The Promise Ring (don't read, it sucks a lot okay)

~-Chapter Fourteen-~

                                                            -Candace Miller's Point of View-

  It hurt. It hurt bad. Especially when Louis was sitting literally a foot away.

  The limo was silent. No one dared to speak. I was furious with Lou and Liam, but I was hurt too. Niall was just plain upset. It was hard for Haz and Zayn to keep it from getting awkward all by theirselves but I refused to speak.

  Niall opened his mouth to say what we were all thinking. "When did this all go downhill?"

 "When we actually tried being truthful for once." I muttered.

  "I'm sorry, Candace, Niall. I really am." Louis apologized, sighing.

 "Sorry for what? Loving my girlfriend?" Niall asked arrogantly, unlike himself.

  "Niall, stop." I whispered as Louis replied, "Yeah, Niall, and stealing her from you too."

 "What?" All five of us asked, including myself.

  "You didn't tell him? About our kiss?" No one was acting like theirself. Lou was being an ass, which he never was, and Niall was being cocky.

  "What kiss?" Liam asked, looking back and forth between us.

   "That wasn't a kiss." I hissed at Louis.

  "Your lips were on mine."

  "Because you put them there!"

 "I believe you were kissing back."

  "I-" I started, only to be cut off.

 "When did this happen?" Niall asked.

  "At the concert. When I went to bring her on stage."

 "Before we performed together?" Niall asked me this time. Hurt shone in those gorgeous baby blues and I knew immediately that I had made a mistake by kissing Louis back. I had made possibly the biggest mistake of my life, and I couldn't take it back.

  "Niall, I-''

 "No." He shook his head, his mouth quirking up at the corner in a betrayed snort. "Stop the car!" He called up to the driver, who quickly pulled over.

  "Niall, don't-"

 He wouldn't let me get out two words. "Why do you care? Just don't talk to me." His voice dripped with venom and I recoiled as if the words had a physical impact on me. I think they did.

  Then Niall was out of the car and walking at a steady pace down the busy sidewalks of LA, hood pulled over his head. The skys were clouded with dark gray clouds that could release their rain at any time.

  I lunged to follow him but Liam grabbed my waist.

 "Let go." I growled.

  "Candace, Niall needs space when he's angry." Louis, of all people, said.

  "SHUT UP LOUIS! IT'S YOUR FAULT HE LEFT IN THE FIRST PLACE!" I yelled at him, yanking free of a shocked Liam. "And Lou, consider yourself lucky if I find him. If I don't... you better run for your life because that boy is all I ever cared about." I slammed the door and started running in the direction that Niall had went.

   *****

  My sides burned from panting and my feet ached with blisters. Converse were definitely not running shoes.

  That red jacket was nowhere in sight and I was about to scream. Where was he?! I had to find him and explain. I couldn't live without him.

  I could imagine the others explaining to Uncle Si about how we would probably miss the flight. "Hey, uh, Simon, we kind of lost our band mate and best friend..."

  Where are you Niall?

 I panted again and started walking slowly, each step bringing me pain. Finally I became desperate enough to ask someone passing by.

  "Excuse me, have you seen anyone with blonde hair and blue eyes wearing a bright red jacket?" I asked a young woman.

  "There was a boy changing out of one a few blocks down." She said and walked on. I ran as fast as I could in the direction she had pointed.

 Breathing even harder, I managed to make it to this nice little park. I was probably miles away from the car but that didn't matter. All I wanted was to see that perfect face with flushed cheeks that I had memorized so well. I kept praying under my breath that I'd find him.

   And I did.

 He was carrying the jacket in his hands. People didn't seem to notice that he was Niall Horan of One Direction. He was just another guy in the park. My breath caught in my throat as I saw that his eyes were rimmed red.

  He was crying. Because of me.

 I made a decision then. One that would change not only me, but the people around me. The people I cared about. Of course I would suffer from this, big time. But Niall wouldn't cry anymore. Neither would Louis or Liam. There wouldn't be any more awkward silences or arguements between these boys who were best friends. I would remove myself from their lives.

  I pulled out my iPhone- which Harry had gotten for me- and dialled Simon Cowell's number, never taking my eyes off of Niall.

  "Simon here," His British accent carried across the line.

 "Simon. It's Candace."

  "Oh! The boys are worried sick about you! Can I speak with Niall? I need you two to come to the airport."

  "I'm not with Niall. And I don't want to leave with the guys. Can I catch a plane by myself?"

"What's happened?"

  "Nothing. I just want to be alone."

 "Are you sure?"

  "Positive."

 "Well... okay. I'll have a private plane sent there immediately."

 "Thanks Simon." I hung up. Niall was looking at the faces of the people around him now, before he sat on a bench.

  I sent him a text. One last goodbye. 'I'm sorry. I love you. Go back to the boys, please. Just...please. Xx'

  He recieved it. More tears fell silently and he read it. He put his head in his hands.

 '"Smile. It's the key that fits every lock of the heart." I mean it. Smile.' I hit send. And a smile spread across Niall's face. A sad one, but still a smile.

  It was the last thing I would see of him for a long, long time.