Chasing Pavements - A Niall Horan Fanfic

Chapter 15: Moments

That feeling in her stomach that had grown there two days before when she told Niall she loved him hadn’t left. She was wondering if she should go to the doctor for it. What if the stress of finally realizing he didn’t love her back had given her an ulcer? He didn’t even react when she told him. Not really. Instead, he had gathered their plates and cleaned up the kitchen while she sat dumbfounded on his living room floor. 

She leaned against the headboard of the hotel bed she was sitting on. Everyone was in Los Angeles for the VMAs and excited to be there, but Becca was everything except excited. She had went shopping with the girls earlier, which had been fun, but the fun dissipated when they got back to the hotel. The hotel served as a reminder that Niall hadn’t said he loved her back. During the day, he’d go to rehearsals for the VMAs while Becca and the girls did pretty much whatever. Then he’d come back late, ,and he’d hang out in Becca and Bree’s room until Paul told he needed to go to bed. He’d lay next to her on the bed while they watched something on her laptop, and Becca would lay there and try not to cry. He’d leave. Bree would come back. The two girls would go to bed. Becca would sneak into the bathroom, turn the sink on, and cry. 

Why was she even there? Part of her was starting to believe Niall liked stringing her along. He would give her just enough hope for her to stick around, but then he’d take it away. Becca had to wonder if he knew exactly what he was doing. And, if he did, was he enjoying it? She hated that’s what her mind went to. She really didn’t want to see something like that in him. It was too much like Jacob. Still, there’d been chances that he just passed up, chances he skated over. And why? For what? If he was hoping for some big dramatic joining of the hearts, he had missed many opportunities. 

Becca was texting her mom while Bree bounced about the room. She was going to meet Harry. Becca wasn’t one hundred percent positive, but she was sure the couple did pretty much the same thing she and Niall did. She thought about asking them to join her and Niall. It might make things less awkward for her, might take her mind off everything, but she and the Irish boy had plans that night. He wanted to explore the hotel so badly. The boy had been fascinated by the glass elevators. Then there was the pool area where the wall facing the city was made of tall windows to simulate being outside without actually being outside. She figured Niall just wanted something different to do. Even though he was tired when he came back to the hotel, the boy had a little reserve of energy left. 

“So are you and Haz doing anything fun tonight?” Becca asked, setting her phone on her stomach. 

Bree shrugged. “Probably just going to cuddle. Kiss a little. Y’know, the usual.” She finished pulling her hair back and turned to Becca. I’m going now. You be good.” 

Becca nodded and picked her phone back up. She heard the door open and Bree telling Niall where she was. Seconds later, the boy was flopping himself on the bed. He poked her leg. 

“You ready, Dora the Explorer?” He laughed at his joke. “I figured we could stock up on sweets and all that. Go see the fountain I’ve been hearing about. Possibly go to the pool area. Hope you got your swimmies on.” 

She looked over at the boy. As he put it, she did have her swimmies on. Underneath her jeans shorts and Star Wars hoodie was a 1950s inspired white and navy bathing suit. She had bought it earlier, figuring she could save it for the following summer, but after sending the picture to the girls, they insisted she wear it that night. According to them, Niall didn’t need to wait almost a year to see her in it. Of course, she was questioning whether or not they would even know each other in a year. 

“I’m ready,” she said standing up to stretch. She threw her phone on the bed. The drama at home with her sister moving back in with the parents would just have to wait. She held her hand out for Niall, which he took but didn’t stand up quite yet. “Come on. We’ll go see the fountain first.”