Pinky Promise

Chapter 22

Louis is turning 22 tomorrow. Coincidence? I think not!

The tears come back, and I try and silence them by biting my lip hard enough to draw blood. Niall rubs my back soothingly.

"You won't. She's been such a big part of your life that it's impossible to forget."

"I hope you're right." I sigh and close my eyes, listening to his heartbeat.

BRINLEY'S POV

When I wake up, Niall's arm is draped around my stomach. I tentatively climb out of his embrace and peer out the window. We're still at the hospital. My phone reads, 7:20 - there's still time to get to school. I take the keys from Niall's pocket and climb over the seats. With the sound of the engine roaring to life Niall wakes up.

"Hell no." He grumbles, joining me in passenger.

"Too late."

The events from last night flood my memory and for a second, I forget where I am and what matters. Niall's annoying voice fills my ears before I can dive off the deep end however.

"You alright?" He asks softly, as if he's afraid.

"No. But I will be." I answer truthfully. To busy myself from Wesley's immenent death, I think of everything I have to get done. "Math test, vocabulary test, science exam, and history power point." I tick everything off on my fingers.

"Seems simple enough." He says, smirking.

"Hardly." I pull into the school parking lot. "We have about," I check the time on the stereo, "fifteen minutes until my second period starts. It's too late to even try first."

"What's second period?"

"My vocabulary test."

"Here, I'll help you. I say a definition and you say the word."

I nod.

"Um okay." He says, thinking. "Got it! A word describing an excessively talkative ... " He hesitates, "or irritating person, who, despite being told to shut up constantly, continues to talk as if no one said so." He smirks.

"Annoying?" I ask.

He smiles, "You got it!"

NIALL'S POV

I look down on her, and in this moment, I realize that I love her. Not like some sappy teen romance, but I love her. She's the only person who has given me a chance in life, and it's refreshing being around such honesty. It just sucks that it took Wesley's declining health for me to realize it. I wish Wesley could've been here to let me tell her, but in the back of my mind I think she already knew.

"Alright next one."

I pull her closer to me, but she pulls back a little so we're facing each other sitting indian style. I grab a lock of her hair and twist it around my fingers, not looking at her.

"The most spectacular, indescribable, deep euphoric feeling for someone. You always want to be with the other person, and when you're not, you're thinking about being together because you need the other and without them your life is incomplete. An unconditional affection with no limits or conditions. It's when you trust the other with your life and when you would do anything for each other." I say softly, second - guessing my words.

I look up at the sound of her gasp. She has a slight smile on her face, but other than that she's a closed book. She climbs into my lap then shifts so her back is flush against my chest, our legs in a pile. I kiss her shoulder, and whisper these words against her skin.