It Was Her Smile (#3)

Chapter Eight

The next day Niall didn't show up for school, nor the next day, or the next.

No one had heard nor seen him in nearly two weeks before Edward burst into the cafeteria, face covered in distress as he practically shouted, "Niall's in the hospital."

"What?" Louis shot up from his seat. Regardless of what Niall did, Louis still cared about him.

"I just got a call from his mom saying that he was taken into the ER this morning," Edward said quickly, "He was found in an ally, nearly dead."

Talia looked up from her lunch, "... What... What happened?"

"The police think he was mugged," Edward frowned, "His mum says that since he stopped coming to school he changed, started hanging out with bad people and not coming home until the early morning. Then yesterday he didn't come home at all and she got worried. She called the police and within four hours they had found him."

Without another word, Talia stood and gathered her things.
When she realized the others were just watching her, she huffed, "Well?? Let's go."

Louis nodded and began grabbing all his stuff as Edward did the same.

As soon as they all got to the hospital, Talia was the first at the desk, demanding to know where he was and where the waiting room was located.

"Mr. Horan is not accepting visitors at the moment," The receptionist replied dully, "He has request no one be allowed to see him unless it's his mother. You are more then welcome to wait in the waiting room on the third floor where his room is located."

"I don't really care what he has requested. Let him know that his friends are here and worried sick." She huffed, pointing at the phone.

Lily sighed lightly, "Talia's going to scare the poor thing..."

The receptionist glared, "Don't tell me how to do my job. You can either follow the rules or I can have you escorted out by security. Your choice."

"Listen here, missy--" Talia was cut off by Lily's hand going over her mouth.
"Sorry about her..." She said with a smile as she began dragging Talia back to the others.

"I'll take her," Edward sighed as he threw Talia over his shoulder, "Come on Miss-In-Denial." He teased as he carried Talia towards the elevator.

"I hate receptionists. They're always so rude." She mumbled, crossing her arms.

"Well you probably aren't her favorite either," Louis chuckled from behind them.

"And Niall!!! I'm going to give that kid a piece of my mind!"

"Talia, take it easy on him..." Lily said.

"Take it easy??"

Edward stopped abruptly, nearly dropping Talia in the process as his eyes widened.

"Edward?" Louis flinched as his eyes met what Edward was looking at.

Through a window you could see Niall hooked up to four machines, his face barely recognizable from all the bruises, his nose clearly broken and one of his eyes was swollen shut.

Edward silently set Talia down, "I don't think you're gonna be doing that any time soon," He whimpered as he faced Talia in his direction.

Her face went pale when she saw him, panic covering her expression, "N-Niall?"

"Are you his friends?" A man with dark curly hair and a white doctors coat asked.

Lily nodded, "Yes sir..."

"He requested no one but his mother enter his room...." The doctor sighed, "But i think it would do him some good...just...go in one at a time." He said before walking away.