Flame (A Niall Horan FanFiction)

Chapter Three

He walked up the stairs to the platform, not breaking his momentum. Once he made his way behind the stand, he took a deep breath, carefully inhaling and exhaling.

"Hi, I'm Niall. The son of Maura and Bobby and the proud brother of Greg. Well, this is a wee bit awkward for me, as I don't know a damn thing about speeches... I guess I'm just not the lad who breaks down crying in front of a hundred people. I'm the lad who tries to remain strong, like my father taught me. There was a time when my parents didn't come home. I was six years old then, so I was fearful that they'd have died of an accident. I was basically bawling my eyes out, but then I heard the door open, and my dad popped into my room. He asked me what was wrong, and I told him my assumption of how I thought him and mum died. He started laughing at me, but moments later he told me, 'Niall, dying is a way of life. There is no way of stopping it, and there is no way of knowing when it'll happen. Although we won't know when that will happen, we best be prepared. Soon, me, Maura, or even Greg, are gonna die of God knows what! But you've got to remain strong! You've got to keep yourself going no matter what happens alright?' I promised him that night, that I would indeed remain strong. But I guess, this is the first time I broke a promise."

Niall's speech ended with a tear escaping his eye. He brushed it away angrily, as if the tear had betrayed him. Marching down the steps, he bolted to the back of the tent, not wanting anyone to see his weakness.

I was moved by his speech. He truly was a sensitive guy on the inside. I, too, made my way to the back of the tent. I looked like a stalker, eyeing his every move.

He seated himself beside the row of food and hid his face with his hands.

"Hey," I said softly.

Niall looked up, his eyes red. "Oh, hi."

"That was quite a moving speech up there," I told him.

"Thanks, the same would be said for you," I blushed. I wasn't used to being given compliments.

"So what're you doing back here?" I asked.

"I just came out here to grab a bite, food relieves me of my worries," he said, grabbing a chocolate muffin.

"I wish I knew a way to relieve my worries," I muttered.

"You'll find a way don't worry," he said, not taking his eyes off the muffin in his hands.

"Well, I better go, see you around?"

He waved me a farewell as I returned to my seat, listening to more emotional speeches.

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After the last person had gone up and talked, the pastor came out. "We will now be heading to the grass area for the burial. Please take all your belongings with you as we will set up for the lunch."

Everyone, including me, got off their seats and followed the pastor. We arrived at a place covered in coffins. Everywhere I looked, there was a brown or a black coffin, and next to it was a hole, dug big enough to fit the coffin.

We stood around the first one and watched as the family placed valuable belongings beside their dead family member. After everything was inside the coffin, the pastor shut it closed, and two muscular men cranked a pulley with which brought up the coffin and fell in the hole. The family was devastated, the look of despair fresh on their faces as the soil covered the wooden box which held their loved one.

One by one, the families went, and soon, my turn came. I didn't bring a valuable, because I was too selfish. I wanted to remember my parents so I kept their items. What a foolish thing for me to do.

The pastor closed the coffins beholding my parents and the method was the same with the pulley. I was proud of myself. No tear managed to escape during the scene.

Niall went next, and he put in a mini soccer ball for his brother, a silver gold necklace for his mother, and a Malachite rock for his father. Not one tear escaped his eyes as his family got buried.

Once all the burials were done, we got told to find a table and prepare ourselves for lunch.

I looked around the tent, trying to find someone I could be compatible with, when my eyes landed on him.

Making my way towards his table, I almost tripped on my shoe lace, but regained my balance before I made a fool out of myself.

"Uhm, is this seat taken?" I asked, holding the plastic white chair in front of me.

"Nope," Niall answered.

I sat in the chair beside him.

"So tell me your story," he said, cancelling the silent vibe.

"What do you mean my story?" I asked.

"Why didn't you put anything in your mother's or your father's coffin?"

I debated whether I'd keep it to myself.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I was a bit selfish. I wanted to hold on to their belongings. I didn't want to let go just yet," I admitted. "What's your story? The soccer ball, the bird, and the rock?"

"Well, Greg was the one to teach me football when I was a kid. That small foot ball was what he gave me when I was a toddler. Ever since then, I'd been fascinated by the sport. The bird necklace was what I bought for my mom when I was in Toronto looking for a job. She told me 'You've got to put yourself out there! You've got to show the world what you're capable of! You've got to fly free!' Which is where I got the idea for the bird. And for the rock, it reminded me to stay strong, just like my father always taught me," Niall said, deep in thought as if he were trying to remember his childhood.

"Oh, that's very touching," I said.

Niall chuckled, "Ye, indeed it is."

The waiter came and served us our food, and we devoured it, creating a silence where you could hear the tiniest bit of a rain drop.

Once we were done our meal, we thanked the pastor, said a good bye and went our ways. I walked to the front gate, taking my phone out of my pocket.

"Hello? Josh? Can you give me a ride back home?" I asked politely.

"Uhh, sorry, no can do, I'm at Melissa's party right now, and nothing is ever gonna get me to leave!" Great, the time I'm being nice, the time he puts me down.

I gave out a frustrated sigh as a hung up on him.

"Having troubles there?" I turned around and found Niall.

"Nope! Everything is perfectly fine!" I lied, faking a smile.

"I over heard your conversation and I take it that you need a ride?" He asked.

"Yeah," I said glumly.

"Well, what if I gave you one?" He offered.

Quickly, I shook my head, "No, no! That's alright! I'll just get another friend?"

"Nah, that's not needed, besides, this would be my way of thanking you for that meal at Red Lobster," Niall opened the door to his car.

Sighing, I nodded, "Thank you so much!"

He shrugged, "No thanking necessary, and happy eighteenth birthday by the way!"

I was alone in the car with a stranger, heading to my house. What a perfect way to start my adulthood.