Falling into You

Chapter 1: Small Town Big dreams

Mullingar wasn't exactly the kind of place you'd go to find adventure. The town had a population of 22,667 people, which, in the grand scheme of things, wasn't much. It wasn't London, it wasn't Dublin, and sure as hell wasn't Hollywood. But to Niall Horan, it was home. And for someone with dreams bigger than the roads that wound through this tiny place, it felt like the biggest cage.

The town's biggest claims to fame? Lakes. Lough Owel, Lough Derravaragh, and Lough Ennell. Sure, the tourists came to fish, but for the locals, they were just things to avoid when they had to walk past a bunch of older lads casting their lines out, trying to act like they owned the damn place. There was also the Royal Canal, which was nice enough if you were into long, boring walks that led nowhere, or if you fancied watching ducks float around like they had nothing better to do.

"I mean, honestly, how the hell is anyone supposed to get out of this place?" Niall muttered to himself as he walked along the cracked sidewalk, avoiding a few potholes that had been there longer than he'd been alive.

Niall's blonde hair was a mess, as usual, blowing in the wind and sticking out at all angles like a mad scientist. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and scowled. It wasn't that he hated Mullingar—it was just... too familiar. And Niall was already sick of familiar.

"You grow up in a town like this, you start to feel like a bloody tourist in your own life," Niall continued, shaking his head. He glanced over at the massive Belvedere House and Gardens in the distance. "Yeah, we've got this big fancy house with gardens that even the Queen probably wouldn't give a crap about. And don't get me started on the golf club. Like, who the hell has time to play golf around here? If I'm gonna waste my time, I'd rather do it with something that involves more than a stick and a stupid ball."

He let out a frustrated sigh. "But whatever, right? Mullingar's a shithole for anyone with bigger dreams. And trust me, I've got big ones. The kind that don't belong in a town like this."

Niall paused for a moment, his eyes landing on the Royal Canal. The water looked calm, almost too calm, as if it were mocking him. He could hear the distant sounds of a dog barking and a few birds chirping nearby, but other than that, the place was as quiet as ever. Too quiet.

"You ever feel like the whole world is just stuck, like you're standing in the same spot while everyone else is moving?" Niall said aloud to no one in particular. He wasn't sure why he was talking to himself—it was a habit he'd developed over the past year. Maybe it was because there was no one else around who'd actually get it.

He started walking again, his Converses tapping lightly against the pavement. The school year had just started, and Niall wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. He had a feeling it wasn't going to be much different from last year. Same faces. Same old shit. Same small-town misery.

That was when he saw him.

Niall's eyes locked onto a figure standing by the corner of the local shop. A guy. Niall couldn't tell if he was older or younger, but he definitely wasn't from around here. He had that look. The kind of look that screamed, "I'm not one of you."

"Oi, you!" Niall called out, without thinking. He didn't have a plan. He wasn't the type to approach people. But today felt different, like something was stirring in the air. "You lost or something?"

The guy turned around, raising an eyebrow like he'd just been summoned by some random freak. "Yeah, what's it to you?" he snapped back, a little defensively. He looked Niall up and down as if sizing him up, which made Niall feel even more out of place.

"I'm Niall," he said, grinning despite himself, offering his hand. "And you are... definitely not from here."

The guy hesitated for a second, looking at Niall's outstretched hand like it was some kind of trick. But after a moment, he shook it, his grip firm. "Sean," he muttered. "Just here for a bit. My family's got me stuck in the middle of nowhere for a while."

Niall smirked, feeling an odd sense of camaraderie. "You're not wrong. Mullingar's about as exciting as watching paint dry on a wall. You sure you're not here to run away from the madness of city life?"

"Madness?" Sean scoffed. "There's nothing here but cows and old men who think they're still in their prime, sitting around fishing all day." He paused, glancing around as if taking in the strange quietness of the town. "But hey, I'm only here for a bit. I've been to worse places."

Niall let out a loud laugh. "Worse than Mullingar? Mate, you've got no idea. This place sucks the life outta you. But hey, I'll be the first to tell you, there's a whole bunch of us here who know how to make a shit town a little less shitty. You're looking at the best bloody tour guide in town."

Sean rolled his eyes but couldn't help smirking. "Best tour guide, huh? That's a big claim for a place like this."

"Trust me," Niall said with a wink, "I'm the best there is. Plus, you've got a front-row seat to my award-winning sense of humor."

Sean's lips twitched, as if fighting back a grin. "You've got a big mouth, I'll give you that. Let's see if it's good for anything besides talking shit."

Niall laughed again. "You'll see, mate. You'll see."