Prologue
Niall's POV:
"Master Niall, are you quite sure that you do not want a ride? It is going to be dark soon. I do not recommend waking.." My Butler, Alfred, called to me in his thick English accent as I headed to the door that led outside. I turned around to see him staring at me with worried, brown eyes. He always was quite protective over me. More so than my parents even.. He's been with our family for as long as I could remember. If anything, Alfred was a very kind man. He practically raised me like his own, even though he hadn't any children, nor did he have a family. He cared for me and my brother like we were the sons he'd never had. Speaking of my brother, he actually moved out at 17 about 8 years ago.. I was 9 at the time. My parents disowned him for some things they never really went into detail about when telling me.. But that's a story best saved for another time I suppose.
"Al.." I said, calling him by the nickname that I've given him long ago "I'll be fine. I could use some fresh air anyway. And plus, I need the exercise. I don't remember the last time I've really taken a good walk. I'm just going to walk to Nandos. Only 30 minutes away. I'll be back in less than an hour and a half. 2 hours tops." I finished with a smile.
"But-" he started, but I didn't let him finish.
"No buts, Al. You don't need to drive me. I think you could use the rest of the night off anyway. You work so hard.. I'll be fine, I promise." I reassured him with a soft smile. To my liking, he finally sighed and gave in.
"I will never understand your obsession wih that place, by the way.. But very well, master Niall. I'll retire to my room for the night. Be safe.." He finished with a warm smile; the wrinkle lines at the sides of his mouth appearing.
"Always am, Al. Always am.." I said to him then proceeded to walk out the door, not before waving a goodbye to him.
Little did I know...
That was almost going to be my final goodbye..
____________________________________________________________________________________
I was about a good 10 minutes away from Nandos. The sun had already set leaving the crescent shaped moon to take it's place in the dark sky; the dim street lights being my only source of light as I walked alone down this empty street. It was a good walk..
But I've suddenly become nervous at this point..
Not because I'm afraid of walking alone at night or anything...
It's just... I feel as though I'm being watched or something. I could feel eyes boring into my back every now and again. Watching every move I took..
But whenever I turned around...
There was not a single person there.
My pink lips curved up a bit and I begin to chuckle slightly; puffs of warm breath made visible in the cold November air. 'I'm being silly.' I thought to myself. I tried shaking the uneasy feeling that was growing within me and continued my walk.
