International Love. ✈ z.h.

twenty-six ~ ❝savior.❞ ✈

Niall's Pov

I strolled down the street on my way to the coffee shop that I'd become so familiar with, the sky it's usual grey color. Three months have passed, and I had to admit that taking a break has helped immensely. Sure the effects of heartbreak were still there, but I wasn't as frail as I used to be.

Skylar was a major help, her kind words and therapeutic cups of coffee working wonders on my damaged mind and heart. It was almost routine by now; every Thursday I walked to the small coffee shop where she waited for me, a smile on her face as she held up two steaming mugs of coffee.

She had become a real friend, the thought of her making me think of the ones I had waiting for me back home. I had rarely texted them during my time here in Ireland, and I'm sure the lack of communication made them feel like shit. I didn't mean to keep them in the dark; I would explain it all once I felt stable enough to go home.

Speaking of, my parents were pushing me to go back to California. Not so much because they wanted me gone, but because I think they knew that I felt much better than I did when I had first left. It seemed like such a short amount of time but I had been gone for almost five months now. They knew and I knew that I couldn't hide here forever where I felt safe in my comfort zone. The thought brought a nervous shiver down my spine as I tried to shake it off, soon reaching the shop and opening the door.

Skylar was behind the counter, taking care of the small line of customers that had formed as she noticed me at the door and gave a small wave. She pointed towards our usual booth where two mugs sat waiting; I walked over without hesitation. The smell of cinnamon topped on my drink filled my nose as I gave a comforting inhale. Out of all the things I was going to miss the most when I went back to L.A., it was most definitely going to be this little shop that I managed to stumble upon by luck.

Within no time Skylar and her co-worker had managed to reduce the line to nothing, customers happily sitting with her drinks. She took her lunch, taking the apron off to reveal her usual punk outfit as she walked over with a small smile. She leaned down and gave me a shoulder hug, the smell of coffee mixed with her lavender perfume relaxing as she sat across from me.

"My dear Niall. How have you been?"

"I've been doing good. Really good." She paused mid sip, whipped cream lining her lips as she licked it away and raised a brow.

"Like...good enough to go home, good?" I gave her a sad smile as I savored the taste of white chocolate in my mouth before swallowing and giving her my answer.

"Yeah." But instead of being met with the feeling of sorrow I was expecting she was overjoyed, raising both her arms in excitement as she jumped in her seat.

"Oh, that's great news! I'm so happy Niall; you have no idea how wonderful it was to see you go from being destroyed to becoming brand new again." I felt my heart warm at her kind words, sending her a reluctant smile.

"Yeah. I'm happy that he hasn't got as strong of a grip on me now." But she could see it in my eyes; no matter how hard I tried to hide it.

"But he still has some kind of hold, period." I groaned, banging my head on the table as she gave a light chuckle.

"Yes! It's fucking annoying!" I cried out of frustration, feeling her hand gently pat my head as I looked up at her.

"That's love, babe. No matter how you look at it; it's going to take time to get over someone that you shared a deep connection with. Your relationship wasn't just physical; it was emotional too." I sighed, hating how right she was when we had these issues as I pulled out my phone.

"I've been so afraid to look him up on social media; what if I see something that sets me back?" Skylar bit her lip, trying to think of a solution before she got up from her side of the booth and sat next to me.