One Month.

1-Save Me

--Sydney's POV--

"Y'know, it's not safe to be over there," I didn't so much as look up at the voice.

"Good thing I'm not trying to be safe," I said bitterly. I continued walking along the edge, occasionally kicking my feet out over the edge.

"You should. It's a long way down." He sounded like he was coming closer.

"That's the idea." I said, swinging a foot out again to spite him.

"Stop that!" He said. I still didn't look at him.

"Just go away already. You're just some random guy trying to clear his conscience by saving someone he doesn't care about. Just go away, and leave me alone. I'm not here to be saved." He laughed a little.

"Good thing. I wouldn't know how to save you." I turned to look at him angrily.

"Good! Then stop talking to me and leave!" I pointed to the rooftop door, wanting him to leave even more now that I recognized him. Niall Horan. One Direction. International boy band sensation, undoubtedly with sticks up their asses and cotton in their heads.

"No." He said, folding his arms.

"Fine. Then I'll leave." With that. I shifted my weight to my heels and let myself fall back. Air whooshed around me for only a second, then two hands clamped around my wrists, jerking my shoulders nearly out of socket, and stopping my fall.

"Why? There's so much for life to offer," he said angrily.

"Yeah, all different shades of shit! Just let me go!" I tried digging my nails into his arms, but he didn't let go, instead, started pulling me up.

"Stop already! Why can't you just let me have my peace for once?" I yelled, crying and he got me back onto the roof.

"Because that's not the way to achieve it," he said gently, and tried to wrap his arm around me, but I glared at him until he withdrew it. "Let me prove it to you."

"No."

"Please?" He begged. "Give me a month. One month, that's it. If I can't help you, then I won't try to stop you." He bargained.

"You think you can change my entire perspective in a month?" I rolled my eyes. "Not going to happen."

"Please? Just humor me, alright? What have you got to lose?" I couldn't answer that for a moment.

"It's not about losing something. It's about not delaying the inevitable." I said, shivering. He went to put his arm around me again, but I leaned away again.

"I'm just putting my jacket around you, alright? You're freezing." I grudgingly accepted it. "Going back to what you said, it doesn't make any sense. We all do die, so what? You don't see me taking the plunge off a skyscraper," he said.

"That's because you're life is just fine. Mine, not so much," I said scathingly.

"My life's not all sunshine and rainbows either. I've got my ups and downs. I see it as a challenge. How much can I take? So far, quite a lot," he said, leaning against the lip on the rooftop.

"Too much for me," I mumbled.

"I bet not. The way I see it, if you really wanted to die, you'd be dead." I stared at him for a moment.

"You realize that I would be dead if you didn't interfere, right?" I asked slowly. Was he really that much of an idiot?

"You could've avoided that pretty simply. But you didn't. You could've pulled your arms away, but you didn't. So, the way I see it, some small part of you still wants to be alive." I was silent, again. I suppose there goes my theory that they were cotton-brained idiots with sticks up their asses.

"What's the date?" I asked.

"March 8th," he responded simply.

"You have until April 8th." He smiled widely and hugged me. I tensed.

"You'd best get used to hugs pretty quickly. Now, since you obviously already know my name, what's yours?" I bit my lip, hesitating. It felt like once I told him that, I'd be bound to my promise.

"Sydney," I said, finally. "Sydney Cress." He stood up, offering me a hand.

"Well, Sydney Cress, you're about to have the best month ever." I let him pull me into a standing position, and followed him back downstairs.

"Aren't your bandmates going to hate you for holding their departure?" I asked. He grinned slightly.

"Actually I sort of told them to leave without me. I saw you up there and I just sort of ran up." I froze for a moment.

"Did they see me?" He paused, then nodded.

"Probably, why?"

"I don't want pity." I said simply. He shrugged.

"Then don't ask for it. I doubt they saw your face. Besides, where we're going, there's no pity for anyone." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Where are we going?" I asked, confused.

"Outside." With that, he grabbed my hand and pushed the doors open, then took off running. I barely had time to grab his jacket before the wind, or one of the screaming girls took it.

"What the fuck? How did all these people get here?" I asked as we ran, just a few feet in front of the crowd.

"I don't know now shut up and run faster!" He pulled me around a corner, then pointed to a hotel. I just nodded, pouring every bit of energy I had into my legs. I was never a big runner, so I felt like my lungs were on fire.

Once safely inside the hotel, I nearly collapsed out of pure exhaustion.

"Well that was fun," he said, breathing heavily. I stared at him.

"That was torturous," I said. He just laughed. "I never even want to walk again."

"Then I'll carry you." It was my turn to laugh.

"I'd crush you, so no."

"Please, you're like a feather! Besides, we're on the 15th floor." He commented.

"Yeah you can carry me then. I'm tired just thinking of that." He chuckled, and gestured for me to get on his back, I did so hesitantly, and he made a show of practically tossing me up as he shifted my legs around his waist.

"See? No problem." He said, walking easily over to the elevators. I blushed, dropping my head to his shoulder. I had totally forgotten that we wouldn't have to walk up 15 flights of stairs.

"You can put me down," I mumbled.

"Nope. Besides, it'll be funny to see the looks on the lads' faces." My stomach twisted. Of course. I had to meet the rest of them.