Cigarettes and Hickies [n.h]

dix-sept

His movements were swift and rapid as Niall managed to collect the forgotten bag from the joke shop and leave without getting noticed by nearby walkers. With his head down and eyes fixed on the road, he hurried to escape the rain that was forcefully hitting against his skull in an almost attempt to prod his thoughts and come up with a reasonable enough excuse for going back to Ocean's flat.

I've gotta give her back the mug, he concluded as he dismissed the countless missed-calls from his management team that were left on his phone. They were surely wondering where he was and he knew he had to get back sooner than later, if he wanted to escape the questionable looks he was bound to receive. However, somehow the thought of Ocean was far more powerful that he decided to deal with the consequences for his surprised getaway later.

With the thoughts of Ocean's kiss lingering in his thoughts and becoming more lucid by the minute, he knew that going back right now was surely a mistake. Yet, with the fact that he had to leave soon gave him the confidence to face her again regardless of how awkward the situation might be.

And as Niall got to the girl's building, he was not surprised to find the entrance door ajar again. Jumping inside just as thunder was heard overhead, he shut it with his foot and wondered why it was always open! The area didn't look dodgy, but he knew to never judge by appearances. With a hand running over his hair, he sprayed the carpet with speckles of tangled rain left in his blond hair as he pressed to get upstairs.

"Bloody 'ell," Niall mumbled as he found that the number 13's door was also ajar. It was easily to be read off his face that this was bothering him, but his talents in hiding these things showed almost instantly after, as he composed himself and decided to focus on knocking and giving the girl her mug than his own bitter thoughts.

There was no answer, as expected, and the Irish lad went in nonetheless. On the couch, laid Scarlette in surprisingly the same position as he had left her not long ago, but with one tiny difference -Ocean was resting her head on her lap as smoke emitted from her plump lips and a joint was held in between her fingers.

There was a mist surrounding the two girls and hovering over the mess of cigarette butts, empty vodka bottles and a bong on the table. As Niall approached them, after shutting the door, a worried knot hitched itself in his chest as he found a needle along with a spoon and some spilled powder on the table too. The evidence startled Niall as this was the first time, he saw the extent of her addiction. And as he brought his eyes up to the girl with silvery-blue hair, he found her to be staring blankly at him. She was looking at him, but not exactly seeing him as she was too drunk and high to even register her surroundings.

Scarlette worried him of course, but seeing the steady rise and fall of her chest told him she was fine and so he focused more gravely on Ocean. Past the mist, he came to find that her cheeks were stained with fresh tears and realised then why she was doing all this. She was clearly trying to find release in something that was not going to disappoint her.

"Ocean?" He choked as 1) not only was it slightly difficult to breathe, but 2) because the realisation of her actions affected him even more so now that he learnt just how broken the girl was.

He watched her blink as a flame of recognition flashed in her blue orbs, just as a smirk was making its way onto her lips.

"Tinker Bell?" Her voice sounded weak and defeated, but the humour was still laced in her words. "Have you come to take me to Neverland?" A laugh spilled from her lips as her head shot backwards clearly engrossed in her own joke, just as a choking sound began to mix with her laughter. Instantly, Niall snaked an arm behind her neck as he brought her head forwards and noticed the smell of liquor in her breath.