Im Only Human

Wake Up

Niall's POV

When she takes her eyes off me, I'm up and out the door in seconds. I can't sit there any longer.

I sigh when the cool outdoor air hits my face. I walk to my car and open the door. I sit in the driver seat and dial my brothers number.

"Hello." He picks up after three rings.

"Hey Greg."

"What's wrong?" I smile. He always knows when something is wrong, even without me telling him there is.

"This girl..." I begin.

"Wait. Hold on a minute." I hear shuffling and whispering then I hear a door close. "Okay. Continue."

I tell him about the events that have happened over last month or so. He listens quietly, only putting in a few 'wow's and 'mhm's.

"Okay. So what's the problem?"

I sigh. "I'm trying as hard as I can to stay away from her. She'll do nothing but hurt me which will hurt her. My resolve is slowly slipping away. Every time her green eyes meet mine a small piece of the wall I've built crumbles. She's a ticking bomb that could go off any moment and I don't want to be around when she does. I know I should stay away but I can't help but want more of her." I run a hand through my hair. "What should I do?"

Greg sighs. "I don't know. Sounds like you pretty strong feelings for her." I nod knowing he can't see me. "From what you told me she doesn't sound like a ticking bomb. She's more like a rose."

"A rose?" I ask.

"Yes. A rose. When watered and taken care of she's full of life. When neglected and left alone she will soon whither away."

I shake my head. "I don't understand."

"Was she not happy and more alive when she was with you?" I think about his words. "Now that you've given up on her, she's not the same. She's whithering away. You are her water. You are what makes her feel alive."

I hear a door shut and look toward the auditorium entrance and see Mckenzie walk out. She wipes at her eyes and starts tugging at the roots of her hair. She rub her eyes with her hands and begins to walk down the road.

"Niall?" Greg asks. "Are you still there?"

"Yea." I start my car and shut the door. "You're right. But I still don't know what I should do."

"Apologize. Tell her why you did what you did. Be honest. Just he there for her."

I smile. "Thanks, Greg."

"No problem. Good luck."

I hang up and start to text Mckenzie but change my mind and decide meet her at her apartment.

.........................

I get out of the car at her apartment and just as I close the door I hear her scream. I run to the door and start banging on it.

"Mckenzie! Let me in!"

I keep pounding on the door but she doesn't come to answer it. I try the doorknob. It's unlocked.

I walk in and run to her room. I slam the door open and find out she's not in her room. I start panicking then realize that I hear bath water running.

She's in the tub with the water running. One arm is in the tub the other is hanging over the edge of it. Both of her wrists have three cuts on them. There's broken pieces of a mirror on the floor. She's holding one piece in the hand that's out of the tub.

That's what she cut herself with. There's still blood dripping on the floor. The tub starts to overflow so I turn the water off.

Her eyes are closed and her skin is pale. She looks like she's dead. That's when I panic.

I run off in search of towels, clothes and bandages. I haven't checked her pulse but I have faith she is alive. She has to be alive.

I rush back into the bathroom and take her out of the tub. I carry her to her bed, while trying not to notice that she has no clothes on at all, and cover her with towels. I rip open the package of bandages and wrap up her wrists. I still haven't found her clothes. There's clothes all over the floor but I don't think they're clean.

I take off my shirt and put her in it. All she's wearing is my shirt. I wrap her in the orange throw blanket on her bed and carry her down to my car.

I walk back to the bathroom to clean up the mess. I erase the damage that she did. I head back outside after leaving Beth a note saying that she's with me.

I take her to the house and to my room. I lay her on the bed and smile. Some color has returned to her face and her chest is moving up and down so I know that she is breathing and alive.

I climb into the bed with her and wrap her in blankets. I rub my hands up and down across her arms. "Wake up Mckenzie. Wake up." She stirs a little. "That's right. Open your eyes. I'm here for you. Open your eyes."

She doesn't move.

A tear falls down my face as I kiss her forehead. "Mckenzie. Please wake up." I whisper in her ear. I take her hand and squeeze it.

She squeezes back. Harder. Her eyes fly open as she screams my name.