He Never Does || n.h

Chapter 8: Just Tell The Truth

Chapter 8:

Beep...beep...beep...

My ears pop from my mouth suddenly swallowing and I can now hear faint beeping. It's steady and constant and familiar.

That's odd. I don't know why anything would beep in here. Unless my radio turned on accidentally. Either way it wouldn't beep.

And why do I feel a pillow beneath my head? I don't have a pillow on this awful mattress. Just a flimsy blanket. I then notice my clothes. This doesn't feel like any of my stiff clothing. Why am I comfortable this morning? I'm so confused.

My head isn't even throbbing like I have become accustomed to. This cement cell I'm in has never offered me comfort, so what changed about this morning?

Oh well, I just hope Rick doesn't come down here today.

And then I remember.

Im not with Rick anymore. The blurry events from the previous day flash through my mind. Me running from Rick. His lifeless body on the pavement. The knife in my stomach. The empty clearing. Niall. Me dying.

My eyes fly open. I didn't die. I really didn't die. I open and close my hand just to reassure myself of this. My eyes watch the muscles under my skin contract and I feel lighter. I'm alive. And I have my body back. You really don't appreciate being able to move until you can't.

I look around and see the familiar setting of a hospital. That's why I'm so comfortable and why my head isn't throbbing. They must have given me painkillers through the IV sticking from my arm.

The clock on the wall says it's only seven a.m. I stare at my hand for awhile, in a trance of sorts, until a movement catches my eye.

I turn my attention to the corner of the room and see a figure on a chair slumped over in sleep. It's Niall.

An image of my hands clawing at his bare back flashes through my mind and I blush. Well that's a strange thought to have in this moment.

I shake my head slightly and blink a few times to wake myself up and shake the giddy feeling that flashback gave me away. That's the past.

I can't believe Niall saved me. It was like my mind was falling into the darkness but his voice drew me out of it. He asked me not to leave him, I didn't want to leave him. So I held on tighter.

I patiently watch the clock turn from seven to eight and eight to nine. I watch Niall as he tosses and turns on the chair. Despite the uncomfortable movements, he looks peaceful. I like seeing him at peace. Mostly I just like seeing him in general.

I wonder what we will say to each other. Will he assume an attitude of animosity? I'd deserve it if he acted like he hated me I suppose. Or maybe we will act like nothing happened and nothing has changed. Maybe we will act friendly, or business like...I really don't know. And that makes me anxious.

Niall stirs in his sleep and his head falls off of his shoulder. He jerks awake at the sudden motion. His alert eyes move across the room and he relaxes. I watch as his hands rub his eyes and run tired fingers through his golden and messy hair. He's honestly so beautiful, and he was all mine. How could I have been so stupid?

He moves his attention to me and sees that I'm awake. He rushes over to my side and looks down on me with relief.

"You're awake! God they said it would take longer!" He says with a smile and rests his hand on mine. My skin tingles from his touch.

All of my fears from the past winter are coming to life. I'm seeing him again, something I've dreaded for awhile. And I finally have to talk to him. The strangest part, it's not as scary as I thought it would be. He doesn't seem angry. Perhaps it's just the situation though.