Through The Dark (Niall Horan Fanfic)

Chapter 4

Aubree's POV

Payton tossed in more fake poker chips to the center of my wooden and worn coffee table, and checking my hand, I decided to fold. The one with the least amount of chips at the end of our games had to buy dinner that night. It was Monday night: our weekly poker night. Marlene, Payton and Cassie were all taking classes at a community college, and they got home around the same time I did from work, unless I was working the late shift.

Payton slammed her hand down, a grin plastered to her face. Marlene and Cassie both sighed in unison, and pushed their chips toward Payton who through her arms out in front of her like she owned the world because she won one round of our poker game.

"One more game of black jack and then one of you gets to buy me dinner!"

Marlene rolled her eyes playfully, I laughed and shook my head while Cassie said, "You're on."

Payton ended up winning, and Cassie, with the least amount of chips in front of her, ordered Chinese food for all of us. I ordered some weird pork thing, while Payton and Marlene took advantage of not paying and ordered half the menu each. (Almost.)

Our food arrived and my anxiety heated up. If I ate, my three friends wouldn't be hassling me about how little I ate, but if I did, I'd be pissed at myself even more and probably relapse again. (Was it even relapse if you were barely a day clean?)

I ate a few bites at first just because I needed it; I had been feeling very light-headed and unstable today. And yesterday. I poked at my dinner while the rest of them chowed down.

Cassie opened her mouth, "Aubree, you need to eat. Did you eat today?"

I had never confronted her about my

problems, but after Marlene and Cassie and everyone accidently seeing some of my scars one day when I rolled my sleeve up a bit too far, I figured she knew everything.

"Yeah," I lied. "I ate a lot at work. Which is why I'm full."

"Work was at least three hours ago." She argued.

I looked at her, and patted my belly. "Small stomach."

"Eat."

I breathed in heavily and turned, pretending to be involved in Payton and Marlene's conversation.

A few minutes later, I spoke up, "It's pretty hot in here. I'm going to go finish my meal in the kitchen."

They all nodded and returned to talking, not noticing my lies.

I did head to the kitchen though, to deposit most of the dinner into the trash can. I left a few bites just to make it seem more realistic. Then I opened the cupboard and retrieved some napkins, crumpled them, and placed them in the trash can above the wasted pork and noodles so they didn't see that I threw it away.

I sat on the counter, exhausted. Tired. Lazy.

I heard Marlene call from the living room and I jumped, "Hey, Aubree, get me a soda or something?"

I only had water bottles in my fridge. And I needed some water to fill me up anyway. I hopped down from the counter, black spots in my vision from the fast paced movement. I steadied myself and then tried to make my way across the kitchen once again. I opened the fridge, a beam of light falling on the dark kitchen floor, and black spots crowded my vision. Unable to move, black was all I saw and then I was out like a light.

Niall's POV

Aubree was on my mind every day. No, every minute. Every second.

Her black curls and blue eyes and small figure danced in my head all day from the moment I got out of bed 'til my eyes closed at night.