One Shots [Niam]

I'll Be Here

SHIP: Niam

WARNING THIS STORY CONTAINS: Death, Boyxboy

Niall's Pov:

I met him in September two days before my birthday. The Manhattan air was brisk and clear that night. I stood under a street lamp with flashing ads that I never much cared for played on the side of buildings and cars honking in the street. I held a small bag of groceries loosely in my hand. While waiting at the crosswalk to cross the street, a boy about my height bumped into me, knocking the bag of groceries out of my hand. Without even hesitating, the boy quickly gathered everything from my butter to bag of chocolate chips and put it inside the bag. He stood up and I met my gaze with a boy who had mesmerizing warm brown eyes that were carefully detailed to perfection. I stared into his eyes for what seemed like forever until he broke the silence.

"Sorry about that mate." He paused for a moment and smirked at me. "I should really be more careful."

I was breath taken by his appearance. His voice was gentle and disarming. It made me feel safe. "Uh... No its fine. Don't worry about it."

"The streets are dangerous this late at night. You shouldn't be out this late. Let me walk you home." He said.

"That would be great. Thanks." I told him.

"No problem." He responded.

He and I carried a conversation from the street corner in Times Square to my apartment. He spoke what seemed like mindless conversation to him, but seemed like the world to me. At the door of my apartment, he handed me my bag of groceries.

"Well, this is where I live." I told him.

"It was a pleasure walking you home." He said with a tasteful grin.

"I really enjoyed your company." I said.

We both stared into each others eyes for a moment and laughed. "Well, if you ever need someone to walk you home again... or just talk... I'll be here." He told me.

"I should get your number then!"

"Oh yes!" I pulled out my iPhone and handed it to him. He put his contact in.

"Liam Payne."

It had such a sweet ring to it. It made me smile.

He handed me his phone and I put my number in it. He smiled at me. I slipped my phone into my pocket. I looked up at Liam. He leaned into kiss me.

A kiss that meant a thousand words. The moment felt perfect. His warm lips pressed against mine in the cold city. I knew this is where I wanted to be for the rest of my life.

Two days later, Liam and I met at a bakery across the street from where we first met. I remember he ordered a chocolate chip muffin while I got a plain bagel. We both sat at a small booth in the back of the store. We had endless hours of conversation. From noon until the shop closed, we stared into each others eyes and talked about whatever was on our mind. He walked me home again to my apartment that night.

Next year on the anniversary that we met, we stopped into the same bakery across the street from where we met. Over the course of endless hours, we exchanged a thousand words that meant the world to me. Just like last year, he ordered a chocolate chip muffin and I ordered a plain bagel we sat in the same booth in the back of the store.

Next year was the year I decided to pop the question. He was my everything and today would be the day I would find out if I was his everything. He told his boss he wanted to take the day off from work and spend it with me. His boss needed him to stop into the office that day, just in the morning for no longer than 30 minutes. He told me he wanted nothing more than to sit at the bakery and talk with me. I ran through my proposal speech in my mind over and over, carefully memorizing each detail. I wanted the proposal to be perfect for someone just as perfect as him.

I sat in the booth for 30 minutes nervously. After 15 more minutes, I decided to just go ahead and order for him. He was sure to be in the Bakery at any second. I ordered a chocolate chip muffin and a plain bagel. I sat at the booth and reviewed my proposal speech for another half hour. After another 15 minutes, I decided to visit him in his office and see what was taking him so long. I grabbed a white to-go bag for the muffin and bagel and headed out into the streets.

The morning air was brisk and clear. I heard the honking of cars in the streets. I stood under a street lamp overlooking a cross walk. Surrounding me were flashing ads on the sides of buildings that I never paid much attention to. With my small bag of baked goods in my hand, I stood there mindlessly, waiting to cross the street.

I looked in front of me and noticed a group of people pointing towards an ad on the side of a building. I looked up and saw the picture.

I didn't believe what I saw. Instead, I prayed it was a sick joke. It wasn't until I looked down the street and saw for myself all the sirens and all of the smoke.

The world stopped for a moment. My heart sank into my stomach and I felt uneasy. This feeling of dread filled my whole body. I felt paralyzed from my head to my feet.

After a moment, I felt a buzz coming from my pocket. I grabbed my phone and looked onto the screen.

"Liam Payne."

He left a voicemail. I opened the voicemail and held the phone to my ear.

"I wish I could be there right now. Eating my chocolate chip muffin with you eating your plain bagel in front of me. Spending a wonderful day at the bakery with you. Or even standing under the street lamp, next to flashing billboard signs that you never liked and the loud honking of cars in the street with you; meeting you for the first time. Or walking you home from the same street corner where we first met and making pointless conversation with you, but to me, every word meant the world. But most importantly, spending time with you. But I can't be there with you, meeting you at the street corner, or walking you home, or even sitting with you at the bakery. I'm sure by now, you know whats happening. And I just want you to know that its okay to move on. I don't want you to sit at home eating butter and chocolate chips for the rest of your life in misery. You need to meet someone who will make you happy when I can't make you smile. Make new memories with someone you love. Don't let all of life's moments pass by. Because no matter what happens, I'll be here."

I looked down the street and saw a cloud of papers and smoke fall from the sky.

"I'll be here."