New Guy

Chapter 18

Nicola's POV: 

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes."

"You're not."

"I am."

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I didn't mean to get hurt."

"Accidents happen."

"Broken hearts happen."

"I didn't mean to hurt you!"

"But you did." 

***

How did I get from this conversation to lying on the couch snuggled up to Niall, you ask?

I don't know.

Friendship is weird.

Love is weird.

But you don't love Niall, you like Boxers. 

Well Boxers can wait his turn. I snuggle up next to Niall a little more, who I'm guessing is asleep. I want him to forgive me for not forgiving him. I was the one who started this whole thing in the first place by using my spectacular moment-ruining skill..

I turn my head and stare at Niall for a little while. He's so peaceful when he sleeps..

"If only he could be this quiet when he's awake.." Liam says, sitting down next to me. Only Liam and me are with Niall, Zayn is calling Mrs Horan while Thalia and Nina sit with Greg.

"If only..." I whisper. 

The memory of visiting Niall in the hospital for the first time comes into mind and I feel my eyes starting to get watery. I know he's here with me.. But Niall isn't..

It's hard to explain... Niall is physically here with me right now, but the Niall I know isn't. Like, all the years we've spent together, all the times we've helped each other out.. Gone. Gone, like they were nothing.

I wrap my arms around him so I'm kind of hugging him but I lay my head on his chest and go to sleep as well. It's nice like this.

As I close my eyes, I can feel Niall move a little before settling down again and stroking my hair. In another room, I hear something smash and my eyes snap open. Although I'm pretty freaked out, I stay perfectly still in my spot.

"Nicola.. Nicola, did you hear that?" Niall whispers to me. I nod and look up at him with a slightly scared look on my face.

Something else smashes and I hear footsteps. I reach for my phone but as I grab it, it falls off the table and the back comes off, causing the battery to fall out. Dammit! Every time this happens it takes me two hours to get the darn thing back on..!

"Niall! What do we do?" I whisper, moving so I'm next to Niall instead of resting on him. "The footsteps are coming closer!!"

"I'll call someone," He answers and reaches for his phone from his pocket. "No, no, come on! I must have left it in the car."

"I'm scared, Niall.." I say quietly, grabbing his hand.

"Nothing is going to happen. Just let it pass," he replies calmly, sort of reassuring me. He pulls me in for a hug and I guess we've decided to wait it out.

I bury my face in his chest and close my eyes. The sooner this is over, the better.

All of a sudden, I don't feel Niall's arms around me anymore. I look up slowly to find Niall is holding both his arms in the air.

"Man, you don't wanna do that. Come on, bro," Niall says, trying to act confident.

I turn around to see a tall man, face covered, holding a gun at us. A gun. I've only seen them in movies.. Never in real life before.

"Take anything. Go ahead. Just please, don't hurt him.." I say, ending with a glance at Niall.

"Alright. I won't hurt him," the man says and grabs my arm before pulling me closer to him. "Nobody ever said anything about you."

I feel something on the right side of my face and I'm not quite sure what to think or do before I realise that's a gun. There is a gun pointed at me.

"Don't you dare," Niall says firmly, now starting to look a little worried. His voice sounds slightly more shaky. "If you harm that girl the slightest-"

"What are you gonna do?"

"Niall, stop. I'm fine," I try to say calmly in front of the guy. He may be falling for my act but Niall knows how scared I truly am right now. "I don't need help. I mean, what can you do?"

"A brave one, aren't you? Just for that, I'll let you go.. But you can't beat the bullet that easily."

Niall and I exchanged confused expressions, not knowing what he meant by that. That is before he whacks me across the face with the butt of the gun. At least I'm guessing that's what he did, I've seen it in movies.

I wouldn't know, though. While you're reading this I'm probably unconscious.

(A/N: OOH DRAMA LLAMA [i probably just ruined it.. didn't i..? told you i ruin moments..]) 

*** 

I blink my eyes open to a familiar voice by my side, "Please wake up, please, please.."

He's sitting next to me, holding my hand. He doesn't know I'm awake, so instead of saying anything, I squeeze his hand. He instantly looks up at me, eyes full of hope.

"Niall told me what happened. I got here as soon as I could.."

"I love you, Zayn.. You know that, right?" I whisper.

"Of course I do, and I love you. Do you need anything? Anyone?" He offers with a smile. I shake my head. "Okay, well tell me if you do."

"W-where are we..?"

"Hospital. Apparently Niall freaked out and this was the only place he could think about bringing you," Zayn explains. "Sweet boy."

"I don't.. I don't remember what happened. Could you please tell me..?

Zayn nods and explains everything Niall told him as best as he can before the door swings open and Liam runs into the room.

"Is she okay?" He asks in a rushed, panicky voice. Then when he notices that I'm awake, "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, Liam. I'm fine! Wait.. m-my vision is going blurry and weird and I feel light-headed.. I think I'm going to pass out.."

"N-no! Just hang on! Please just stay awake!" Liam gets all worried and concerned but Zayn saw straight through that act. We both start laughing and Liam rolls his eyes.

 "Can we go home?" I ask and Zayn confirms that it's alright after checking with the doctors. "But I wanna get out of these stupid hospital clothes!"

Almost instantly, Zayn takes his shirt off and hands it to me. I look up at him with a confused expression.

"I'm quite a bit taller than you, so it'll go down past your thighs, it's fine," Zayn explains.

"Actually, everyone's quite a bit taller than you.. I mean, even Niall's an inch taller than you." Liam adds and I whack him on the arm.

"Both of you turn around or get out so I can take this stupid thing off," I say, shooing them out of the room.

"Nah, I think we're fine where we are," Zayn says and Liam nods.

"Alright then, have it your way," I say, and with that I take the hospital gown-thing off so I'm left in my bra and undies. Both Zayn and Liam's cheeks turn bright red and they turn around as fast as they can. "Thought so."