Fall (One Direction) [Sequel To Run]

Chapter Twenty-Two

Robin

I started the drug the day after the date.

It's now a week later and I am still alive.

Niall is here, he's always here, even though I sleep most of the time day.

And it seems that when I'm awake, he's asleep.

Though I get to watch him sleep now, and I can definitely appreciate that.

When he is asleep, he doesn't look so worried.

He looks like the boy I met that day, three months ago, here to support a friend.

I love the worried boy and the carefree boy.

But sometimes I am afraid that one has killed the other.

-

Niall

She sleeps all the time now.

I know she hates that I worry, but I can't help it.

Some days, she looks more dead than alive.

But when she is awake, I smile.

She needs more smiling now.

While she sleeps, I visit the vending machine in the hallway near her room, and that's where Liam finds me at noon today.

Staring at the vending machine with tears streaming down my face, so many tears that I can't even see it.

“I feel like this is a bad time” he says softly.

“No” I say, sniffing.

He sighs, and slings an arm around me.

I turn into him and let him hold me while I cry.

“Pretty sure it's a bad time” he says softly into my ear, once my tears start to slow, a hint of laughter in his voice.

I laugh through the sadness.

Eventually, he lets me go.

“Management sent me to collect you” he says. “We have an interview.”

“Without Louis” I say.

It isn't a question, of course.