A Time Forgotten (Niall Horan)

Chp 1

NIALL

*one month ago*

"You eating that cookie?" I asked Ali.

"Yes. I'm starving."she replied. I glanced longingly at the cookie.

"Ya know....it's big enough to share."

"No, it's not. I'm starving, Niall. Go get your own cookie." she laughed.

"Look! There's a butterfly!" I pointed towards the sky.

"Where?" Ali, being as gullible as she was, looked up. I snatched the cookie from her. She looked back at me, and glared at me.

"Niall James Horan, I swear, this will be the last-" before she could finish, I already ate the cookie. I ran off towards the football field, laughing.

"Niall! You come back here!" Ali giggled, and started chasing after me.

"You're never gonna get me, Ali! I'm too fast for-ooph!" I fell over, onto the grass, with Ali on my back. She giggled.

"Gotcha." she whispered in my ear. I groaned.

I turned on my back. Her face was now a few inches from mine. Butterflies started swarming in my stomach. I reached up, and tucked a piece of her behind her ear. I don't know we leaned in first, but slowly, we got closer, and closer. Out noses touched. Ali cleared her throat. Oh shit, what was happening?

"Uh-um," I scrambled to get up. "I think that's the bell! Haha, gotta run! I'll see you later." I rushed towards my next class. What was that? Why did I feel that way? She was just a friend. Just a friend, I reminded myself. She doesn't like me that way.

-------------------------------------------

*present day*

"Do you want to go out with me?"

The words slipped out of my mouth easily. I had practiced. A lot. In front of the mirror, especially, but it had been so awkward asking myself out. Of course, I always said yes after I practiced. Back to the moment. She looked up at me and opened her mouth, then closed it. She started to sigh, then realized I was there. She ran her fingers through her long brown hair. Then, I could tell. This was the moment. She could say yes or no...

She paused. I could sense her hesitation. My heart beat even faster.

"Niall... I-I'm seeing someone else," She put her hand on my shoulder.

"I think it's best if we remained friends. I-I'm really sorry... Um... I didn't know that you like me like that. I'm sorry. I really am, Niall. " She put her hand back into her pocket. She gave me a small smile then turned around and ran away. I stood there, shocked. How could it have gone wrong? I was heartbroken. No, this can't be true. Ali and I were such good friends. We talked so much, we always hung out together. I dropped the box I had saved up money for months and months. It didn't matter anymore, anyways. She would never wear it. She would never look at it, then look up at me and throw her arms around me, her long, light brown hair shining in the light.

No, I thought. It can't end like this. No matter what, I'll show Ali that I love her more than anything else. I picked up the box and opened it. Inside, there was a necklace with a single pendant on it. The pendant was a fiery red color, sparkling every time you turned it. Carved into the back, it said, You are my daylight. Now it didn't look like daylight. It looked like the color of my heart falling to the ground, shattered. I looked at it sorrowfully, then threw it on the ground and walked away.

ALI

I walked away with a nervous face. I stole a glance back. He threw something on the floor. He looked really sad. What have I done? I just screwed- no. I just rejected my first date, I thought to myself. OH. MY. GOD. I TOLD HIM I WAS DATING SOMEONE?! Why do I always talk without thinking?

How would I act around him now? Could I just act normally?

"Ali!"

I whipped my head around half hoping and half fearing it would be Niall. But instead, I saw Amie. Oh finally, there was someone I could talk to. I had to tell her. She could understand, right? I hope.

"Amie!" I called out.

"Hey!" she smiled. Then she noticed my face and she frowned in concern. I guess it was obvious. I sat down next to her at the table.

"What happened?"

I sighed.

"I may or may not have blewn off Niall."

"For...?" she raised her eyebrows. I coughed.

"Heaskedmetodatehim."

"What?" Amie's eyes widened. She squealed. "You told him no? You dumbass! Don't you like him or something? Why weren't you thinking properly? I thought I taight you better than that!" I groaned, and leaned my head down on the table.

NIALL

I made sure I wouldn't be seen. There, Ali was chatting with Amie. Damnit, I thought. I can't hear anything. I went a little closer. Perfect.

"Oh god, Ali. You screwed up big time."

What? I thought. I kept listening.

"I...I don't know what I was thinking!" Ali sighed. She threw her hands up. "He might never ask me again."

I smiled. Then I frowned. Was she talking about me or somebody else? My thoughts were interrupted when Liam called out to me.

"Niall!"

Dang it! Ali turned around. She blushed when she saw me and commenced whispering feverishly with Amie. She had to be talking about me! I knew that in some part of her heart, she liked me. Just... how could I unbury it?

"Hey Niall!"

Oh, it was Becca.

The girl to boy ratio was too much now, especially with Becca there.

"Uh... Liam, I'm going now. Bye."

As I walked home, I thought about Ali. She was perfect. Her laugh, her smile. Her imperfections made her human. She was beautiful in every way. I knew she had feelings for me, yet why did she reject me? I thought about the way she smiled when someone shouted,

"Niall! Watch out!"

Huh? Becca?

Suddenly, a flash of lights blurred in front of me.

And I blacked out.