A Light in the Dark // Flicker Series Part I #wattys2019

Epilogue

Evie's POV // 

Flight 923 Nashville, TN to London, Heathrow airport.

"Let's talk about this in LA. Let's just take a few days and think about things until then..." Niall's words echo in my head, but what stings worse is the image that comes along with it.

The world knows him as a lighthearted carefree man. Niall Horan, the celebrity.

He stopped being that to me that very first night when we chatted in my living room at all hours of the night. He let me in and from that point on, I didn't see him as the world saw him. I saw him as my Niall.

He was all of the things that everyone claims to love about him, but he was so much more. Underneath that cheerful Irish facade were a set of shoulders that were very much weighted down. His carefree stigma was burdened with a whole lot of care. I saw all of the things that he didn't let the world see. I was privileged to be the one he let in, and the one he trusted to share his burdens. That's what a relationship should be.

I saw the times he was heartbroken, disappointed or stressed. I saw the sadness when he said goodbye to the people he loves, not knowing when he'll see them again. I saw his immense passion for doing what he loves. And most importantly, I got to see the way he loves me.

I've seen a wide range of emotions in the short time we've known each other. I was happy with him in the highs and I was there for him in the lows, and he was the same for me.

But right now, we have reached the absolute lowest of lows...and it's all my fault.

"A few days..." I hear in my head again.

It's only been a day and it's the worst day of my entire life.

The second the door clicked shut I had this unnerving feeling that I had just lost the greatest thing to ever happen to me —the man of my dreams.

I had just allowed someone who ruined me previously to get close enough to ruin him as well.

I feel like the greatest love i've ever known has been taken from me, and it feels like I can't breathe. I've been missing a piece of me since I let him leave, and i've got to get it back.

I'm going stir crazy in the cabin of this airplane, and while everyone else is peacefully sleeping on this dark flight I feel like I am in a living nightmare and I'm barely holding on to the tiniest flicker of hope that everything will be ok.

Everything has to be ok.