Choices (Narry) **EDITING**

Chapter One: Eyes

*Niall's POV*

*Three years later*

"To good fortune," Zayn announces to our small group in which everyone has their drinks raised.

"To choosing the right pill," Louis calls out. We all chuckle and take sips of our beers.

I look around at our little group, eyes shining at the friends I have made. Zayn Malik, who has onyx hair, styled high on his head and he has chocolate brown eyes that capture everything in the room. Many tattoos cover his thin frame, making him the bad boy of our group. Louis Tomlinson, the funny one, with the brown feather-like hair and his night sky eyes. He has fewer tattoos than Zayn, but there are still plenty that cover his slightly smaller body. Lastly, I look at Liam Payne. He pretends to take a sip of his drink, not being much of a drinker. His brown eyes still sparkle with laughter as Louis rubs his short bronze hair.

I chug the rest of my beer before looking at my three best friends in turn. Slamming my empty beer bottle onto the table in front of us, I push my chair back and stand.

"That's enough for me boys," I say as I put my coat on.

"What are you talking about?" Louis asks astonished, "The Niall Horan doesn't just quit after one beer!"

Zayn agrees with him and tries to shove another beer into my hand. I decline with a grin.

"No thanks. If you guys know what's best for ya you'd stop too. First day of work tomorrow," I suggest as Liam stands and starts to put on his coat also.

"Not you too Payne," Zayn yells out disappointed.

"Roommates remember?" he replies gesturing to me, "Besides, we'll see you both tomorrow at the job."

"Yeah, the job," Louis mutters.

"Don't act like you're not excited Lou," I laugh, ruffling his hair.

Louis swats my hands away before breaking into a grin. They shout obscene things at us in a joking manner as Liam and I make our way out of the bar. As soon as I step foot out of the tavern, I pull my coat closer around myself. Liam and I begin our trek to the monorail station. My eyes flicker over the town. The shops, lit up with neon lights, the big electronic billboards, sitting on almost every building telling you to upgrade this or buy that. Buildings tower over us and disappear into the night sky. Homeless ranging from eighteen to eighty litter the street, having chosen the wrong pill. They jump out of our way as we walk.

Liam and I stay close - arms brushing occasionally - so that none of them try anything. We pass alleys where they have garbage burning in a trash can, standing around it for warmth on this chilly night. It is definitely better walking in a group than alone at night.

"Can you believe this? All that's happened in just one year?" Liam asks as we press our thumbs against the electronic pads. The machine scans my print and after choosing a destination it spits out my ticket. The sliding doors open and I walk with Liam down to the lower deck.

"No, I really can't," I reply.

It is true. The past year has been great. After taking my pill, my life changed drastically. I was accepted to one of the best schools in New London. There I met my three best friends and we all graduated together. We all didn't want to leave each other, so Liam and I bought a flat together and Lou and Zayn did the same. We didn't live too far apart from each other, they moved in a few buildings over. We had all managed to get jobs together at the same building. Creating new pills and working the bugs out of other pills. I could already tell that it is going to be hard and grueling work, but it would all be worth it in the end.

"Niall," Liam calls, snapping me out of my memories, "You coming?"

Whilst thinking about my year, the monorail had arrived. It wasn't going to wait long and I sure as hell knew from past experiences that it wasn't going to wait for me.

I hop on and the door shuts behind me. Liam and I stand, holding gently onto the bar above our heads as the train smoothly edges forward. Not many people are on the train tonight, most having cars or already at home, it being Sunday night.

"Are you listening to me Niall?" Liam asks - pushing me one again from my thoughts - as he nudges my shoulder.

"Yeah," I sigh, running my hands through my hair timidly, "Just thinking about tomorrow."

"Excited?" Liam asks, eyes shining bright.

"Excited, nervous, anxious, you name it I feel it," I admit to the soft-eyed lad.

"Don't worry Nialler," Liam says, clapping me on the shoulder and giving me a soft smile, "Things have a way of working themselves out," he winks.

"Thanks Li," I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes at his destiny joke, "It's just - what if I mess up or something happens?"

"Ni, somewhere, someone has planned our lives out for us, and it is going well so far. Why would someone want to mess this up for you? You're the last person that deserves to be hurt," Liam says sincere.

"Well what if they were having a bad day? They came to work angry and they planned for something bad to happen to me? It doesn't just take one day to make the pills Li," I tell him.

"That's just it Niall," Liam says as the train gently comes to a stop. We both exit the train and find our way up the stairs.

"It's spur of the moment. We don't know what's going to happen and we can't dwell on it or we'll go crazy with worry. Besides, they don't plan every second of everyday for us, only the major decisions, the rest are up to us."

"Where did you learn all of this?" I ask with mock suspiciousness.

"College Nialler, did you even pay attention at all?" Liam asks with a smile.

"Why pay attention when I had you to do all of my work for me?" I shoot back with a smirk.

"Touché," Liam laughs.

We fall into a comfortable silence as we walk the last few blocks to our flat. Liam and I live on the edge of town in one of the newer complexes. There are more homeless than in the city I feel because we have the nice places, so they might be able to get some change out of us. We avert our eyes as we pass a group of rough looking bums. I pray that they don't try anything.

"Do you think that Lou and Zayn are still at the bar?" I ask, picking up the conversation again.

"I reckon they left shortly after us," Liam replies, "They're smarter than that."

I snort and we both laugh; they would get drunk any other night but they most likely wouldn't with their first day of work ever tomorrow.

The streetlamps are spreading more and more apart as we near our building. I spot a few homeless gathered around a burning trashcan. I know that we have to pass them, but I always feel awkward doing it, I feel bad for them. There are three of them, I notice before lowering my gaze to the ground.

"Spare change?" one gruffly calls.

I stay silent but glance up. I really shouldn't have because I am met with the most breath-taking green eyes.