All Because of a Snow Storm (Niall Horan Fanfic)

Chapter 21

Niall's POV.

As I was laying in my bed, I could still hear Zayn, Harry, Liam, Louis, Rose and Heather talking to each other, despite the fact that they'd lowered their voices. I just couldn't make out what they were saying.

I pulled out my iPod and Beats headphones, plugging them in and turning up the music so loud it hurt my ears. I closed my eyes as my head spun from all the information I'd just learned.

The twins had been taken from Abbie. She was completely broken now. All the things she cared for, loved, and lived for were gone.

Her dad left her family.

Kevin broke her heart.

Her house burned and her Mum passed away, leaving her broke and homeless.

The lads and I left on tour.

Her brother and sister, the last people she had left, were gone too.

I groaned and turned around in the bed, shoving my face in my pillow and grabbing the bed sheets in my clenched fist.

She must be so devastated, depressed... Kevin's probably with her, comforting her...

What I wouldn't give to be the one with Abbie, holding her, comforting her, kissing her....

Why did I ever think I could move on from her? Why did I even try? She means way too much to me for me to ever be able to like another girl. Why did I try to make myself like Miranda? To distract myself from the pain? The pain of losing her to that jerk she calls her ex? Did I really hurt her that much, to make her run back to Kevin's arms?

Spontaneously, I pulled out my phone and quickly found 'Ducky' in my contacts. I quickly typed in a quick text.

"i heard about johnny and jojo, i'm so sorry babe. i promise i'll help you get them back. you did nothing wrong."

I hit send and tucked my phone away in my pocket again. I sighed and pulled off my Beats, turning off the music. My ears were buzzing at the sudden silence.

After a few seconds, I heard everyone go quiet in the other room.

"She just started crying harder" I barely made out Heather's voice as she whispered those words.

My heart rate picked up and I gasped. Abbie's crying harder? What happened? I groaned again, feeling so useless. What kind of a boyfriend am I, being halfway across the world instead of home, with Abbie, comforting her?

Oh right. I'm not her boyfriend.

I flipped over in the bed again and cursed loudly into my pillow again.

"I can't fucking do this anymore" I yelled into my pillow.

Everyone went quiet again. I ripped the curtain open, swinging my legs out of the bunk and hopping on the floor.

I opened the door to the main living room area of the bus, and four heads immediately turned in my direction.

"Niall what's wrong?" Liam asked kindly, standing up.

"Nothing" I grumbled, walking past everyone and to the door. I threw my phone on the counter, not wanting to be bothered, before swinging the door opened and stepping out of the bus into the warm afternoon breeze, jogging away from the bus.

"Where are you going?" I heard Zayn shout.

"Niall!" I heard Harry yell, and I turned around just in time to see him and Zayn running out of the bus, after me.


I turned back towards the front and saw a park into the distance. I picked up my pace, trying to lose them. I reached the line of trees and zigzagged between them, trying not to hit one.

I slowed down slightly after a few minutes, when I couldn't hear them yelling my name anymore, and eventually stopped under a large willow tree. I sat down and leaned my back against it's trunk as I tried catching my breath.

I bent my knees up until I could rest my elbows on them and ran my hands over my face, scuffing up my hair. Why can't I be back in London, with Abbie? Why didn't I try harder to bring her with us? Why is she with Kevin again? Why didn't I tell her Miranda and I are fake?

All those questions kept jumbling together in my mind, driving me crazy. I bit my lip hard as I felt my eyes tingle uncomfortably. I don't want to cry. I'm a guy. Guys don't cry.

I tried keeping myself together but failed miserably, as a few tears leaked onto my cheeks against my will. Not many, but still a few.

After about a half hour, maybe more, I don't know, I heard someone call out my name near where I was sitting.

I didn't answer, hoping they'd walk past me without seeing me; if I ran now, they'd see me. Unfortunately, the footsteps came closer to me, and closer, until a familiar man came to a stop in front of me.

"Niall" Paul whispered fondly, kneeling down in front of where I was sitting, still with my hands frustratedly pulling at my hair and my cheeks still damp.

"What's wrong?"

I sucked in a shaky breath and shook my head, not really trusting my voice to be able to say anything comprehensible anyways.

"It's Abbie, isn't it?" he asked, reaching up to touch my knee in a comforting way. I waited a second before I nodded my head weakly, crossing my arms on top of my knees and hiding my face in them.

I heard him sigh as he shifted his position. I didn't bother looking up to check.

"You miss her, don't you?"

"So fucking much" I croaked, my voice cracking on the last word. "I can't get over her, and she's there, probably going through hell, and I want to be there with her, I want to be the one comforting her!" I nearly shouted the last part desperately, looking up at Paul.

He just stared at me impassively. "Let it all out, Niall. You have to get your frustration out" he said calmly.

I slammed my fist in the dirt I was sitting on, making dust fly up.

"I just don't know why she's with Kevin again, and it's driving me crazy! I can't take this anymore! I'm going mental, Paul! I can't- I just can't take this anymore!"

Paul smiled sadly and reached over to pat his hand on my shoulder. "Niall... I think you're in love"

Surprised by the sudden change of subject, I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. Paul raised an eyebrow at me and I closed my mouth again, biting my lip.

"Yeah?" I whispered. "In love?"

I just thought I really, really liked her... Not love.

"That's what I think... Doesn't really mean it's true" Paul said, shrugging as he stood back up. "C'mon now, the lads are probably going mental, still looking for ya"

He extended his arm towards me and I grabbed it, hoisting myself up.


Paul and I walked back towards where I guess the tour bus was. I had no idea I'd ran this far out in the woods... Damn, it took forever to get back.

We got to the bus and Harry and Zayn were there, on their phones. Liam and Louis were nowhere to be seen. They looked up as we approached and Harry said something into his phone quickly before pressing end and running over to me. Zayn did the same and tackled me into a bear hug.

"Niall why'd you run off? We were worried sick about you!" Zayn said, nuzzling his face in my neck. I chuckled and patted his back.

"Sorry. I just got overwhelmed"


"It's alright mate, you just needed to be alone for a bit" he said, patting my back and letting go of me. "Are you okay now?"

I shrugged. "A bit"

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really" I said, turning around and walking inside the tour bus again.

•••••••

2 days later.

*still Niall's POV*

The boys and I were in the venue of our first concert in the US. We were all really excited; we could hear the crowd of screaming fans from here, and the show still wasn't starting for another hour.

"I can't wait! We're going to own this!" Louis said, smiling and clapping Liam on the back. I was sitting on the couch with Harry, talking about yesterday's signing.

Zayn was in the bathroom fixing his hair. "I'm sort of nervous" he called from the bathroom.

"I'm not" Harry said. "I'm excited"

"I'm excited too" I said, cracking a smile. "Our first American tour" I mused.

Suddenly, Liam's phone started ringing. He took it out and his expression was surprised.

"Who is it?" Harry asked.

"It's Abbie" he said nervously, his gaze flickering to me.

"Put her on speaker! Put her on speaker!" Louis yelled at Liam, jumping up and down as he braced himself on Liam's shoulders. Zayn ran out of the bathroom, smiling. "I wanna talk to her!"

Liam pressed a finger to his lips, quieting us, before pressing answer.

"Hello?" Abbie's voice rang into the dressing room. "Liam?"

She sounded a bit upset. My heart squeezed in my chest as I heard her shaky voice.

"Yeah, it's me. What's wrong?" Liam said gently, sitting down on the couch.

"Are you alone? I just want to talk" she answered softly.

Liam glanced up at us, biting his lip, before saying "Yeah, I'm alone. What's up?"

She took a deep breath before speaking again.

"I want to break up with Kevin."

I swear, I think my heart stopped. I froze on my seat, staring blankly at Liam. Everyone had turned to look at me.

"Really? Why?" Liam questioned.

"Well, uhh, he's still sort of being a jerk to me. And, well, I don't like it" she said vaguely.

"There's more than that, isn't there?" Liam asked suspiciously.

She paused for a moment.

"You can tell me, Abbie." Liam encouraged.

"I still like Niall" she said, her voice cracking on the last word.

I froze again, shocked.

She still likes me?!

What?

Am I dreaming?

"You do?" I yelled, jumping up towards Liam.

Harry jumped after me, slapping his hand on my mouth and pulling me back. Liam, Zayn and Louis all stared at me with a horrified expression.

"Liam, was that Niall?" Abbie asked, sounding panicked. "You said you were alone!"

"I am!" Liam said quickly. Oh no. He's panicking. He's never been a good liar. "I was just... Practicing my Irish accent for the show tonight! I'm supposed to do an impersonation of Niall!"

Louis groaned, slapping his hand on his forehead. Liam gave us a look, mouthing "I panicked".

"An impersonation? Seriously?" she asked unbelievingly.

Liam opened his mouth to say something, but froze, not knowing what to answer.

"... Fine" Abbie said after a few seconds, giving up.

"So you're still not over Niall? Then why did you get back with Kevin?" Liam asked, changing the subject.

She paused, and for a minute, it was completely silent.

"I just wanted Niall to think I wasn't clingy and desperate... I didn't want him to feel bad for me, he was doing what's best for him" she whispered out, her voice turning shaky. "When Kevin came, I felt like maybe I'd have another chance at a successful relationship, maybe Niall would forget about me, and be happy with his life... Since he wasn't happy with me" her voice cracked on the last word. She took a deep breath to calm herself.

"I just wanted him to be happy"

Liam looked up at me, pleading with his eyes. I knew what he wanted. "Tell her about the fake-dating"

I suddenly broke Harry's hold on me and ran for the phone. I grabbed it from Liam, who was stunned at the unexpected move. I saw Harry from the corner of my eye making a run for me, so I ran into the bathroom and locked myself inside, with Liam's phone still in my hand.

"Abbie" I whispered. "Do you really mean what you just said"

"Niall?" she panicked. "Where's Liam?!"

I could hear the guys pounding on the door and trying to pick the lock. I knew I didn't have much time.

"Abbie. Answer me. Do you really mean what you just said? About me?" I repeated, a bit louder.

She was silent. Just as I was about to ask again, she whispered out one word.

"Yes"