Vacant

Chapter 4

"Niall, please be okay." I mutter as I drive the car as fast as I can. Brookeside Hospital was not a stranger to me. When I was a kid, my dad had gotten seriously ill and Brookeside was where I spent most of my weekends.

I just hope nothing as bad happened to Niall.

I finally reach the hospital and park my car at the emergency bay beside the entrance. I carefully make my way inside and proceed to the front desk. I take a deep breath and try to keep calm. "Is there a Niall Horan confined here?"

"Are you a relative?" the girl asks.

"Visiting hours for non-relatives are over." she explains.

"I'm his cousin." I lie.

"You do know you can go to jail for violating hospital rules, don't you?" she glares.

"Please, I have to see him." I beg.

"Fine, but don't stay too long." She types something on her computer. "Room 3028."

"Thank you."  

I run towards the elevator. I press the button and wait patiently. It would have been dramatic to run up the stairs but I wasn't a fast runner. The elevator will take me faster to Niall. After what seemed like decades, the door finally opens. I hop into the elevator and press the button for the 30th floor.

There was a cloud on top of my head and I don't think I had ever felt as nervous in my entire life. I don't think I'd be able to handle seeing Niall. I don't think I'd be able to handle seeing him weak. "I'm brave." I try to say but my voice shakes. The door opens and I walk towards the 28th room.

A million things run through my mind. I wonder what could have possibly happened since the last time I saw him to have brought him here. I stop in front of the room that had a sign that read "Niall G. Horan" under the room number.

It takes me a minute to muster the strength to open the door.

Niall lay unconscious on the bed and his mam was sleeping on the couch. I go closer to Niall and study his face. His face was maroon, purple even. As I extend one of my hands to touch his face, I hit a table and Maura wakes up.

"You did this to my son!" she yells as she sees me. Her eyes turn to pure hatred and my stomach falls a little. We used to have a pretty good relationship. I am not used to seeing her pissed at me. But what the hell have I done?

"I don't want to see you anywhere near him ever again. Leave this hospital right now." she says as she opens the door for me to exit.

I stay still and look back to Niall. Had I caused this? "What happened to him?" I say as I slowly drop to the floor.

"He's been asleep for a long time, Nike." Maura starts sobbing. 

Asleep?

"The night ye had a fight with him, he got into a car accident trying to chase after you that night."

He chased after me?

"I am kindly asking you to just move on from this and never look for me son ever again." Maura says as she opens the door wider.

"Don't do this," I start crying. I did this to Niall. It's my fault. He needs me now. "Please let me be with him for a while."

"Leave. Now."

"Please don't do this, you know how much I love your son, Maura." I say and the tears makes my speech inaudible. "Please don't take him away from me."

"He was never even yours in the first place. I always knew you weren't good for him." she says as she pulls me out of the room. She bangs the door and I am left on the cold hallway.