Memories

Chapter 40

*Niall's POV*

Seeing my friends and family made me feel a bit better. I missed home, but I can't get over the reason why I had left Stephanie. I was so stupid to think that she loved me, we are just friends, hopefully we still are.

"Niall, baby!" I turn around to see Stephanie's mom walking towards me, a huge smile was planted on her face. I smiled as she hugged me tightly, "How was New York?"

I let go of the hug, "It's amazing, your daughter is living a great life," I answered the last part truthfully. Stephanie's flat was defenitely nice and had great accommodations, she's living a good life.

Stephanie's mom wore a comforting smile, it reminded me of my mother. "How is Stephanie? I thought you were going to stay longer, did you guys argue?"

I gulped and shook my head, "No, I felt a bit homesick, I missed my old home and everyone else and Stephanie is doing and looking great, no worries."

Ms. Regan laughed, "I hope so, well I'm glad you had a good time, sweetie." She hugged me once more, I genuinely missed her hugs, Stephanie always did say her mother had the best hugs. After I finished hugging, I went into my house and up to my room that was of course exactly how I kept it... Messy.

Everyone that I greeted and were excited to see me were all downstairs and were now chatting up and drinking a couple of beers. I smiled as I saw my room and laid down on the bed. I take out my phone to see if I had any missed calls or messages from Stephanie, I couldn't help but wonder if she even acknowledged the fact that I wasn't there. Nothing. She was probably out drinking or supposedly studying. I tossed my phone next to me and closed my eyes, maybe some sleep will do me justice.

But of course a quick knocking on my door awoke me in the matter of seconds.

"Come in," I barely spoke. I smiled wide as I saw the four familiar boys walk in my small room, making it seem much smaller as it filled up quickly.

"Niall!" Liam exclaimed pulling me up from the bed and hugging me tight, the others joined in and a group hug formed. A few seconds later they pulled away and patted my back.

"How was New York bro," Zayn asked as he took a seat on the empty bed.

I pulled a smile, "It was really fun, I drank a lot."

Louis chuckled, "No kidding, you were on a few magazines here and there, but no worries mate, you needed to feel better after all of this stuff happened." The boys murmured in agreement and I nodded. They were right. Going to New York helped me get my mind off my mother's death. I hope they don't ask me about that.

"So Niall..." Oh God. "How are you, you know...With your mom gone and everything?" Harry asked me with a reassuring smile that was later vanished as Louis slapped his shoulder, "Harry, you can't just ask him that!"

I smiled, "No, it's okay Lou," I sat down on my bed as well, "I'm actually doing alright, I miss her of course but I just need to be strong." I sighed loudly, I didn't want to cry in front of the guys already. The boys smiled and we began to talk about our upcoming tour to get my mind off my mother. I was utterly excited for this tour, I know it's going to be amazing. The conversation then began to be on New York again.

"Why did you leave so early anyways? I thought you were catching up with Stephanie?" Zayn asked me as he took sip from his bottle of beer that I brought up while we were all talking. My body stiffened as he mentioned Stephanie, should I tell them?

"Um, I-" Liam's phone began to ring, stopping me from what I was saying, he looked at the screen with an annoyed face before sliding it open and putting it against his ear. A muffled squeaky voice began talking and Liam had his eyebrows scrunched a bit as he kept repeating the words 'Okay.'

Two minutes later, he closed the phone and shoved it in his pocket, "We have to go, my mom is making us eat at my place and since it's a long ride back she told me to head home now, Niall, you wanna join us?" The boys stood up and stopped at the door to see what my answer would be.

I frowned, "I'm sorry guys, I'm just really tired so I guess I'll stay home." I truthfully told them. The boys nodded and gave me one last hug before heading out the door and outside. I heard the car doors slam close and the car swerving out into the streets outside. I laid down on my back and began regretting not going with them, maybe their presence could've taken my mind off of Stephanie. So I fell asleep easily.

-

I woke up to a tapping on my window. I noticed rocks were being thrown, probably fans again. But how did they get pass my security gate? I turn my head to the clock on my nightstand and noticed it was incredibly early, the sun should be coming out in a few hours. I stand up tiredly yet a bit cautious and look outside, it was too dark. I grab a jacket and go downstairs quietly not wanting to wake anyone up and outside to the cold air.

"Hello?" I whisper, my backyard light goes on as I stepped outside, causing me to squint my eyes at the sudden brightness. I heard a few footsteps slowly coming towards me. I grab a plastic chair, that was thankfully not heavy, for self defense. The footsteps halted and the person finally reached the light. It was Stephanie.

She gasped as she saw the chair above my head and smiled shyly, "Niall."

I let go of the chair and walk up to her, she has been crying. Was she crying on her way here? Why was she here? "Niall, I have something to tell you," she let out before I can ask why she was here. She put her hand into her jeans pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper to shakily hand it to me. I grabbed the paper and opened it slowly to reveal the letter I have written to her before I left. But at the bottom there was another handwriting, the words written on the bottom made me smile a little, 'I love you too'  was written in cursive. I looked up to see her smile softly, hoping to hear what I was going to say, but I just couldn't say anything.

She took a hold of my hands, causing me to drop the letter to the ground, her fingers fit nicely in between mine. She took a deep breath, her light eyes that were a bit red from crying looked into mine as she finally choked out the words I've been dying to hear, "I love you too Niall James Horan."

Her lips crashed onto mine, she brought her arms around my neck as I kissed her back. "I love you so much, you're my bestfriend Niall, you're more than a bestfriend," she mumbled into my lips.

I stopped the kiss and pulled her into a tight hug, her face was burried in my neck as she let out a few tears. "Shh," I told her while rubbing her somewhat exposed and cold back, due to the low temperature outside. She nodded slowly. "I'm completely happy that you told me this Stephanie, but you didn't have to come all the way-"

"Yes I did, if I didn't, I would of hated myself for not doing so."

I smiled at her response. She went through all this just to tell me this. This is the girl I see myself with, any girl willing to go through all that trouble deserves everything. "I love you," I told her, kissing her again.

"Let's go upstairs, it's freezing," I picked her up bride style as she quietly laughed. I slid the backyard door close and began walking up my steps quietly even though the creaks that were heard seemed to get louder causing Stephanie to giggle uncontrollably. I reached my room and closed the door behind me. When we discarded our shoes and my jacket, we both got in bed as I laid the covers on top of us.

She turned her body to face me, "I love you." Everytime she would say this to me, my heart begins to pound, I've been waiting for this to happen for a long time and it was finally coming true. I was finally in a relationship with Stephanie.

I hugged her waist and pulled her closer to me, my lips landed on hers as I kissed her softly, "I love you too, Stephanie."

*A/N: weyy heyy, here's this chapter! I hope it was good! PLEASE, comment and/or vote.

Omg, theres only one chapter left to this story and then an Epilogue... I find this so crazy because I had so much fun writing this story and I hope everyone is enjoying it. The last chapter will be pretty long so stay tuned! :)*