A Second Chance

25

I wanna keep on trying
with a little help from my friends

Niall is running late, Liam is about to arrive in less than twenty minutes to pick him up.

Mark his housemate asked him to fill in washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen since his girlfriend for two years came all the way from Newcastle upon Tyne to surprise him for their anniversary.

Only fifteen minutes left when he finally steps into the bathroom for a quick shower, brushing his teeth, doing his hair and getting dressed.

Fortunately he isn't one to dilly-dally and by he time Liam is at the door he is ready for a night out.

" Where exactly are we going, you still haven't told me !" Niall huffs in mock annoyance when they get in the car.

" There are lots of things you haven't told me either.
Like the details what happened with young Harold last weekend." Liam grins at Niall knowingly .

"Didn't you talk with Harry the day before? "
Niall answers trying to play it cool knowing that Liam called Harry for some reason.

It's already the third time that Liam asked him to tag along for a Friday lads' night.
They are all great lads, open and genuine like Zayn, Liam's boyfriend and his fellow students as well as Liam's colleagues.

So spending time with the older lads is something that Niall is always looking forward to.

It seems to be no bother for anyone that he's three years younger at least nor does he himself mind to be the baby of the group.

It feels good to have fun without anyone being aware of his past, without getting pittyful or knowing stares.

Needless to say that Liam is clued up about his past, but as his emergency doctor he's bound to patient confidentiality, although he's trustworthy anyway, doesn't shoot his mouth off about private concerns so Niall doesn't have to worry about it.

Friday night he's Niall, just Niall. Eighteen years old, proud to be Irish, hopefully soon to be student of sound engineering and currently crazy in love. Oh yeah! That he is .

That's all of information people get when Niall is asked about himself.
And they usually don't dig deeper for more details, not that they don't care more like they are respectful enough to give people the space they need.

What Niall doesn't know in return is the reason they are acting more understanding and respectful with him than others.

Every single one has his went through tough times either, struggled, fought,stumbled, tumbled, lost it, were defeated at some point but survived.
Survived because they got help where they never seeked and expected it, found themselves in surreal and kinda supernatural situations that made them believe in angels or God's helping hands.

Niall wouldn't assume that Zayn was past that point to reject drugs and selling his body for quick money, neither does anyone who meets that drop-dead gorgeous and favourable art student now.

In fact Zayn wouldn't be around when it wasn't for one fellow student to see behind his mask and dragged him to therapy and made him leave his abusing so called boyfriend.

" You know him, don't you? Told me something about an amazing time and went on and on for hours about kilts, haggis, and landscapes and eyes that are supposed to be the mirror of the soul. "

Niall smiles dreamily, his cheeks are slightly painted in pink when Liam triggers a memory with his last words.

"What's most remarkable in a person's face " Harry wanted to know looking at him curiously while they strolled through a hall with paintings at Edinburgh Castle.
" Clearly the eyes, I look at the eyes", Niall answered without hesitation.