Learning to Fall (One Direction Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-Five:

**Niall's POV**

"Seriously Niall, do you actually think this is a good idea?" She asked.

"Yeah. I think so. I mean, what could go wrong?" I reasoned.

"Oh yeah, what could go wrong with you bringing another girl with you to visit your ex in recovery?" Demi groaned. Why was everyone so convinced that this was a bad idea? Demi and I were friends, and I wanted Demi to meet her.

"She wouldn't get mad about that. I know her," I said.

"You visiting this girl in rehab unannounced after ignoring her for months is enough reason on its own to set her off. Couple that with bringing me, who you've been rumored to have been dating, is giving Jax enough license to murder you," Demi argued.

"Don't say it, okay?" I asked quietly.

"You're going to see her in an hour. You might as well get used to hearing her name," Demi groaned. I didn't respond. Honestly, I didn't know how to. "Why are you even bringing me anyways?"

I stared at the road, trying to find an adequate respond. "I want her to have someone who might understand her. She made it pretty clear that I can't do that anymore."

"What do you mean?" Dem asked. She knew that she was prying, but she also knew she could get it out of me.

"I don't want to tell you," I groaned.

"We both know that you still will," Demi grinned. I laughed a bit at the truth in this.

"You know how I told you that she left after visiting me in California? I think it was because I didn't know how to relate to her. She said it was because she didn't deserve me, but that is complete bullshit. If anything it's the other way around," I mused.

"Niall, I think she meant what she said," Demi said without hesitation.

"Why the hell would she mean that?" I said angrily.

"Because she genuinely believed it. With something like that going on, the hatred she had for herself just would have taken over her mind. My guess is that she thought she was doing you a favor by getting out of your life."

Neither of us talked for a bit after that. I was trying to take in what Demi said to me, but I kept getting distracted on how it was raining and how she loved rain and if she were here she would make me stop the car to go into that book shop and that I was wearing the dark green shirt that she wore the morning we left for America in hope that she would remember it. The red hat she stole from me at the beach was in the back seat and she would think the song playing right now was awful. That dog walking by on the street is the kind she would freak out about and ask to pet. The sun was setting and I could see the last of it through the rain and it was the orange that she loved. There was a man playing guitar on the sidewalk and I wondered if she had even touched her guitar since we gave it to her. I hope she has. I hope she found the song.

"Niall... Niall... Niall!" Demi was suddenly yelling at me and my head snapped out of the memories. "Would you stop thinking about her for one second? I think you missed the turn."

I nodded and turned into a car lot where I could turn around. I didn't know what I was doing but I ended up stopping the car and sat there, staring blankly.

"You okay?" Demi asked me.

"She probably hates me, Dem," I croaked. Demi said nothing. "I left when she needed me and I didn't want to but I did. I don't know why I left, but I did."

"What are you going to do?" She asked me. I just shrugged. "Do you even want to visit her?"

"So badly. I miss her so much. I've wanted to see her since the minute I left."