Fine Lines and Second Chances (a Niall Horan fan-fic)

Chapter 9 - Windows

*Atari's POV*

I sat in my room, reading an old book and looking out my window at all the tall trees surrounding the hospital. It had been a couple of weeks since Jade had told me Harry was in jail along with his buddy Louis. She hadn't been back at the hospital in a while because she was having a few problems at school. Something about a slap fight that she had been in, it surprised me that such a sweet girl like her would get into something like that but I found it slightly funny and laughed at the thought. I have been in an amazing remission for a week. I have been eating normally and keeping it down! I had been doing extremely well for how far I had progressed in my cancer but the doctors all agreed that I was actually getting better, only one other person had beaten this rare case of blood cancer. I was happier but still really wary of people. Zayn said I was doing better in my school work, too. I had been texting the few people whose numbers I had and by few I mean Jade, Liam, and a few random hot guys that had come through the hospital. Jade had said she was suspended for a little while because of the fight and that she would be spending a lot of time at the hospital. I was happy that I had a friend that wanted to hang out with me. It was the first time. I was busy in my book and thoughts when a familiar tune abruptly played.

SHE LIVES IN A FAIRY TALE

SOMEWHERE TO FAR FOR US TO FIND

FORGOTTEN THE TASTE AND SMELL

OF THE WORLD THAT SHE'S LEFT BEHIND

ITS ALL ABOUT THE EXPOSURE

THE LENS I TOLD HER

THE ANGLES WERE ALL WRONG

NOW SHE'S RIPPING WINGS OFF OF BUTTERFLIES

Paramore sang from my phone telling me someone was calling. I reluctantly got up from my comfy seat in the chair by the big bay window in my room and stumbled over to my phone on my book shelf.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hay sweetie," I heard an all to familiar voice casually call from the other line.

"What?" I unbelievingly asked trying not to break down or let my fellings come out through my voice.

"Well, you see, some coppers arrested me and said that I was going to prison for poisoning a cute little cancer patient," the scoffing voice came clear and full of fake hurt and mock disbelief.

"Why are you calling her then?" I said barely audible.

"Well, actually I was calling to see if you would come bail your best friend out of this rat hole, babe," he said playfully.

"You were never my friend you S.O.B. you only hurt me and left me like everyone else. You led me on you freaking bastar*. I hate you!" I yelled at him and ended the call dropping my phone onto the floor and fell onto my bed crying out the emotions that I had held in. Zayn came in, he had heard me yelling and thought Harry was actually in my room. He tried to comfort me but failed because I was already past the point that I could stop my emotions at will. It took at least 10 minutes for me to completely calm down. When I did, I texted Jade and told her everything and she said she would be right over to help me work stuff out. I picked up my book, marked my page, and put back in its place on the shelf. I unlocked my phone and turned the volume all the way up and played one of my all time favorite songs, Kiss Me by Jason Walker. It calmed me down a little. I tryed to cover up the redness in my face with a little make-up but I failed epically and ended up taking it all off. I never wore make-up so I didn't exactly know what I was doing. I was startled when Jade burst in my room, interupting my thoughts. She ran over to me and hugged me, squeezing the breath out of me. She held me at arms length and laughed at my make-up smeared face. She looked at my room and went over to the window. She looked out at the immense vast of trees engulfing the entire view. She turned back around and sat on my bed. She patted the open spot next to her, indecating that she wanted me to sit by her. We talked about everything that had happened in the past few weeks to catch up and then we talked about the call. It was a weird conversation, and even weirder talking about it to someone. I"m not the best person when it comes to communication, especially when  I'm trying to communicate about something personal. After we talked for a few hours, I was getting tired of being caged up in the boring building so I decided to ask if I could go out.

"Zayn, can I please go for a walk outside in the woods with Jade?" I pleaded Zayn through the little speaker that I used to talk to him when we weren't in the same room, but I usually used it in an emergency. I didn't get a reply back but instead he walked into my room to answer my question. He checked me over to make sure I would be fine. He okayed me to go outside but only for a little while so I wouldn't get in bad shape. I was so freaking excited. I squealed and jumped up and down, acting like a complete and total idiot. I practically dragged Jade out to the woods. I loved being amongst the trees. I felt at peace in them.

"Atari slow down," Jade yelled at me.

"Sorry. I'm just really excited. I haven't been in the woods since..." I trailed off not wanting to remember.

"It's ok Atari I was just wanting to slow down," she appologized.

"Ok, well I want to show you a few things out here," I said as we entered the dense foliage.

"What do you have to show me? Youv'e never been out here," she asked, confusion filling hr voice and face.

"You'll see my bestie," I said while locking arms and walking merrily into the deep woods.

I had been here before, in my dreams. I was determined to find the place that I often traveled in search of whatever it was that my mind had conjured up in my sleep. I walked an unmarked but familiar path that led straight to a pond that was covered in a low thin fog. It was so different but similar in real life. I quickly turned to the right and continued on my journey. I came upon the fallen log that the boy figure usually appeared behind. This time no one appeared and no presence was felt. I walked on the path like following a ghost. I followed the invisible path until I got to the point where I always woke up. It was so beautiful here. I mean it was another entire world at this spot in the woods. I let Jade go and climbed up a tree a little to get a better look. It was like I was looking through a window into Heaven. Oh my gosh it was breathtaking. I jumped down out of the tree and aimlessly wandered through the woods. I wanted to get lost but I knew the woods to well. Jade hadn't left my side. We came back onto the pond and sat down. I looked at my reflection in the smooth surface. I was hideous still. My face was so thin and pale, I looked like a zombie. At that moment a rock flew into the pond out of no where, scaring the shit out of me and Jade. I looked up and saw a face that I thought I knew but I couldn't be sure. It disappeared and I felt like I had just been seeing things but it didn't get in the way of me enjoying the woods. I looked to Jade and gave her a reassuring smile and we spant most of the day there. Right before it got dark we left and got back to the hospital. I was surprised when I saw Zayn running down the hall as pale as snow. I didn't know what was happening until he told Jade to leave immediately and that he would inform her later. He took me, no dragged me to my room and he sat down beside me. He took my hand and said "Atari, there is something I need to tell you," all seriousness that could ever be there was. My clear window into life had just been shattered, again.

A/N: short chapter I know and its horrible. Im sorry, I really am but im getting to some good stuff in the next chapter! please comment and keep reading! thanks!!!! :D