Unwonted (Niall Horan)

Chapter 19 ~ Phoebe

Chapter 19 ― Phoebe

I’ve learnt something and I feel like banging my head against the closest wall just because I was so dumb I didn’t realise it before. None of us did, but it was so evident from the beginning. I can’t believe we didn’t notice. Now I look at Phebs and it’s like her face is screaming her feelings at us.

Yeah, Phebs fancies Liam. And I don’t mean like a simply wee crush. No, she really, really fancies him.

Alex told us how much Phebs is hurting because Liam doesn’t feel the same way, because he has Danielle and now that Liam’s girlfriend is back, poor Phebs looks like she’s in agony. I feel terrible for her although I have nothing to do with this and it’s no one’s fault, but still, I wish I could do something. Phebs is such a sweet girl, so caring and nice; she would never do anything to hurt another person or to make them uncomfortable. She doesn’t even want Liam to know because she knows he would feel guilty and their friendship would be over.

Unrequited love sucks.

Seeing Phebs so sad and desperate to run away when Liam and Danielle are together makes me appreciate even more that Alex is with me, that she picked me… and it also makes me pity Zayn. I know he is doing his best to forget about Alex and he would never try to steal her from me, but I feel bad because I have what he wants but can’t have. Just like Phebs can’t have Liam.

I’ve never felt luckier than now, when I can see how horrible it would be to love Alex this way but not being with her because she loves someone else. I’ve never been more grateful for how things happened for the two of us. Thinking about losing her kills me inside; I can’t ever bear the thought. I know that I have to keep her close and never let her go. Never.

The next morning when I wake up I’m still thinking of Phebs and wondering if Alex is already awake. We only have one week of tour left and I know that once her classes start I’ll barely see her, so I wanna make the little time we have left count. That’s why I text her and once she texts me back, I go to her room right when Phebs is in the shower.

“Morning,” I tell her noticing how she is in her PJ, her hair all messy, her cheeks rosy and her eyes squinty, telling me she is still a bit sleepy. “You look lovely,” I add because it’s true, she looks adorable, although she rolls her eyes at my words.

“Liar, but I appreciate the gesture,” she says and I smile. “Come in. Phebs is in the shower and I’m waiting. How long have you been up?”

“A bit more than half an hour,” I answer, walking behind her and stepping forward to wrap my arms around her waist and hug her against my chest. “Why didn’t you tell us before about Phebs? We could’ve done something,” I ask her as we keep walking together.

“Like what? You can’t tell Liam about this and the only solution we could think of was not coming with you on tour,” she replies as we take seat on her bed. “Phebs decided she could handle all this awkwardness for us. I guess you should thank her that we are here with you. She’s stronger than she seems.”

I nod understanding perfectly what she means. It’s because of Phebs’ courage that the girls came with us, that Alex came and I could get closer to her. If Phebs had said no, nothing of this could’ve happened.

“Then I guess I owe her that we’re together now,” I say and I feel like I should hug Phebs in that moment and thank her for being so strong. I saw her eyes last night, the way she looked at Danielle and Liam and I could even feel her pain.

After a short little while, Phebs steps out of the bathroom, looking absolutely lovely. “Hi there,” she greets me and I nod, thinking that a girl so beautiful and lovely as Phebs needs someone who can love her unconditionally. It’s a shame that that person can’t be Liam, though. “Are all the others ready?”