The Tide {NH + ZM}

Chapter 6:

Niall's perspective

Just after Azia and Abigail left the dressing room, Paul came in telling us to get to our own dressing rooms, then get ready to leave. My ears were still ringing from the show; I bet the boys were too. The adrenaline after a show is mental, I love it so much. I always feel like I just want to go back out there and do more songs, for the fans. We love our fans more than anything, they give us so much respect and support us through anything we go through. They were all so respectful and caring when Harry and Louis started dating. That is a real fandom.
Azia and Abigail seemed like they had been fans for a while, I really liked them, they just seemed so cool. Especially Abigail, she just had this ora of, I don't know, happiness maybe, words can't describe it. Apart from the fact that she made me so unbelievably nervous, I felt comfortable around her. I know that may sound a little crazy but she did; someone that makes you feel that way when you have only known them for 1 hour must be special, surely. I was reflecting on this for about five minutes until Zayn came rushing into my dressing room and plonked himself on the sofa.
He took a deep breath in then said, "Does Abi make u feel warm and slightly weird inside?"
"Um yeh sorta, why?"
"Because SHE makes me feel warm and slightly weird inside and I'm not sure why. It's confusing and I don't really know what to say"
"Nah it's alright bud. Keep talking."
"Oh, alright then." Zayn went on for over 5 minutes about how much Azia, made him feel. From the sounds of it he likes her, but doesn't realise it and honestly he should really just find her and talk to her. Surely security, or somebody got their number, or on their tickets, I don't fucking know. I kind of really really really wanted to find them too. I wasn't sure what I was going to do about Abigail, though, I physically cannot be around her without freezing up.
Sometimes I wish I was like the other boys; Zayn was shy but so free and confident around girls and Liam was such a flirt. And well Harry and Louis had each other.
I had a girlfriend back in Mullingar before all this started; it took me so long to get over her. I had to leave her because of One Direction and since then I have had one short relationship. That didn't last long; it turned out she was only with me because of my fame; since then I have been too scared to even attempt to get a girlfriend. It is hard for all of us. We get worried that we will fall in love with a girl, then the media destroys her, and she leaves. I feel bad for Harry and Lou. The media absolutely destroyed them where they came out. But it's all good now and everyone supports them.
Anyway, we had to leave the arena, as we had an early start the next day. We grabbed our belongings from the dressing rooms and headed out to the mini-bus waiting for us outside. I never suggested to Zayn about finding Azia and Abigail but I was hoping he was thinking it too.

Azia's perspective

The next couple weeks were really tiresome. I like to be busy though. Every morning I go for a run, without fail. It clears my mind and helps me focus during the day. I pick up breakfast on the way; Abi is a lazy git and never gets up in time for breakfast at school. I'm always back, showered and ready before she even gets up. We have lectures every day and then a couple practical lessons a week. We have become really close with Matteo and Aidan. They're cute and I'm pretty sure Abi and Aidan have some mutual crush thing going on, but I'm not sure. Matteo and I are good friends, but I explained to him why I'm not dating right now. He completely understood and now we're just all really good friends. We have frees, but Abi is always behind on homework and Matteo and Aidan get more work than us, as they do law. So I normally just do my own thing.
It was Thursday afternoon, and as I was sitting in the park, near Uni, I had the strangest feeling that someone was watching me. I turned to see a guy, leaning against a tree looking at me. He was fully dressed in black, with his hood on and glasses covering his face. I turned back, hoping that he wouldn't come near me. Yet to my dismay, I felt a tap on my shoulder a few minutes later.
"Azia" he whispered
I was confused, how did he know my name.
"Um yes?"
The guy took his glasses off and I gasped. Zayn was standing before me with a stupid grin on his face.
"Fucking hell Zayn; you scared the shit out of me!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't want anyone to see me" he said, as he sat down next to me.
"What are you doing here?"
"I just came to see how you were doing"
"I see"
"I can leave if you want me to"
"Oh no no no. I didn't mean it to come out like that. I'm just really tired and I have a lot going on at the moment."
"I'm here to talk if you need to"
It felt weird, but for some reason I trusted him, so I continued.
"Well I've been doing well in school, and I've made lots of friends, and I'm running and I've joined lots of clubs and my life is amazing right now, even though it's really busy"
"Ok, so what wrong"
"Well I have um, problems"
"What kind of problems"
"..."
"You don't have to say if you don't want to"
God he was such a gentleman.
"Well I have mental health problems. I have really bad depression and anxiety. I also have adhd"
"Az I'm so sorry"
I could hear the concern in his voice and it melted my insides.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm not needed and Abi had been spending so much time with Aidan and her new friends, I feel like she doesn't need me anymore"
Before I could stop, tears started pooling in my eyes and before I knew it I was crying profusely. Zayn put his arm round my shoulder and I cried into his chest. We sat and talked for what felt like hours. Finally he checked his phone. There were so many missed calls and texts from the band and their management.
"Shit, I didn't realise the time"
We had been so engrossed in each other's company, that neither of us had realised how dark it had got.
"I better get back to Uni, Abi will be wondering where I got to"
He walked me right up to the door of our room. We stood in silence for a minute or so before he spoke.
"I really enjoyed spending time with you today"
He took a step closer.
"I really like spending time with you as well"
He took another step closer.
"We should do it again some time"
He was inches away.
"Yeh"
I couldn't concentrate. His eyes were the most amazing brown, that glistened in the evening light. My heart was racing as he brushed my hair behind my ear and leaned closer. He was tall. Taller than me. He smelled good too, like a mix of forest and fire.
"You smell nice, like coconut and vanilla"
Clearly I wasn't the only own thinking that. I clearly blushed as he chucked, his thumb tracing my jaw. Our noses touched. God he was so close.