That Magical Summer -Niall Horan Fan fiction (N O T M I N E)

Chapter 44 ♥

A bright face, a fresh face, a new face. A small nose plastered on what seemed to be a flawless face. A brown mop sitting atop his head, merely resembling Niall’s. But it wasn’t. It wasn’t Niall and that’s what made the second tear fall.

“Um can I help you?” a thick British accent rung through your ears. His own stapled with earrings. “How’d you even get in here—“ he bent down to pick up his drum sticks on the side of the stage that you hadn’t noticed, “Wait—“ His eyes met yours as he seemed to finally recognize you. “You’re Y/N. Niall’s—“

“Yeah,” you shut him up quickly, bringing your hands to your side. You didn’t want to hear what he was going to say. What would he say? Girlfriend? Ex-girlfriend? The girl he spent a whole, amazing summer with but then bailed out on to go on tour?

“Oh I’m sorry. I’m Josh. Josh Devine, the drummer,” he introduced himself with an outstretched hand. His firm, yet light grasp let his cheeky personality slip through. “What are you doing here?” Stepping to the edge of the stage, you looked out at the empty arena.

“Honestly?” you sighed, “I don’t even know.” You sat down, dangling your feet off the edge of the high stage. Seconds later, you heard the shuffle of Josh’s feet nearing to sit beside you. “I just thought—“ you trailed off.

“That Niall might be here?” he finished for you with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah. But now that I think about it—“ you stopped, “—I probably shouldn’t be here.”

“Why not?”

“It’s stupid. He obviously doesn’t want to be with me anymore, he would’ve called or texted or something. We met up a few days ago. Well only because my best friend Ellie forced me to go. Then when we got there, he just kissed me. Like he didn’t do anything wrong, like he hadn’t just left me to tour the world. And then I just ran and—“ you stopped to see his anxious expression chuckle. “I was rambling wasn’t I?” you mumbled.

“No. Go ahead,” he gestured a palm encouraging you. You laughed lightly.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” you muttered standing up roughly.  

“Well if it’s any consolation he hasn’t stopped blabbing on and on about you,” you sat back down instantly.

“Wh—what did he say?” you asked curiously, trying to ask as casually as possible. 

“Well he talks all about how you two had the best summer of his life, how he regrets leaving you but there’s nothing he can do anymore. That he still loves you more than ever. That he’s too scared to call because you ran out on him. How he’s never going to find love again…”

“He really said that?” you breathed.

“I really did,” your neck snapped awkwardly in a 90° degree angle flipping to the unseen new voice. You sputtered into a small coughing fit, you didn’t believe it. You couldn’t believe it. There it was. That laugh.

“Niall,” you breathed.

“There you are chap. I knew you would come looking for me,” Josh winked over to Niall. He stood meters away from you on the other side of the stage. Josh turned to you, “It was really nice finally meeting you Y/N.” You gave him a warm smile.

“I’ll see you back on the bus in a minute,” you made out before Niall walked slowly towards you.

“Niall,” you said again, “I thought you left.”

“I thought you left too,” his lips played up in smile. Your lips discontent with the memory. You felt bad for leaving him that day. You shouldn’t have run out of the loft like that. It was just overwhelming for him to just kiss you like that, after leaving. You were mad at yourself for liking it, for caving into him after you promised yourself you wouldn’t. You need closure, but that day did everything but that.

“Well I’m here,” it came out as a whisper.

“You’re here,” he whispered back. You rocked your feet back and forth in the awkward silence that followed. Your eyes strung together every few seconds, but were quickly turned away.

“So—“

“Niall—“ Your mouth quickly shut as your sudden words jumbled like puzzle pieces with his. He stopped and you giggled.

“Yes?” he asked.

“I need you to know something,” you whispered avoiding his eyes.

“What is it?” you just missed hearing his voice.

“I was mad at you. I was really mad at you. And I never told you. I was mad at you for leaving me. I felt like you had just played me the whole summer. Like you hadn’t meant it to be everything, when it was everything to me. You knew I was in a vulnerable place. That I had only come to the beach house to get away from everything, and yet you still let me fall in love with you. You knew you were going to have to leave me, and you lied. You lied Niall. You should have told me,” your words were becoming mush as your joints begged to collapse. But not in front of Niall. Now isn’t a time to look weak Y/N, you told yourself.

       You watched as his lean figure shadowed towards you with a straight face. He looked different than he had just a few months ago. He looked cleaner, fresher, more mature. He magical, sparkling eyes twinkled under the stage’s spotlight. He licked his bottom lip once, nervously, before he took your hand and spoke.