FOREVER [Niall Horan] ✔

Chapter 41.

"Every moment in her presence makes my life a little more complete."

Ana's POV

Hesitate- Jonas Brothers
Beige- Yoke Lore

"Why Ana?" He screams.

"I wasn't hanging out with Harry. I just- I just ran into him." I lie, not because I did something wrong, but because it was in the best interest of Niall. I don't know how the truth, that I just heard, will affect him. So, I think it's better to keep it to myself and figure everything out before I tell Niall.

"Yeah, sure," He scoffs. "Doesn't look like it." He stares at his phone before his eyes meet mine. His blue orbs appear darker than before with a hint of what looks like anger and fear. "Just tell me the truth." His voice shakes at the end and I feel my stomach fall. A pang of guilt runs across my chest before I take a step towards Niall.

"Niall, do you not trust me?" I ask, hesitancy lacing my voice, worried that maybe he will say yes, that maybe it was all my fault that he doesn't.

"I- I do," He speaks after a few seconds and sighs through his nose, looking vulnerable. I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. For a moment I almost thought that maybe he'll deny it but I'm happy he didn't.

There are a few unspoken words that linger in his eyes but I'm unable to decipher them no matter how hard I try. All I could comprehend was a little hint of fear in his eyes, which I don't know what for. I want Niall to confess how he feels other than showing the only emotion he's emitting right now, anger. I want him to express his emotions with words rather than being silent and letting his thoughts swallow him whole.

I do not want Niall to go through any kind of pain, be it emotional, physical or mental, after whatever happened last week, I feel responsible for it, even though I kind of know that it was not exactly my fault since I didn't know the truth.

Even though nothing happened between me and Harry, I lied about running into him. Harry messaged me earlier asking me if I could meet him and my first instinct was to decline it, but he insisted that the truth Niall told me was not exactly a truth; it was Niall's side of the story and that he wasn't aware of anything else. Harry told me the whole story and I feel like maybe I should keep it from Niall since I don't want him hurting anymore but I ended up hurting him, anyways.

I take another step towards him so that I'm a few inches away from him. "I only love you." I avow and lift one hand to cup his cheek. He leans into my touch and stares at me with the same emotion running through his eyes; fear.

Fear of what?

I take another confident step towards him and wrap my arms around his neck, intertwining my fingers behind it. I nuzzle my face inside his neck and place a small kiss there. It takes him almost a minute to hug me back but I do not mind, at least he didn't push me away. He puts his hands around my waist and pulls me closer to him so that I am on my toes and can reach him better. He nestles his head in my hair and I feel his chest moving against mine. His hold on me is taut, showing his love for me and how much he needs me. It is in that moment that I realise what fear in his eyes is for. Fear that he'll lose me one day. Fear that I'll leave him for someone like Harry like Emily did.

"Are you scared?" I silently ask, not making a move to separate myself from him.

"No, Ana." He pulls apart a little, seeming to understand my question so that he can look at me. "I'm fucking terrified," He murmurs.

"Baby," I play with the hair on the nape of his neck. "You do not have to be. I only love you," I say again. He looks me in the eyes and the next words that roll off of his lips almost sent me into perplexity.