The Heart Grows Fonder (A Pen to Paper sequel) [N.H]

5.2 - Niall

*Four Months Ago - June*

Niall's POV

I finished my show at the O2 in London, and am just getting out of the shower when I hear a knock on my dressing room door. I quickly dry myself and wrap the towel around my waist. And go open the door.

'Chloe? What are you doing here? I haven't seen you since...' I couldn't even get myself to finish that sentence.

'Since the end of our book tour.'

'Since you left me.'

'Yeah...'

'Come on in.'

'Are you sure? You seem in the middle of something.'

I let her in, grab a pair of sweatpants, some underwear and a tank top from my suitcase and go back to the bathroom closing the door behind me to change. Once that is done, I come back into the room, she's sitting on the edge of the seat on the sofa, silent, having a staring contest with the floor.

'So you're here.'

'I'm here.' She affirms

'Why?'

'To check up on you?'

'What is there that you don't already know? You kept tabs on me. You know all there is to know. Meanwhile, I try to do the same but nothing. I looked for you, Chloe! You just disappeared! In a day! You managed to disappear off the surface of the earth! I asked everyone. Your friends, I even went to Paris and talked to that Julian guy fully knowing how much he hates me! He was this close to beating the shit out of me! His friend had to literally hold him back so that he wouldn't. Where were you? Three years damn it! You vanished! For three fucking years! And then you come back and all you find to say is... what? What do you have to say for yourself? And don't give me I'm sorry. That is not enough. You know I'll take you back in a heartbeat! I'm still completely and stupidly in love with you. But I need a decent explanation. Because I don't understand what the hell is going on.'

'I didn't come here to ask you to take me back.'

I let my body fall back into the sofa. It's already heartbreaking seeing her again. But hearing her say that she doesn't want to get back together, it's worse than the 400th time I read that letter.

'Then why are you here? I mean you didn't show up when I won a grammy. You didn't show up when I had to do yet another surgery on my knees. You missed the best moment and one of the worst moments of my life. I was stuck in bed, barely able to move for months! I was so depressed and alone. All of my friends were touring! I was alone and you failed to show up! What could've possibly happened that made you come all the way down here from god knows which corner of the world you were in.'

'I need your approval on something I wrote.'

'What?'

'I wrote a book. Your name is not mentioned. But there might be some speculations. And I thought I should run it by you first.'

'You could've sent an email. Your agent could've talked to my manager. Why come here.'

'Felt like any other way would be too impersonal. And I missed you.'

'Don't. Don't do this. Not if you don't want me back.'

'Sorry. When I decided to come here, I thought you moved on.'