved my hand down from his cheek and placed it on his chest. I then trailed my fingertips along his smooth skin and across his collarbones until he drifted back into a motionless sleep.