How to Save a Life (Niall Horan)

Chapter 3: Only Half the Truth

Niall’s POV

I smiled to myself as she walked over and took a seat on the couch beside me. I wanted to stall on taking her home as long as possible. I didn’t trust her not to do something she’d regret. If she stayed here I could keep an eye on her and make sure she didn’t retry her attempt at taking her life.

It killed me to think that there was something in her life that made her want to end it completely. I couldn’t imagine anything wrong in this girl’s life. She seemed so honest and good. What could make her feel that way?

“So…” she sighed, looking at me, obviously wanting me to break the silence.

“Tell me about yourself.” I said leaning back against the arm of the couch. I could see the uncertainty in her blue/grey eyes as I asked her to share her story with me. “It’s alright love, you can trust me. I just want to get to know you better.” I encouraged. She bit her lip and looked at the ground, taking a recomposing breath.

“My name is Elizabeth Lynn Laversi, I’m seventeen, I just finished high school, I was born and raised here in New Jersey, I love music, sports, and reading, my favorite color is light blue, and my favorite song is How Far We’ve Come by Matchbox Twenty.” She spoke quickly and confidently, catching me off guard. She finally tore her gaze away from the floor and looked up at me, anticipating what I was going to say.

I smiled widely at her, happy that she had opened up, even in the slightest bit. “Nice to know.” I chuckled. She gave me an eye roll.

“Yes, nice to know. Now tell me about you, will you?” she said, seeming to become more comfortable by the second. I laughed lightly again and then went into a mini bio about me.

“My name is Niall James Horan,” I said slowly, wincing a bit, expecting her to suddenly catch on and start either fangirling, or going off on me for some other reason, but it never came. I continued. “I’m nineteen, I was born and raised in Mullingar, Ireland, but now I live in London. I love to sing, play guitar, and spend time with my friends and family. I also love to eat and my favorite restaurant is Nandos.” I explained.

“Irish… that’s what your accent is.” She mumbled to herself, as if it was an answer to a question that has been in her head for a while. I chuckled and nodded.

“So Niall, if you don’t mind me asking, why are you here in New Jersey if you live in London?” she asked. I looked away from her. I didn’t want to lie, but I also didn’t want to tell her about One Direction yet. She didn’t know. She treated me normally. I could tell from the way we met and everything that she seemed to be going through right now that she wouldn’t be here talking to me if she knew I was THE Niall Horan.

“Uh, just on a holiday with my mates.” I said indicating towards the hallway where the lads had disappeared to just before. She nodded slowly, still looking slightly suspicious, but having no reason not to believe my words. I let out a silent sigh of relief. It wasn’t a complete lie. I mean, for us this was slightly relaxing. We would actually be here for four months in order to do a bunch of different interviews and signings as well as promote our second album here in the States. We would occasionally be going to different towns, but a majority of our time was going to be spent here in Jersey.

“I see… so how long you all going to be here for?” she asked, seeming afraid of the answer.

“Four months, but we’ll be going to different towns every now and again for a few days at a time.” I explained. She nodded, seeming a bit reassured by my response.

It grew quiet again and the one question that I knew she didn’t want to hear hung in the air. I knew I shouldn’t ask, but I felt it eating away at me as I replayed the event in my head. I kept seeing her walk mindlessly towards the street, and hearing the car horn as it hurtled towards her. I kept remembering the adrenaline rush as I ran over to her and grabbed her by the waist and yanked her away from impending danger.