Her (Niall Horan Fanfiction)

28.

Niall's P.O.V

I softly called out to the girl next to me as we reached a red light. We had been silent the whole car ride and I could not help but notice how completely still she sat the whole way. Her elbow rested next to the window and her palm supported her tilted head as she kept her eyes forward. There was no expression on her face and I realized she was actually zoned out when I called her name a second time and she still did not acknowledge me. 

I didn't like seeing her like this. So emotionless. So disconnected from the world. 

"Ava?" I spoke again, my voice a little louder than the first two times. The light turned green and I began to drive once again right after I saw her slightly flinch, my voice obviously waking her out of her trance. 

"You alright?" I asked quickly glancing over at her. "I'm fine." She said but her watery eyes said otherwise. Her brown eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at me and my heart couldn't help but ache at the sight.

I glanced back at the empty road before looking back over to her.  "Hey," I worriedly frowned as my hand unconsciously reached for her own that rested on her thigh. I brushed my thumb against her soft knuckles and my heart thumped heavily against my chest once I realized what I was doing. 

I surprised myself by my actions but she didn't seem to mind when she looked down at our connected hands before she looked over at me and said nothing, staring at me blankly. 

"You're okay. Everything will be fine darling, I promise." I had no fucking idea what I was saying. I had no idea what was going on and I sure as hell had no idea how to comfort someone, I've never had to. But for her I am trying my best. 

"Thank you, Niall." She whispered, giving me a small smile before turning her gaze to look out the window. I turned my attention back to the road and brought my hand to rest back on the gear stick hating the fact that I was already missing her touch. 

Get yourself together Niall.  

*****

"I found this place when I first moved here." I spoke as we walked alongside together through the grass. She looked at the large pond in front of us in awe and then she turned to look at me with a smile on her lips and her eyes shinning. 

"It's beautiful Niall."  She smiled, walking closer to the water. "There's fish in here!" She excitedly turned to look at me before she turned back around and crouched next to the pond. I smiled at the sight of her admiring the fish, glad that I out of everyone was able to distract her from whatever it was that had made her upset. 

I took a seat on the grass a couple of feet away from her, crossing my arms across my knees. "I used to come here all the time with my brother." I smiled remembering the times we would come here and see who could throw the stones the furthest. The loser would always have to clean up the apartment and we would always end up fighting over who actually lost. I missed those times, when it was just him and I. 

"You have a brother?" Her voice snapped me out of my thoughts and that's when I noticed she was taking a seat by my side.

"Had." I clenched my jaw as I turned to look at her. The look on her face told me my response took her by surprise and that's when my face softened. "I'm sorry, Niall I-"

"It's fine. You didn't know." I told her but I couldn't ignore that dreadful feeling inside me. Why did I even have to bring him up? I internally groaned to myself.

"I understand how you feel, you know." She said after a couple of seconds of silence. 

"How could you possibly understand how I feel?" I chuckled shaking my head at her. She couldn't possibly know how I felt and I knew that by the way she stayed quiet.