BIRDS (Niall Horan/ Keep Me Warm Sequel)

Chapter 16. Part II. Nightingales and birthdays.

His arms held me tight as he kissed my forehead. I had a strange feeling inside me. I felt as if the last three years hadn't had happened. We were the same Niall and the same Maddie we used to be. I felt relieved, some kind of comfort. Home. And that scared the shit out of me. I parted away abruptly, weeping the tears that were streaming down my face and got up from the sofa we were sitting in. Determined to go, none of us said anything until I got to the door.

"Maddie, what's going on?"

"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't even be here. I have to go"

"C'mon, something's up with ya. You know you can count on me" he said while squezzing my hand.

I turned around and watched him there with a warm smile on his face. I nodded and he lead me back to the couch so we could talk. I felt a lump on my throat that stopped me from talking, my heart racing as fast as ever when he carressed my knee, my whole body shaking everytime I thought about everything that was going on between me, my father and Peter. I ran my hands through my hair a few times and put it in a ponytail. In that momento, I heard him laughing, so I looked at him confused.

"What are you laughing at?" I asked

"You always put your hair in a ponytail when you're stressed"

I smiled. I tried to relax. I was a little calmer now surrounded by the homeliness of his presence. I glanced at him once again. His eyes were asking me to tell him about everything and his lips turned into a little smile, which somehow gave me the courage to talk.

"Sometimes it all get a little too much, you know?" I admitted "My father, Peter, and the wedding. I wake up, I go to work and I can't even write a fucking song that's worth it. Because my mind isn't at the studio. I spend hours and hours thinking about what will happen when I get home, how much shit I'll have to pick up from my dad that day, or if Peter will say a word to me. All I do is worrying about them, and I get nothing from that. The more things I try to do for the situation to get better, the worse it gets. I can't keep living like this"

"Have you tried talking to them? Being honest about this?"

"It's imposible. My father's drunk pretty much all day and Peter's too proud to deal with this"

"I wish I knew what to say" he whispered while running his hand through my ponytail "I can't give you a solution, but I hate seeing you like this. You don't deserve it"

He moved his hand to my shoulder and I rested my head on his chest"

"I can only assure you that the pain and anxiety you're feeling will go away eventually. Pain is necessary but not everlasting" he continued "you're strong enough to get through everything that stands in your way. You cannot forget that. Ever."

"How can you always make me feel better?" I laughed.

"Because I believe in you"

I put my head up and smiled at him.

"Niall, can I ask you something?"

"Sure"

"Was it you the one who talked about me to Coop?"

His eyes went wide as the words came out of my mouth.

"Who told you that?"

"Doesn't matter. Tell me, is it true?"

His mouth hung open as he started running his sweaty palms along his thighs, struggling to find the words to say. I placed my hand around his neck, forcing him to turn around and face me. His cheeks turned to a slightly pink tone and he put his head down to answer my question.