Niall Horan Imagines 2

The Same (Request)

The wheels squealed as I continued pushing the cart through the store, grabbing a few things on my way to where I actually needed to go.

He had disappeared from my thoughts recently. I forced them to be that way, but it was better like that.

Niall graduated high school by my side, but he left for the army the next day. As heartbreaking and lonely as it was, I respected his wishes and dreams.

But as time went on, I began to miss him more and more, but his family ignored me more and more, too. They had never really liked me. Letters became scarce, so I tried to make my wistful thoughts the same.

When we met in ninth grade, we became immediate, dedicated best friends. In tenth grade, he asked me out, but I declined. Stress and feelings ran high, but I only had time for school work.

For a few months, we didn't talk. It was painful, to say the least.

After exams, I finally told him I felt the same way, and we got together. Until graduation, that was how it stayed.

But after he left, I realized he would never be the same. He would love me, treat me, and see me differently. I didn't know how I would handle that.

When all communication between him and I stopped, and his family told me to leave them alone, I had my answer.

I couldn't handle it.

I worried about him until I taught myself not to, which took ten times longer than it did to start.

But that day in the grocery store, I wasn't expecting as much as I should have.

I usually run into something, so my surprise wasn't all that high when I hit something with my cart.

However, I was surprised when I looked up to watch someone on crutches falling to the ground.

"I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, feeling embarrassment redden my ears and cheeks.

I ran over to his side, watching him turn to look at me.

It wasn't hard for me to recognize who it was, but it was hard for me to stop and think for a second.

Why is he on crutches? Why is he here? Did he not write to me on purpose? How long has he been back? My mind screamed all the questions I could think of in those few seconds as we stared at each other.

"Sarah?" My heart pounded, and I helped him stand back up again without finding anything to say.

When he was sturdy on his feet again, I breathed again.

"I missed you," I sighed, keeping everything inside. I wanted to hug him until the world faded away. I wanted to kiss him and tell him how much I had worried for his safety. But it had been almost a year, and I knew he'd be different.

"My parents wanted me to focus on fighting, not writing letters," he spoke sadly, answering one of my questions. "But I guess I focused too hard," he chuckled, looking down at his leg.

"Tore some tendons in my knee and broke my tibia," he sighed, and I checked off another question.

"So I came home. Not only to recover, but because I didn't feel like I was doing the right thing." I nodded, looking away from his eyes. He looked stronger, he had been trying to keep up with shaving, and he was taller.

"People change, after all," I agreed sadly. I wanted things to go back to the way they were.

"Sarah," he called, causing me to look up once more.

"I also came home to see you," he added, staring at me. I felt my cheeks tense for a smile, but all my lips could do was kiss his. I almost knocked him over once again, but he caught himself, laughing.

"I thought you'd gotten over me," I sighed, resting my forehead against his. "I thought you'd stopped writing to me because you had more important things. I was being too clingy, but I just wanted you home alive. I thought you'd get back and want to see other people-" He stopped me in the middle of forming another word, kissing me harder than he ever had before.

When he let go, his arm tight around me, he sighed.

"You must not know me very well," he chuckled under his breath. "I'm always going to love you, and that won't ever change," he seemed to promise. He released me slowly, and my insecure brain spoke out once again.

"But nothing stays the same," I protested, frowning. He took my left hand, starting our secret handshake from ninth grade. The smile on my face at how much we both remembered was too big.

He caught my hand, twisting me close to him once more.

"This. This will always be the same."

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thanks secretly_sarah to for requesting this! very sorry for the wait, but I hope you liked it!

I love you all, and sorry for the gap in posts! I'm getting on track still :)

Mel xx