One More Night (Niall Horan)

Chapter Thirty: Welcome Home

(AN: INFO ABOUT MY NEXT STORY AT THE BOTTOM)

It took a month. One whole month until I was deemed fit to actually live for myself, with a new head on my shoulders and a clearer outlook on my life, and those people that were in it.

I felt blessed, that I could leave that place and know for certain that I’d never be in a mess like the one I was in before I left. I felt free, released of any prior commitments that I had before my entrance to rehab. I was forever going to be grateful to that place, the place itself just gave me a feeling of safety, yet even as I left with my bag of few clothes, I felt safe, like nothing could ever make me into that person that I was before I went into rehab. I was free, like the birds inked onto my shoulder, just as I always had wanted to be.

The idea of being this… free. It was almost as if I was dreaming, how could this be possible? I’d never felt like this before, never in my life, or not as long as I had remembered.

But of course, all this came at a cost.

Niall.

He’s the cost of my new-found freedom.

When I get to the reception, Tamia is there waiting for me, the only person left for me now.

The old Lennox would whine, but new Lennox was sad, yet she understand clearly why Tamia was the only one there for her, and as I hugged Tamia, I was glad that at least I still had all her support, she was turning into my best friend, I completely forgive her for any wrongdoings in the past, and I love her for coming forwards and telling everyone as she did. She knew she’d lose Harry, she knew she’d lose all of our friends, but I hope for her that everyone will realise her kind-hearted personality, to see her for her true self and will accept her back again.

“How does it feel?” She asks, we were stuck in the usual London city-traffic, and she finally spoke to me about rehab, I had almost felt like it was a veto subject to never be spoken about again.

“Uplifting.” I tell her, honestly and with the uplifting happiness that I do truly feel. “I feel free Tam, everything that has happened in the past, it doesn’t matter anymore! The only thing that can stop me now is death itself!”

“Don’t talk like that, or you’ll jinx yourself.” Tamia teases and I throw my head back in laughter, the laughter that seemed so foreign to me in the old days. “But, do you really feel this free?”

“I do not lie, Tamia Foxhall. I feel this free.” I joke back, my voice light just as my heart felt. Light. Despite the heartbreak that I’m suffering.

It’s very strange to me. I should be feeling one thing, but I feel another.

I lost Niall; I lost the love of my life to a little girl. Yet, here I was, no tears running down my cheeks, no aching in my chest. I am heartbroken, yet still so very happy.

“You are so happy.” Tamia sighs. “I wish I could be as happy as you.”

“And you will be. Once you and Harry get back together.” She tears her eyes away from the road to give me a reprimanding look, but I merely wink back at her. “It will happen! The love that he had for you won’t just go away after some silly mistakes you’ve made. Niall forgave me after I got married! If he can forgive me for that, and I can forgive you for your past mistakes, so can Harry.” I pause. “But please, Tam, I’m dying to know. Did you talk to Niall?”

She sighs, her eyes still on the road ahead, and then she bites her head as if she were nervous. Clearly, things did not go as well as I wished it had. As every day goes by, I wish that it could be true more and more.