In Other Words (Niall Fanfic)

Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter Forty-Five 

Roxy’s POV

The ringing of my phone woke me from a deep, cozy sleep. I rolled over and blinked my eyes a few times, clearing them as best I could before squinting at the bright screen.Just Harry, I thought, and pressed my face back into the pillow. I willed the ringing to stop, wanting to get back into the dream I was having, the details of which I’d already begun to forget.

I sat straight up, and fumbled to grab the phone, just missing the call. Why would he be calling in the middle of the night? My mind raced as I swiped quickly at the screen with numb fingers. Something’s happened.

It rang.

Pick up. I tried to figure out what time it was there, but I couldn’t even remember where there was. A thousand horrible scenarios flashed behind my eyelids.

It rang. The line finally clicked as he answered.

“Harry?” I gasped. “Is everything all right?”

“I’m so sorry, Roxy.” He said slowly. I could hear the sound of my heart beating. I swallowed. “I didn’t even think about what time it is there when I called you. Everyone’s fine.”

I unclenched my fist and flopped back onto my pillows, letting out the breath I had been unconsciously holding. “I thought you were going to tell me Niall lost an arm or something.” I muttered.

“I’m an idiot. I’m sorry.” He said. “Go back to sleep. I will call you later.”

“Well, I’m up now, Styles!” I grunted.  “What did you want to talk about?”

Harry could never be rushed. He took time to formulate just the right sentence, to choose the right words. Niall just blurted out whatever came to mind, and then worked backwards.  As much as I could appreciate their differences, sometimes I just wished Harry would spit it out.

“She sent me an email.” He finally said.  “It says “I miss you.””

I smiled into the darkness.

“Three words. That’s it.” He said quietly.

“To which you replied…?” I asked.

“That’s why I’m calling.”

The little Casanova warmed my heart. “Give her a couple days to squirm about it.” I said, knowing she probably attempted to send that email a dozen times before getting up the guts. “You’ll figure it out, kid.”

I lay there for a moment, my mountain of pillows calling me back to sleep, thinking about sitting across from Eleanor at that bakery so many months ago.  She told me to follow my heart. And despite the occasional four a.m. phone call that nearly gives me a stroke, I’d have to say the decision to do so has worked out pretty well.

 “Want me to meet up with her for coffee or something?” I offered, with a yawn. 

Time to pay it forward.

Niall’s POV

I fingered the bottom of the bag, hoping to find one last crisp somewhere in there. I was out of luck. Finally, the window popped up on my computer screen and I clicked ‘answer’. She adjusted her screen, a slight delay in the feed allowed me to watch her for a split second before she was able to see me.

“Hiiiiii.” She said, sitting cross-legged on her bed, holding her palms against her knees, fingers spread.

“Hey you.” I said. “Why are ya holding your hands like that?”