Climbing the Walls (a Niall Horan love story)

Chapter 27

Chapter 27






*Haley's P.O.V.*

"Haley!" Louis called from the hall away. I opened my eyes groggily, the sudden light from my phone blinding me as I checked the time. 10:26 A.M. I closed my eyes and snuggled back into my pillow, burrowing my face in Niall's sweatshirt.

"Haley!" he repeated, bursting through my bedroom door. I groaned, just wanting my sleep.

"Leave a message at the beep. Beep," I responded emotionlessly into my pillow.

"Haley," he repeated sternly. Oh god, he was serious. Lou was barely ever serious. Why was he being serious? His wasn't good. I rolled over and forced my eyelids to open as I looked up at him in semi-conscious confusion. His ocean eyes were full of worry, and he immediately had my undivided attention.

"What's wrong?" I demanded, a thousand different terrible scenarios flying through my mind as I anxiously awaited his reply.
"It's Niall," he said, frowning. His eyes looked as though a tornado had crushed his usual peppiness. "He's gone. We've got no idea where he is, and he left his phone in his room." His words woke me up like a bucket of cold water. Niall was missing? Oh god, what have I done?

"He left a note in Liam's room. It said that only you would know where he was, and that he would only come back if he came back with you in his arms." He looked at me desperately with begging blue eyes. My heart raced and I automatically knew where he was.

"Well, if we're getting back together I better take a quick shower," I grumbled, forcing my muscles to work as I swung my legs out of bed and stumbled towards the bathroom. Louis' face brightened at my statement. And, in all honesty, so did my heart.

"Please hurry, lord knows the boy can't go more than a few hours without food," he said before leaving my room. "Not that he's been eating much lately, anyway," he muttered. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to hear it, but I did. I entered the bathroom, turning on the water. I dared to look in the mirror, afraid of the monster that would be looking back at me. Oh god. My makeup was stained in faded and smudged black waterfalls on my cheeks and my hair looked almost like a rat's nest. I forced a brush through it before hopping under the hot water. The shower actually helped a lot, and I tried my best to be quick. I was out in ten minutes and I ran over to my closet, barely seeing what I was throwing on. I just put on a random tank top, slipping Niall's sweatshirt on over it. I didn't bother to do my makeup, I just scrunched my hair, slipped on some socks and sneakers, knowing flats or flip flops would be a bad idea for my destination, and headed downstairs.

The boys were downstairs, along with Dani, Derek, Michelle, and Sydney. Liam was pacing and Sydney was trying her best to comfort him. I felt horrible. I knew how much Niall meant to all of them, especially Liam, and now he was missing. And I was my entire fault. They looked at me curiously as I exited through the back door, but I didn't look back. I just weaved my way through the trees, trying to remember the way.

Apparently I'm good at remembering, because after about ten minutes I arrived at the meadow. My heart sank when I saw that the clearing was empty. Where was he? I wondered desperately, falling to my knees in the center of the circle of grass. As if to answer my thoughts, guitar strings started strumming mysteriously from somewhere along the perimeter of trees that lined the meadow. The sound was coming from my right, and my head flicked in the direction it was coming from. Niall emerged from the shadows, as if some sort of magical creature, staring at me with hope gleaming in his blue eyes under the sunlight.

I sighed, letting out a breath of relief as tears of joys sparkled up in my eyes. My heart clenched as he got closer and realized what song he was playing. He stayed a cautious five feet away as he started singing a song from my favorite musical in the world.

"Without you the ground thaws. The rain falls. The grass grows. Without you the seeds root. The flowers bloom. The children play. The stars gleam. The poets dream. The eagles fly without you. The earth turns. The sun burns. But I die without you."

I looked up at him, my tear-brimmed brown eyes wide as he captivated me with his voice and his words. Tears were now glistening in his perfect blue orbs as he dared to take two steps closer.

"Without you the breeze warms. The girl smiles. The cloud moves. Without you the tides change. The boys run. The oceans crash. The crowds roar. The days soar. The babies cry without you. The moon glows. The river flows. But I die without you."

He was standing over me now, and he slung his guitar over his shoulder and held out his hand. I took it, shaking as he helped me up.

"Life goes on. But I'm gone. 'Cause I die without you,"

I sang hoarsely through choked back cries, placing my hands on his chest as he held me lightly at the waist. His blue eyes were bigger than I had ever seen them, and their glossiness made me want to kiss it all better. But he just had to go and talk, so I couldn't.

"I'm so sorry. It literally kills me to know that I caused you so much pain. If you don't love me, I don't want to ever love again. You changed something inside of me, Haley. You're not just any old ordinary girl. You're special. You're the one. And I can't believe I let the magic we had slip thanks to a little alcohol. I hate myself for doing that to you. I broke my promise. I-I can't live with myself, I need you. You're my reason to smile, and now I went and broke your heart. You don't deserve any of the bull shit you've put up with, Haley. You're too beautiful, pure, and perfect. I love you, only you, more than anyone will ever be able to understand, more than I understand. I haven't felt this horrible since my parents divorced. I just need you to know that you've changed my life for the better, and now that you're a part of me I'll never be able to let go of you. You're more than the princess I've been waiting for my entire life, you're an angel. I love you and only you, god I'm such an idiot. All I can say is I lo-"

I couldn't take his rambling anymore. It shattered my heart to know he felt so horrible. Didn't he know I forgave him and all I wanted was to lie in his arms forever? I crashed my lips into his, shutting him up as I kissed with all the passion in my heart. He stood there or a moment, shocked, but then he snaked his arms around my waist and kissed me back. Tears were streaming down my cheeks, trickling down to our lips. Neither of us cared. There they were, the explosions my lips had been begging for. It was clear neither of us ever wanted this moment to end, but people have to breathe. I pulled away slightly, panting as I leaned my forehead against his.

"So," he gasped. "I take it you forgive me?" I giggled and pecked him once more.

"I forgave you as soon as I heard the explanation," I admitted. "I was just scared and stubborn." We both smiled as I quoted the conversation I had overheard. I helped Niall slip his guitar off and lay next to him on the lush emerald grass.

"Never leave me," he murmured against my cheek.
"Okay," I responded simply, rolling on top of him and kissing him again. At first his soft lips were just grazing mine, giving me teasing little sparks, but eventually the kiss deepened and the bombs started bursting. I ran my fingers through his blonde locks, knowing that he loved that. He twirled my damp curls around his fingers with one hand, the other on the small of my back, pressing me to him. As if I was going anywhere. We both took little gasps of air here and there, but we didn't dare break the kiss. I was lightheaded and dizzy after a few minutes, his kisses affecting me like drugs. Wait, minutes? Then I realized. Woah, we're making out, aren't we?

This wasn't a first for me, but it was the first time I welcomed it. Hell, I was past welcoming it; I was craving it, begging for it. And Niall seemed to be happily granting me my wish.

"I love you," I sighed against his lips, panting as though I had just run a fucking marathon. Now that I had lost him and gotten him back, I knew that I truly wouldn't be able to live without this boy.

"I don't want to go back," he whined. It dawned on me that the others were probably still worried sick, their worry probably growing at the lack of my return as well. I smiled down at him and pecked him lightly.

"We shouldn't worry them much longer," I sighed, getting up. He frowned at me from his place on the ground, propping himself up on his elbows. Oh god, why must he torture me so? All I wanted to do was cuddle with him and kiss him until we died in each others' arms because we didn't get enough air. But I pictured Liam pacing, the urgency and concern in Louis' voice and eyes. And that was enough to make me grab Niall's hand and pull him up.

"They're really worried. And besides, we can always continue back at the house," I smiled, leading him out of the meadow towards the house. He smiled at me adorably and followed.
"Wait," he said. I turned around and looked at him quizzically. "I said in then note that I wouldn't come back in unless you were in my arms," he stated. I rolled my eyes, but smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck as he lifted me bridal style.

"Much better," he smiled, continuing on.

When we entered through the back door, smiling like idiots, everyone was as we left them. "Well you guys seemed to be having a very fun day," Niall smiled jokingly as we walked into the living room. They all looked up with huge grins plastered on their faces.
"Niall!" they chorused. He slipped me off his shoulders gently as we all enveloped him in a gigantic ten people group hug. I loved this; everything was back the way it should be. And this time I would guard the perfection with everything I had.


*Derek's P.O.V.*

Today was the day. I was meeting up with Zayn's friend, Jesse. I wasn't quite sure what it was, but that name just struck a chord with me. You know when you see, hear, or even smell something and you get hit by this sudden wave of nostalgia, but you have no idea what exactly you're being reminded of? It was exactly like that. I tried to shake it off, though.


I looked in the mirror, flipping my chestnut hair to the side as I examined my outfit. I was wearing my formfitting navy Abercrombie & Fitch polo with the white A&F in the corner and my white jeans.

I finished it off with a pair of blue Toms. Simple, I know, but I thought it was good for a first date.

Satisfied with my appearance, I grabbed my wallet and headed downstairs. Harry and Dani were cuddling on the couch, eating Chinese food out of the carton under a blanket as the TV lit up their faces. Dani looked up at me and smiled and I rotated, giving them a 360 view. She knew who I was meeting, but she and Zayn were the only ones. Everyone else thought it was just some girl. I knew I would have to come out eventually...

"You look dashing," she complimented with a knowing grin. I smiled back.

"Why thank you," I replied.
"Go get her," Harry winked. I smiled back, laughing in my head when he said 'her'.

I looked over at Dani and saw that she was stifling a laugh as I strode past them towards the door.

"Well I'll see you guys later! Don't do anything I wouldn't approve of!" I called as I left. I checked my phone for the time as I approached my car. 7:16. I had exactly fourteen minutes to get to the restaurant.

Calm the fuck down, bro, I thought to myself as I started up the car. The radio came on and all the generic dubstep shit started playing. Ew, I thought, slipping my Better Than Ezra 'Before the Robots' CD into the CD player. I skipped to track three and smiled as my favorite song started playing.

"Allie woke up, eight A.M., graduation day. Got into her car and crashed along the way."

I know it's horrible of me, but I chuckled a bit. I've always loved how bluntly the song started.

"We arrived late to the wake, stole the urn while they looked away, and drove to the beach 'cause I knew you'd want it that way."

The first time I heard this song, I immediately wrote a note to Dani telling her that if I died first, (Which I hoped I did; I can't live without my baby sister.) that at my wake she was to steal my urn, drive to the beach, and pour my ashes into the roaring ocean. If the police caught her, she would simply show them the note I had written. That was exactly how I wanted to go. I loved the thought of floating away into the vast ocean, scattering and becoming a part of the earth. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I pulled up to the restaurant at 7:29. It was more of a nice pizza place than a restaurant actually, which I liked. I walked in, breathing in the glorious aroma of pasta, pizza, and real Italian food. I stood near the doorway, trying my best not to look awkward as I looked around. I realized I had no idea what Jesse looked like. Jesse. The name replayed in my head, haunting my for reasons that were just out of my grasp.

"Derek?" a voice came from behind me. It wasn't low, but it's not like it was extremely high either. It was the most perfect, melodic balance.

I turned around and came face to face with the most awe striking boy I had ever laid my eyes on. His complexion was very pale, but he seemed to glow like the moon. His straight, long hair was white blonde, like someone wove sunlight and moonlight and pure magic all together.

It hung in his dark brown, almost black eyes that were shining under the dim golden lighting. His lips were rosy pink, darkening to a red where the met. It was all clear to me now, the nostalgic feelings I couldn't shake off. Suddenly, I was hit with a tsunami of bittersweet memories.

* * * *

I was fourteen again. I was just a confused teenage boy trying to find myself. I was wearing black basketball shorts and a tee shirt from some bar mitzvah I had attended a couple years back. I was leaning against a tree at the edge of a forest, hiding in the shadows from the scalding, unforgiving sun. I looked on as other boys splashed and fooled around in a lake about a hundred meters away from me. Did I find them attractive?

"You like being alone, too?" a voice asked. It was higher at the time, but it was still just as angelic. My heart stopped for a moment and I turned around with a start, facing a boy who looked God-sent.

His white blonde hair was shaggy, and just a bit too long, like most boys our age wore it. It covered a good portion of his big brown eyes.

They were so dark they looked black, like mysterious, bottomless pits. His rosy lips were parted ever so slightly, revealing the bright red color they were stained on the inside.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," he apologized shyly, grinning adorably.

"I-it's fine, you didn't scare me," I assured him, finding my voice after a moment.

"I'm Derek by the way," I introduced myself, still caught up in his perfection. He smiled at me, flashing his perfectly white teeth.




"Nice to meet you," he replied. "My name's Jesse."






A/N***

Yayyy, they're back together! Whoop whoop! But the drama can't end, now can it?(;

PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE AND COMMENT THANK YOU!

Take care,
Z.