Damaged - N.H.

2

"Niall! Can you help me?"

"'Course, love." He replied, carrying the drinks I had pointed at to the cooler outside.I filled the cooler with ice and Niall placed the drinks in before kissing me on the cheek and heading back over to talk to Harry. I watched him walk away before digging through the cooler for a drink.

Niall was leaving tomorrow, so we decided to send him off with a party at our house. The majority of our friends showed up to wish him well and he seemed to be having a great time. I felt someone walk up beside me so I paused, looking up at him.

"You want a drink?" I asked.

"Beer, please." Liam smiled.

I handed it to him before grabbing a soda and standing upright.

"Thanks." He smiled. "How are you holding up?"

"Oh, I'm fine." I smiled.

"If it makes you feel any better, the distance will be just as hard for him as it will be for you." He stated.

I nodded. "I'm sure it will be, but I know he'll be busy too. Distracted."

"Word of advice? Try to do the same. It makes the time go by faster." He replied.

"Yeah, that's where the wedding planning comes in." I laughed. "Hopefully I'll be so busy that I'll barely have time to notice Niall's absence." I said jokingly.

He gave me a sad smile. "Well, while he's gone, if you need anything just give me a call, okay? I'm only a few houses down, anyway. I know Niall would want that."

"What would I want?" Niall chimed in, approaching us.

He wrapped an arm around my waist and I smiled. "Liam told me I can call him if I need any help while you're gone."

"Oh...thanks, mate." Niall replied.

Liam nodded curtly, followed by an awkward silence.

"I'm going to go talk to the girls." I finally said, walking off a moment later.

Stacy and Liz were eyeing me curiously as I approached them.

"What were you talking to Liam about?" Liz immediately asked.

I shrugged. "Just the tour and Niall leaving."

"What about it?" She pressed.

"He was basically just telling me that it makes things easier if I keep busy." I replied. "Why?"

"Just curious." She muttered. "Niall just looked...tense."

I rolled my eyes. "You know how guys are."

"He practically marked his territory." Liz said amusedly.

"I'm sure he's just feeling a little overprotective because he's leaving tomorrow." Stacy interjected, elbowing Liz playfully.

As it started to get later in the evening, I noticed Niall wrapping things up with people and walking them to their cars out front, saying his goodbyes. More people started to get the hint and before I knew it, Stacy and Liz were helping me clean up the kitchen while Harry and Dan helped Niall clean up the few things left out in the back yard.

Around 8:30, we all said our goodbyes as our friends headed home for the night. When I was cleaning up the last few things in the kitchen, Niall came up behind me, wrapping his arms around me. I spun around so I could face him and smiled.

"I'm surprised at how early you had this party wrapped up." I stated.

"I told everyone I needed to spend some extra time with my beautiful fiancée before I left tomorrow. It didn't take them long to get the hint." He smirked.