This Town

Chapter Forty Eight

2015 was quite an eventful year for One Direction. We lost Zayn and had decided we would all take a break. So, we were all running around in those final months to get our album released and do enough promo before we went our separate ways. So, I was taken off guard when my phone rang one afternoon.

It was late August, and it was Thomas. "Hello," I answered.

"Niall, she's back!"

Since everything had been so busy, I didn't really understand what he said, "Who's back?" I asked, absentmindedly.

"Siobhan."

I stopped what I was doing. My heart stopped in my chest. "What?"

"I saw her today. With my own eyes."

"Holy shit! Are you sure it was her? Why would she be back now?"

" Yeah, I'm sure it was her. Niall, tomorrow is the anniversary of her father's death."

"Shit, you're right. Are you absolutely sure it was her? I mean, my eyes keep playing fucking tricks on me."

"Dude, I spoke with her."

"Oh my god. Thomas, is she okay? How does she look? Where the hell has she been?"

"Slow down, buddy. She's fine. She looks great. She seems to be doing great, or at least, claiming she is. I'm meeting up with her later, so I'll get all of the details I can for ya. I gotta go now but I promise, I'll call ya as soon as I can!"

He hung up and my heart began pounding again. She was alive and she was okay. I waited impatiently for his next call. He finally called me back around 8 in the evening, where I was, which was 1 in the morning in Mullingar. I immediately answered.

"Thomas! How is she? Where's she been? What's she doing? How's she look?" I said all in one breath.

He laughed, "Slow down dude and let me tell ya."

"Sorry, I'm just excited and want to know everything."

"I know ya do. So let me tell ya."

"Okay."

"First, dude, like I said earlier, she looks great. The same, really. Still has her long blonde hair. She looks very healthy."

"That's good."

"Yeah, it is. She said she's been working odd jobs here and there across Ireland and into the UK. She said she just got back from backpacking across eastern Europe. She showed me some photos she had taken. She did it. She has photos of her in all of these amazing places she always talked about visiting."

"That's amazing," I said, a tear escaping my eye. She had always wanted to do that. It was one of the many things we had talked about doing together. I was sad she had done it without me and yet, so happy and proud she had done it on her own, too. "What else?" I asked.

"Not too much else, really. She doesn't plan on staying long. Just through tomorrow, to visit her father's grave. I asked where she was going but she wouldn't say." There was a pause.

"Anything else?" I asked.

"Uhh, yeah, she did ask about you."

"She did?" I asked, excited.

"Yeah, she said she knows Zayn left the band and heard something about the break you all are about to take. Wanted to know how you were doing and what your plans were."

"And?"

"And, I told her you were fine. That I wasn't sure when you were coming home."

"Anything else?"

"I told her about what I had been doing, as well. Niall, she seems fine. Much, much better than the last time I saw her."

By now, I had tears streaming down my face from being so happy that she was okay. I was jealous Thomas got to see her but glad she was alive and doing good.

"She's fine, Niall. I believe she really is okay."

"Good," I said, nodding my head. "Good."

A sob escaped my lips. "You okay, buddy?" He asked.

"Yes and no. I am because I'm glad she's okay. I just miss her."

"I know ya do, but Niall, she's alive, she's okay, which is what we all wanted. But.."

"But what?"

"But, I think it's time you move on from her. I know it's easier said than done. She's been a huge part of our lives, especially yours but I just don't think it's healthy for you. And now that you know she's okay, I think you should actually try."

I couldn't really respond to him. He was right. "I know you're right, Thomas, but I just don't know if I can or why I haven't been able to. There's just something about her, ya know? Something in me has always known that she and I were meant to be."

Thomas sighed before saying, "If the two of you are meant to be then it will happen. Maybe just don't push it? Relax, live your life and if your paths should meet again, then there's a reason for that."

I knew he was right. I needed to move on; I needed to try. I just didn't want to. We talked a little longer and then hung up. I slept well that night, for the first time in a long time, because I knew she was okay.