The chosen [Niall Horan]

Chapter 16 (Niall)

I sit down at the table and look around, my blond hair is sticking up at random places from the training I had earlier. Were's Sybil? She hasn't been to the meals since two days ago, when we... Or I, spoke in the stairwell. Yesterday there was a small announcement saying she was ill, I didn't think anything of it though, but now I'm worried.

I scan the room repeatedly, looking at her normal table and all of the other ones. "Dude, if your eyes move any quicker they're going to fall out of your damn head." Jacob groans from beside me. We've become really close over the past three weeks, and his smart ass attitude and quick wit never cease to shock me.

"Seriously, shut up" I respond, he grins and laughs it off. As the Roast is being served, same dinner as every Sunday, the chef shuffles out of the kitchen. what is she doing? She's never come out before.

She holds an aura of authority, she's older, probably in her late sixties. Her grey eyes are gentle and her soft smile sweet, in her hands a white cardboard box. I'm so surprised to see her out of the kitchen that I don't even realize that she's walking right up to me until she taps my shoulder.

"Niall dear, would you mind bringing this up to Sybil Hayes's room? She's quite sick and needs something brought up. There's some medication and water in here also. I hope this isn't too much to ask" she says worriedly, a frown on her lips.

What's wrong with Sybil? I knew she was sick, I just though she had a cold and was using that as an excuse to not have to see me, I didn't think it was this bad. The thought of her being ill causes a pit to form in my stomach.

"Of course, yeah il bring it to her. No problem" I respond, trying to mask my fear.

She hands me the box and says thank you before rushing back to the kitchen. The rest of the meal is spent trying to eat my food, however I keep getting distracted by the simplest things. The way the light hits the chandeliers or the new flower arrangements. My thoughts are muddled and I can't seem to thread them into a clear consistent thought.

I'm gazing off to where her empty seat is when all of a sudden a hand comes out of nowhere and smacks me in the head "Jesus, EARTH TO NIALL!!! Get your head out of your ass please and thank you. You look like a lost puppy" Jacob says, quite loudly I might add.   People from all over the room look straight at us, and I find myself unable to stop the harsh blush that's coming on my cheeks.

"You can all go back to eating your meal and minding your own business now" oh my god, why won't he shut up?!

When I finally look back up, everyone's back to eating their meal. Everyone except the few people from Sybil's table, a man that I know as Fredric and a woman named Jennifer, confused expressions clear on their faces.

I glance away and hurriedly eat the rest of the food on my plate. When the end of dinner is announced, I jump out of my chairs so quickly that it almost falls over. I walk quickly out of the room and am stopped by Jennifer and Fredric.

"You're going up to see Sybil right?" Fredric asks

"Yeah..."

"She's going to push you away. Make sure she's alright though. She may deny it but that little table we have is like a family, and we care about her" Jennifer says in a sharp tone

I nod my head before walking away, my feet suddenly running through the hallways and up the stairs. I finally reach our floor and go straight to her door. Reading the swirling letters above the door that form her name.

As my knuckles hit her door, my heart starts racing in my chest and my hand tightens on the cardboard box. No answer. I knock again and wait a few seconds. Nothing. I'm starting to grow nervous. Why isn't she answering? One more time,my hands are smashing on the door. With much more force this time, with the same outcome. I can't handle this anymore, I grab the brass handle and see if it's locked, to my surprise it isint.