Like Before (Niall Horan)

Chapter Twenty-Three: Driving Myself Insane

Niall called me over and over. He called me every possible chance he got and honestly it was getting annoying. 

He called me in the morning before I left for school. 

He called me during my lunch period. 

He called me while I was in my car going from school to work.

He called me as I got out of work.

He even called me to say good night every single night. 

Every chance he got, he called. I didn't answer until three days had gone by and he was still calling. "Its really hard to stop thinking about you when you're always calling me."

"I don't want you to stop thinking about me. I want you to realize we're meant for each other."

"Niall we aren't though." Who was I to say that? How was I supposed to know who was meant for whom? Besides, I couldn't say I didn't have feelings for him, because I still do. I probably always will, especially if he still calls me all the time.

"Alix, we don't have to do this. Just tell me what happened and I can fix it."

"Niall, you can't fix everything! Some things are just meant to break and we can't fix this. We just can't be together."

"Why not?"

"Because, just like fire and gasoline, all we would ever do is explode!" I tried to reason with him but he just sighed.

"Alix, we're people. We're meant to explode sometimes. I can't stop thinking about you. Please. I'll be there in five days and we can talk about all of this. I love you."

"Niall, don't. I can't do this. I can't be with you and all your fans. They don't like me."

"I don't care what they like."

"Niall, I have to go. You shouldn't call me or try talking to me again. When you come for my birthday, we shouldn't talk and we shouldn't be together. Its whats meant to happen." I told him.

"Alix, you're making a mistake."

"Let me make my mistakes then." I told him and hung up. I waited for my phone to light up again and when it didn't I curled up onto my pillow. Maybe he had to go somewhere.

***************

The days kept going even if my world had stopped spinning. Even if everything about my life was falling apart, the days kept going.

I got up for school and went through the motions. I had finished my draft for graduation, since I had to show it to Mr. Anderson today. It probably wasn't as good as he was hoping but I honestly couldn't write anything better if I tried, at least not right now.

He was waiting for me in his classroom after school had ended. "Hey Mr. Anderson. I have my draft."

"Alix, yes come in. Let me just finish this test quickly. I'm almost done, have a seat." He gestured at the chair across from him at his desk and I sat down and pulled out my draft. Mr. Anderson was reading over answers and chewing on his red pen. Every now and then he would take it from his mouth to mark something on the paper he was reading.

I looked down at my draft, patiently waiting to hand it to my teacher for him to read. I read over the first few lines in my head, and shockingly it didn't sound too bad. At least not to my own ears.

"Alright, lets hear it." Mr. Anderson brought me out of my thoughts.

"Hear it?" I asked.

"Yeah. Lets get you ready to read it in front of the fifteen hundred plus people that will be at graduation."