What Now? | N.H.

Chapter 32| Time Zones

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"All right that's a wrap," The photographer calls out. I stretch out my limbs and thank the photographer before I head back to the hair and make-up room. I sink down into the raised chair and grab my phone off of the vanity.

"Shit," I look down at the screen to see three missed calls from Niall. This is how it's been for the last month. We never seem to call each other at the right time. Either one of us is working or one of us is asleep. I dial his number and raise the phone to my ear.

"Your call has been forwarded to an automated voicemail system," I sigh and hang up the phone, dropping my hands in my lap. I haven't spoken directly to him in three days. All I've gotten are a couple of good morning and goodnight texts at random times of the day depending on where he is. Every time I respond but, he never texts back after that. Busy. He's busy.

He left me a voicemail this time.

"Hey Di, it's Niall you probably already knew that though." He giggles softly but, it's not a happy one. Traces of sadness linger in his tone. "I miss you... so much. I got a copy of your Vogue magazine yesterday. You look so beautiful, I think I'm going to frame it when I get back. I just wish I could see you in person but, I guess this will do for now." I laugh as a single tear races down my cheek. "I can't wait to have you in my arms again, they've felt so empty without you. Liam tried to hug me once but, it wasn't the same. Anyways, I'll let you go I know you're probably busy. I love you, Diana."

"I love you too," I whisper.

I sniffle and set my phone back onto the vanity. Mascara runs down my cheeks. I wasn't meaning to cry, usually, I don't get this emotional over his voicemails. Maybe it was because I'm tired. Yeah, it's probably that. Not the fact that my whole body aches when I lay down in our bed and the space next to me is vacant. Not the sinking feeling I get in my chest whenever something happens and I want to tell Niall but, then realize he's not there. Not the emptiness that he's left behind.

He'll be back.

I remind myself almost every day. Just a few more weeks.

I stand up and grab one of the makeup wipes left out on the vanity and take off the makeup that's still intact and not washed away by the stream that flowed out of my eyes. I force a grin onto my face. It falters. I try again, it falls, again. I eventually give up and grab my duffle bag, open it up, and pull out my clothes. I turn to make sure the door to the room is locked before changing.

As soon as I'm done I put my shoot clothes back on the rack and hail a cab. Too exhausted to walk home as I do every day. I make sure to tip the driver well when I leave.

My key twists in the lock and I push the door to my, our, flat open. I go straight to the kitchen not bothering to put my bag away. Instead, I leave it on the floor in the middle of the entryway. I keep my eyes trained on the floor, watching as my bare feet make contact with the cold wood floorboards.

I bump into something.

It feels like a wall but, I'm mistaken as I gaze upwards.

"Hey," Frozen. I'm frozen and can't move. The familiar blue eyes, I've been longing for, are there staring back at me.

"Niall!" I fling my arms around his waist pulling him impossibly close to the point where I think I may be suffocating him. "What are you doing here?"

"We had three days off and I wanted to see you,"

"God, I've missed you so much,"

"I missed you too," His eyes are slightly red and puffy as I look up at him. He cups my face and runs his thumb over my lips before connecting them. I've missed the way his lips tasted.