Attempting To Trust (Niall Horan Fan Fiction)

Chapter 22

Niall POV

The boys, our girlfriends, and I slept in Zayn's room for the remainder of the night, hoping Zayn would wake up.

Whne we all woke up, Karla went down to get us breakfast in the hospital's kitchen. Everyone seemed so was emotionless, but we were all terrified for our best friend's health. No smiles and no jokes graced our lips.

It seemed like Zayn was not the same person. He layed there, emotionless, unconscious. His smirk never raised on his tan face. His jokes never filled the room with happiness. That's what scared me the most. Maybe, just maybe, Zayn would be laying like that forever.

Without Zayn, we could never be One Direction. One Direction included five boys, not four. Without his voice we could never be the same. We could never go back to the way things were.

Karla came back into the room and handed each of us our food. She has been so gracious and loving. Although she did not know Zayn very well, she was willing to do whatever she could to help. She had the best advice when someone needed it. Louis, Harry, and her have gotten closer, though. Which really worries me. I know they are marvelous friends and I have no reason to be worried, but I am. She could get any guy she wanted, and they are so much better than I am. Funnier, better looking, more genuin. But, most of all, they could protect her better.

She needs someone who could protect her. I could never protect her the way she needs to be.

Harry seemed to need the comfort more than anyone in the room. Even more than Perrie or Eleanor. He has always been easily hurt. Harry has been taking this so hard, like all of us, but there seemed to be something more that was bothering him. There had to be. I had no idea that one person could cry for so long.

Soon, the hospital told us we all had to go home. The first couple nights the nurses let us stay because we were, well, us. Having celebrities in their hospital was advertisement enough. We all went our separate ways, but Karla decided to come over to comfort me.

When we got back to my place, she made me dinner. Man, I do love a girl who can cook! She made homemade lasagna, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and three different types of marinara sauce. She knows how to comfort a guy like me, food.

We spoke for a while while during dinner, but for the most part we stayed silent. This while thing with Zayn has really shaken me up. My best friend might die! How could a person to be distraught? He has been there for me through everything I've ever needed. He knew how to make me laugh whenever I needed it, yet he knew when to tell me, "enough is enough." He was in the truest form. He knew what to say and when to say it.

My best friend is dying.

After dinner, Karla slipped in my favorite movie, thankfully a comedy, and snuggled on my couch. She put her head on my shoulder and held my hand. Just her touch sent electricity through my veins. She knew exactly what I needed to make me feel okay again. Although I never forgot what was going on in that moment with Zayn, it helped me by numbing the pain a little.

At a hysterical part in the movie, I let out a small laugh. Karla turned her face toward mine and said to me, looking deeply in my eyes, "I missed that."

"I've missed being happy."

"Just because you're going through a hard time doesn't mean you cannot be happy," she said softly.

"How did I get so lucky?"

"Why are you lucky?" Sh asked, giving me a sideways glance.,

I looked down at my brand new Adidas shoes shyly before saying to her, "Because I get to have a girl like you."

She smiled and softly kissed my cheek. "You are seriously the best. I'm the one who is lucky."

"H***no you f****** aren't. Girl, I am the lucky one."

"Oh my. Potty mouth, eh?" She asked me laughing.

"You can say that. Guess you haven't experienced it much. It's one of my many flaws," I said shrugging my shoulders, completely nonchalant.

She rolled her eyes at me and snuggled closer to my chest. I kissed her forehead and continued to watch my favorite movie with her so close to me. I wished we could have stayed like that forever. I wanted to be with her forever.

Karla went into my kitchen and made popcorn and ice cream. She had the ultimate sweet tooth, and I've always loved a girl with an appetite. She's not afraid to eat in front of me. She could never eat more than me, but she could come close. It's one of the many things I love about her. It's what makes Karla, Karla.

She untangled herself from me, and stood up asking me, "I'm going to go to bed. You want me to sleep out here or what?"

"No way," I said, pulling her down to me and planted a kiss on her lips. Our lips started following their familiar pattern. She moved closer to me, as I planted several soft kisses on her neck. As soon as things started heating up, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, and out of surprise, she flew backwards, hitting her back on the back of the couch. We both laughed in response of her clumsiness.

Noticing the caller ID, I answered. "Hello?" I asked.

"Ni, you need to come down to the hospital."

"But the nurse sent--"

"Now," Louis said harshly to me.

"What's going on?"

"Get down here now before I come over there and drag you here!"

"Alright I'm coming."

Back in the hospital the boys explained to me Zayn's situation. "He's on life support right now, but he's expected to pass anytime now," Liam told me.

We all started feeling comfortable, heading to bed, expecting to spend another night there. That's when we head the long steady tone of a failed pulse.

Zayn was dead.