Like Before (Niall Horan)

Chapter Twenty-Six: Get My Hopes Up

Tia had made Louis sit on one side of her with me on the other, then Niall next to me on the aisle seat. Zayn sat in the row in front of us beside Jaesin who was in front of Louis, then Liam in front of Tia, Steph in front of me, and Harry in front of Niall. Steph turned to me and gave me a sympathetic smile before turning back and cuddling into Harry. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Niall staring straight ahead, like he was afraid to make any sort of eye contact with anyone and I sighed. It was my fault that things had gotten so bad between us. I never should have ended things between us just because his fans intimidated me. 

I pulled my legs up to my chest on the seat and hugged them to me. It was really chilly in the theatre and I wish I had of changed out of shorts. We were watching some movie called Epic, since it was the only little kid movie that was playing at the moment and we had Tia with us. I wasn't a big fan of animated movies so I mostly just sat there blankly staring at the screen. I honestly couldn't even tell you what the movie was about because I was just thinking about how close Niall was to me and yet how far away we were from each other. I couldn't even turn to see if he was enjoying the movie because I wasn't ready to see his unaffected face.

My mind kept racing about everything that was happening. I couldn't even focus on the movie to distract myself because all I could feel is Niall right next to me, hurt and mad all because of me. I couldn't even blame his fans because of their jealousy, this was my fault. I'm the one who actually ended things. He was right, the only way they won was if we gave up on each other, and thats exactly what I had done. I gave up because things were getting difficult. Even though Niall told me he loved me and I knew he meant it, I gave up. I gave in to all his fans who didn't want us together.

I leaned forward to Steph. "I'll be right back. I need to get some air." I whispered in her ear. She turned her head and looked at me.

"Do you want me to come with you?" She asked and I shook my head looking down at the tangled mess of her arm within Harry's and their legs wrapped around each other.

"I'll be okay." I told her and stood, "excuse me." I whispered to Niall and he looked at me funny before sliding his legs to one side to let me out. He took my wrist into his hand and I looked down at him. His face held a questioning gaze and I pulled my wrist away, trying to calmly run before I broke down from all my thoughts and the feelings swarming my mind.

Breaking out of the theatre we were in and grasping around my stomach I just let out a big breath. There was a bench to the side of the hall and I sat down for a second before hearing the door open again.

"Alix?" The Irish accent almost broke my heart even more.

"I'll be right there." I called out but he came around the corner and saw me.

"Are you alright?" He asked me and I nodded. "Are you sure? You're not looking so good." 

"I'm fine." I told him. "Just a little stressed out is all." I gave him my best fake smile but it wasn't fooling him. He came and sat beside me. "Really, just go enjoy the movie."

"Do you think I was even paying attention?" He asked me. I shrugged at him. "I think we were set up a little, don't you?" He chuckled, but the sound was humorless."I didn't plan that." I looked at him.

"I know. I think that was all Tia on her own. She kept trying to talk me into coming early to make up with you because you were sad. Those are her words just so you know." I didn't know whether to be happy or sad that he had just told me that. Happy because Tia cared enough to try to make him come back. Or sad that he chose not to.

"I think we should go back in before they get worried about us." I told Niall. His eyebrows pulled together and then softened before he nodded and stood up. He didn't put his hand out to me, just waited for me to stand. He held the door for me back into the theatre and we sat down together. Steph turned and looked at me and I shook my head at her. This was not the place for this conversation.