Bumps in the Road

03// I Promise

I started walking to the 'spot', as Niall and I used to call it. The one weeping willow tree close enough to walk to is where we would meet up for any given reason.

I smiled softly to myself as I thought back to the memories this one tree held.

"Come on, Emma! I want to get there while I'm still young!" Niall yelled back at me. I giggled softly and picked my pace up from a jog to a run.

"I'm coming, Niall don't get your panties in a twist!" I yelled back with a chuckle in return.

Niall made it to the tree before me, so when I got there he was already partially up the beautiful weeping willow. I sighed loudly and began to climb up after him, slower than usual.

"Why are you so slow today?" He asked from 'our' branch. 'Our' branch was special, it was the only branch in that particular part of the tree.

"You know why, Niall." I replied quietly. He groaned loudly and shook his head to fix his unruly hair.

"Emma, you know how much this means to me. I don't want to leave ya, but I need to follow my dream." Niall said looking me dead in the eye before adding, "D-do you want me to go?"

I gasped and tried to hold back the gateway of tears. "How..how could you even think that? I want you to live your dream more than anyone. I'm just still processing the fact that it will be a while before I see you again." The tears fell after I finished. Niall pulled me in for a hug while a cried on his shoulder.

After a while he pulled his face back and stared into my puffy, bloodshot eyes, "This is just an audition, who knows if I'll even make it," he cut off my protests that be was an amazing singer and they would be crazy to not say yes, with a hand wave, "I just want this shot. And I know I will see you again. I promise."

A tear slid down my cheek at the memory. I swiped it away swiftly. I was tired of crying over that boy. He broke his promise.

That was the last memory this tree will hold of us together. After Niall left for the X-Factor he didn't come back to see me. Just me. He would come back to his house and there would be Welcome-Home Parties for him. I never went to them, after the first one.

"WELCOME HOME NIALLER!!!!" The crowd yelled to the little famous Irishman. He was smiling widely and greeting all the guests at his party.

When he excused himself from a group of boys from our- well my school- I walked up to him, hoping he wouldn't of forgotten me.

"Nice party you have here." I teased.

"Yeah, its pretty sick." He said and looked up from the refreshment table up to my eyes. Something flashed in his eyes that I couldn't read quick enough. It was gone as fast as it came.

"Em... is that really you?" He asked breathless. I nodded and bit my bottom lip and looked down at my black flowy shirt and acid wash skinny jeans. 

"Oh...umm...wow...uh...h-how are you?" He asked as he walked around the table over towards me.

"I'm good. How 'bout you, superstar?" He pulled me into a hug. I gasped in surprise, but then hugged back.

"I've never been better." He whispered in my hair. I laughed and hugged him tighter to me, willing for the tears to stay at bay.

He pulled back and looked in my eyes, reminding me of the last time he did it before he left. 

"I've mis-" Niall started, but was cut of by some eager family members. I sighed and nudged him over towards the group. He complied after he promised he'd be back in a bit.

I watched from the refreshment table as he mingled with the crowd. I was smiling to myself, when my phone vibrated in my jean pocket. I took it out and looked down at the text I received.

'From Nialler:) : Go 2 the kitchen, I'll meet you there'

I smiled bigger and walked towards the back door and walked in towards the all too familiar kitchen. I sat atop the counter and waited for Niall to come in.

I sat there for about 3 minutes, when I heard footsteps. I got a little excited and my heart fluttered. The footsteps got louder and closer.

When Niall stepped into the kitchen I was beyond happy that we could finally talk. I was about to begin a conversation,that is until he stopped me by putting his hand up.

"Before you say something, I just wanted to say that we can't be friends anymore. And it would be best if you left." My breath caught in my throat and I sat there with my mouth hanging wide open staring surprised at my old best friend. The one I shared EVERYTHING with. We shared secrets, food, drinks, anything we could.

I shook my head to clear it and took a deep breath. "If that is what you want," I choked on a sob then continued, "then...  I guess I'll just... leave." The tears that I tried to hold back began falling silently as I walked past him,
out the front door and ran to 'our spot.'

As I approached the tree, I was an absolute mess. I fell to my knees in front of the trunk and let it all out. Every tear, every scream, everything I had in me. I was torn apart. All those years I spent with that dyed blonde boy was thrown away. All the tears, laughs, confessions, memories we had were gone. And I knew that my life was complete shit now more than ever.