That was the summer I met Niall

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Go, Ava.” Sarah said, as she stopped the car outside my beach house.

I jumped out and ran down the driveway. I picked up speed as my legs got used to moving again. We had been driving all through the night and day. I ran to the front side of the lawn, squinting into the sun that was setting.

The house was closed and dark. The windows were shut tight and not a sound drifted down onto the empty lawn that was once filled with fold-out chairs and towels. It was weird hearing no sound after, just a week ago, I was filled with so much joy.

I began to think of the purpose and turned towards the beach, jogging down the path.

As I ran along the familiar beach I allowed myself to think again about the day before after the song aired for the first time on the radio.

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We all sat in silence after the radio announcer had played the song and continued talking about regular competitions and on-air games. I looked around to see that everyone had tears streaming down their faces. I swallowed and looked at everyone, before beginning to speak quietly.

“You were right,” I said, looking at Sarah, then back at the room as a whole. “I shouldn’t have left. Niall lives in a world where everyone thinks they know him! I called him a liar, I said he was deceitful, a coward, but really I’m the coward! I behaved in a way that is ten times worse than people who think they know him. I know him better than anyone, and I left him. I left him without an explanation or reason and I hate myself for it…”I felt my Mom’s hand soothingly rub my back and it urged me to continue.

“I thought that he kept the whole thing a secret, but really, I never asked! I wish I could take it all back.” I finished, sighing quietly.

“You can’t take it back, Ava.” My Dad said finally, breaking the silence. “But you can fix it.”

I looked up at him, wiping a tear away with the back of my hand.

“How?”

My parents exchanged glances and I watched as my Mom gave a simple nod to my Dad who turned back to me.

“Go.”

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My heart was beating a mile a minute as I ran up the path of the front stairs and onto the porch, knocking on the already open door.

“Ava?”

I saw Sam appear from inside. He had on baggies and a black vest and was sporting quite a bad sunburn.

“Sam, I need a favor!” I said, rushing to get the words out of my mouth.

“I thought you had gone home?”

“I did, but I came back. I need to speak to Niall, its important! Is he here?” I asked, fidgeting with my clothes as I spoke in a hurry.

“He’s not, Ava.” Sam said, looking genuinely sorry.

“What do you mean he’s not? He said he was leaving on the 21st!” I almost shouted, getting extremely panicked.

Sam laughed quickly before answering.

“He is here; just he’s not in right now. I don’t know where he is, honestly , he’s spent the last week in his room and God-knows where, he keeps disappearing somewhere. He’s broken, Av.”

“I think I know where he is! Thanks, Sam.” I shout over my shoulder as I ran down the stairs and across the lawn.

“Oh, and Ava.”

I stop quickly and looked back at him. He was smiling gently.

“You heard the song, didn’t you?”

I smiled back and nodded before running back onto the beach to find Niall.

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I was out of breath by the time I reached the boardwalk but kept running. I stopped first at the ice-cream shop, pausing as I scanned the room. No Niall.

I carried on running to the old 80’s restaurant, he wasn’t around there either.

Past the cotton candy store I waved breathlessly at the man I had come to know well over the course of the summer.

I glanced at the place where Niall had won me Fynn the dolphin and I frantically searched through the crowd infront of the rollercoaster Niall took Ava on.

Standing breathless and feeling helpless I stopped. Looking around, my breath caught in my throat. I was standing in the very place we met when he invited me to the July 4th bonfire. I felt tears begin to flow and I ignored the look of concern from the people around me. I was tired, frustrated and had lost all hope.

“Darling.”

I looked up to where the voice was coming from, wiping the tears away I met with the eyes of the man at the cotton candy machine.

Without a word he jerked his head gently to the side before bending down and taking the order of a little girl, a small smile on his face.

I looked to where he had gestured and smiled. The fishing pier. I took off running down the beach to the pier Niall and I had jumped off in our underwear. It was empty as it was just getting dark and all I could hear was my feet hitting the wooden boards.

I slowed down as I saw Niall standing exactly how he had stood the last time we were here, staring out at the calm sea.

My legs were shaking from the running but also at the thought of him right infront of me.

“That spot you’re looking at is where I said ‘I love you’ to someone for the first time in my life.” I said. My voice was cracking as I spoke softly.

Niall swung around and I will never forget the look on his face as long as I’m alive. A mixture of surprise, relief, happiness, sadness, anger, all at once and I took a small step forward.

“I came here his summer with the excitement of going home, but from the moment you collided with me that night on the boardwalk, July 3rd, something inside of me knew. When I left home I had never been the type to swim in the ocean, at night, in my underwear, with a boy. I’d never been the type to sleep on the roof, because I didn’t want to be separated from someone. But then I met you, Niall. I met you and everything changed, and it took me a few short weeks to fall madly inlove with you. What you did was wrong, but what I did was wrong too. I shouldn’t have run away. I shouldn’t have left you, but I was confused and angry with finding out the way I did, so I did something stupid, which is natural for me,” I added, laughing through tears. “I ran away. I ran away from the love of my life. Yes, Niall, the love of my life. I love you and I’m sorry.” I finished, breathlessly.

I looked at Niall properly for the first time since I had started speaking. His eyes were filled with tears as he took a small step towards me, then suddenly he had his hands on my face and kissed me. It was filled with passion and words he wanted to say but couldn’t. I pulled away after a few seconds and smiled at him.

“Av,” he whispered. “Do you want to do something crazy?”

I grinned in response before kicking off my shoes.