Through The Dark (Niall Horan Fanfic)

Chapter 13

Aubree's POV

"So... I'm leaving for tour in two days."

I froze in my spot on the couch. Niall had surprised me by picking me up from work instead of Marlene who usually did after a day at the local college. We returned to Mar's house, claiming that he wanted to talk to me. I told him we could pick up a pizza or something on the way home, for his sake, since I heard his stomach rumble.

I ate a whole slice, to make him smile.

When we finished, my head rested on his shoulder, and he scooped my legs into his lap, still holding my right hand.

I took in the news. That was sudden. I never really thought about Niall leaving....

Sure, we weren't official and we hadn't done anything but kiss (many times)....

But why hadn't I gotten an earlier warning on this?

I bit my thumb nail.

"Hey," Niall brought his hand up to remove my nail from my mouth, "don't bite your nails."

I gave him a look. "You do it all the time."

He smiled, laughing a bit. "But, your hands are pretty."

We both looked down at the hand he held in his, the black nail polish half chipped off, contrasting against my ghostly white skin.

I rolled my eyes at his comment, which made him want to kiss my face about five times for some reason.

I giggled and shoved his face away.

"Hey!" Niall said, emotionally hurt.

He switched his position, hovering above me, and pushing me down on the couch so he could lay on me, smothering me in more kisses.

When we both got some air, he let his head fall on my shoulder, his tall blonde hair tickling me, and whispered into my ear, "I'm gonna miss you."

I swallowed. I nodded slightly. "You, too."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" I questioned, as he got up and repositioned us back to our orginal spot.

"Leaving you."

"Niall, it's your job." I laughed.

"Yeah! And I love it! The fans are awesome. It's all awesome. Incredible, actually. I just wish I could still be with you. It's gonna be like, nine months...."

I swallowed again.

("You could have a baby in that time," I remembered Harry stating in some video. I decided not to laugh and remind him that I was some obsessed fan before we really got to know each other.)

We cuddled for another hour in silence, and then Marlene came back home from wherever she was hanging out with whomever.

"Lovebirds." She rolled her eyes and walked to her room.

I blushed, embarassed.

I decided I should go to bed, too.

Niall and I stood at the doorway, and he wrapped his arms around my waist. He nuzzled his head down into my neck.

"Niall," I whispered.

"Aubree?"

"Umm...."

"What?" He retreated his head from my neck and looked me in the eyes, making it harder to say.

"I'm sorry, but... but could you not, like, call me or anything on tour?"

I looked down at the floor, not wanting to look in his sad eyes. I added, "It would just make it harder."

With heavy disappointment in his throat, he slowly agreed, "Oh. Okay. Sure, I guess. I'll... I'll really miss you a lot, though."

Niall's POV

The night I said good bye to Aubree, she hadn't even asked me to fall asleep with her like we always did. She was doing that damn distance thing again.

Well, I didn't want distance. I wanted her. In my arms. Or, at least over the phone, while I was on tour.

It was February 23rd, our first concert night of the Take Me Home Tour. I was so pumped for it. It was going to be an even bigger tour than last year's Up All Night, since more and more people knew who we, One Direction, were.

Our first two concerts were in London, right by Aubree, but I figured she'd want her distance. I sighed.

But my hand traveled to the pocket of my jeans, grabbing my phone. I hadn't talked to her in two days. It felt like weeks, though.

I mindlessly tapped her contact and dialed. I was surprised when she answered.

Aubree's POV

It was still the cold, frigid air of winter hitting me in the face that I loved as I walked out of the bookstore on a Thursday.

It was Niall's first night of touring. He was close by, but I wanted to start distancing myself before I got way too attached. How could I have a relationship with a guy that was never around? The plan was to tell him to not call during tour, and he would probably just forget about me by then, if he hadn't already.

But I'd never forget him.

He was the spark that kept me going. But I couldn't be that dependent on someone, I just wouldn't let myself. I didn't want to be too close to anyone.

Marlene's car pulled up, and I mumbled a greeting as I lugged myself into the vehicle.

Marlene and I didn't talk all that much anymore: she didn't know what to say, I didn't know what to say.

But I liked it this way. I didn't like talking anyway. Even a simple conversation with a person gave me anxiety. Especially with someone that knew about me. Would they bring it up in the conversation? And then what would I do? I couldn't just run away.

Soon we were "home", and I headed to "my" room. This place would never be home. Would I ever feel at home anywhere? I didn't even feel like that at my old flat, and it was just me. I didn't belong anywhere.

Or with anyone. I didn't belong with Niall.

Niall.

He was all I thought about, so it actually wasn't that ironic that his name popped up on my phone and began to ring as he popped into my mind.

Too happy that he was calling, I didn't think about my whole distancing myself thing, and I immediately answered. "Hi."

"Aubree?"

"Yeah, it's Aubree." I giggled.

"I just didn't think you would've answered."

I nibbled at my pinky nail. "Same here."

"I just, I," his voice got lower and quieter, "couldn't stop thinking about you."

"Same here," I whispered again.

"Can't I come say hi or something?" His hopeful voice got louder again.

My heart screamed 'Yes, please.' But my brain said, "Niall, I don't think-"

"Right. Sorry, Aubree."

"Don't be s-"

"Look, I should probably go soon. See you around, I guess."

And then he hung up.

He hated me.

But, that was sort of what I wanted, right? For him to not like me anymore? If he did in the first place?

I should be happy.

But I crawled into bed and frowned, trying not to let some boy get to me.

But Niall wasn't just "some boy".

I thought I loved him.

But what did I know about love? Besides the fake, nonexistent, love in movies and books?

Nothing.

I didn't even believe in true love.