Happily (Niall Horan)

Chapter Fourty: It's the Paps

Thursday, April 18, 2013:
Hayleigh:
"Presley I'm leaving!" I call to her as I slip on my flats, and grab my camera.
"Where are ya going?" She asks curiously as she walks in the living room.
"It's Becca's birthday today so all of us in my workshop are throwing her a mini-party," I smile, thinking of the girl who is finally sixteen.
"Have fun then!" Pres gives a small wave and I nod before walking out the door.
It's actually weird that I still had about ten kids from my class two years ago. Usually, the classes are seasonal so after winter, they might transition to something else they want to try or join some programs in the field they learned about. Becca stayed, and so did a few others because they told me I still have a lot to teach them about photography and themselves, making that the proudest moment of my life.
I get into my car quickly, as there was a slight breeze since it was only about ten this morning. Once I'm successfully driving down the road, my phone rings and I curse under my breath when I see it's Niall.
I haven't talked to him since Monday because of the tour and of course the only time he can call me is when I'm driving. With one hand on the wheel, I hook up my phone to the car and hit answer.
"Hey Niall!" I greet him happily.
"Hey!" He replies and I can picture him in the hotel room, as I can hear the boys in the background. "I just wanted to see how everything's going."
"Everything is great," I say as I make a right turn. "How was Birmingham last night?"
"Amazing as usual," he comments. "They were a really great crowd." There's an unusual silence before he speaks again, "I miss you, Haybear."
A small smile plays on my lips, "I miss you too, Nialler. Don't worry you'll see me for four days after the concert in Hamburg."
"That's not till May though," he says with a pout. Then his tone brightens, "You should come visit me."
I sigh, "Niall I can't and you know that. I'm going on another mission trip with Presley next week to Jamaica and then I still have work. You know I would come in a heartbeat if I could."
"I know you would," he replies, less enthusiastic. "It's just so boring without you here. Plus I'm stuck with four idiots until November," he chuckles and I hear some noise in the background.
"Oi!" I think it was Harry. "Speak for yourself mate!"
I laugh and vision Niall rolling his eyes with a smile. As I pull into the center, a feeling of sadness washes over me because I don't know how long it will be until he can call.
"Hayleigh, Paul is rounding us up," Niall says and and I nod even though he can't see me.
"I have to go too," I reply, my voice slightly cracking at the end. "It's Becca's birthday."
"Tell her I said happy birthday," he tells me, half heartedly. "I love you Hayleigh."
I turn off my car after I'm parked and sit in my seat. "I love you too Niall. Have fun in Manchester."
"I will," he promises. "I'll talk to you as soon as I can."
"Bye," I whisper and I hear him sigh.
"See you later, love."
The phone call ends and I grab my phone and my stuff quickly before I get all sad, and walk into the center ready to throw one of my favorite kids a great party.
Niall:
"It's only one o'clock and we have nothing to do on our day off," I comment dully. I got off the phone about two hours ago and my life could not be any more boring.
"Lighten up, Ni," Liam pats my shoulder before continuing to play FIFA against Louis.
"Yeah it's fun having nothing to do," Lou adds, his face focused in on the TV.
"Whatever you say," I grumble and get up to get something to eat. I rummage through cabinets until I find a bag of crisps to munch on before we stop for a late lunch in Manchester.
"Lads get in here!!" I hear Harry yell about five minutes later as I scroll through Twitter. In confusion to why he sounds so urgent, I quickly make my way to Harry and the other boys who were huddled around his laptop.
"What's going on?" I ask and stand beside them, looking at the screen.
"Oh," Zayn starts with wide eyes.
"My," Louis says next, not believing it.
"God," I finish; my eyes have to be messing with me.
There is Hayleigh, just walking out of a coffee shop, before she gets totally mobbed by paparazzi. I see the scared look on her face as they swarm her, yelling questions and comments that I will never repeat, making my heart clench. She trips over a man's foot, sending her to the concrete sidewalk.
"What the hell!?" I yell and the lads don't stop me. "They're not even helping her! They're just taking more pictures!" The thing is I don't see Hayleigh get up, and I fear the worst that she has fallen unconscious.
I only relax slightly when I see her face again but panic when she starts taking rapid breaths. "Guys she's claustrophobic!" I shout, but my voice strains from the hurt I'm feeling for my best friend. "She's having a panic attack!"
"Wait look," Zayn points to the side of the screen and I see about thirty girls, pushing away the men from Hayleigh. They form a circle around her as two help her from the ground. I can't hear what they're saying because of all the racket from the paps but Hayleigh is shaking and I see tears on her face.
What sets me off the most is when I see her wiping blood from her shins, as she was wearing capris. "When was this posted," I demand and Harry quickly scrolls down.
"About an hour ago," he informs me and I rapidly take my phone and call Hayleigh.
"Come on, come on," I mumble impatiently under my breath as I hear it ringing. When I hear her sweet voice play her voicemail, I hang up and try again. "God dammit," I curse and start pacing. "Hayleigh answer your phone!"
After about five tries, I dial Presley instead. "Where is she?" I don't even give her time to say hi.
"She's fine," Presley tells me, and my body relaxes. "She's taking a nap, Niall."
"Where are you?" I question.
"The living room," she answers.
"What exactly happened?" I ask another question but I don't get the answer I wanted.
"I don't know," Pres replies. "She won't tell me anything."
"Tell her to call me please?" I beg her, and wipe a tear under my eye away.
"Of course," she assures. "Bye Niall."
She hangs up and I throw my phone across the room, watching it land on the couch safely.
"Is she okay?" Louis asks but I shake my head.
"No she isn't," I say truthfully. "Presley might think she is but Hayleigh probably used the excuse of taking a nap and is crying her eyes out in her room, shaking herself to death."
"Shouldn't you trust her?" Liam questions and I tilt my head.
"Who? Presley?" They nod. "I trust her but I know Hay better than anyone and she is not okay."
My phone starts ringing and I dash over to it.
HAYBEAR
I answer and finally put my body at ease when I hear her voice. "Niall?"
"Hey," I say softly. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine why do you ask?" She lies and I sigh when I hear a sniffle.
"Please tell me the truth," I plead desperately.
"I am telling the truth," Hayleigh tries to convince me.
I play along for now but I have a plan. "If you say so. I'm sorry but I have to go, call me if you need anything?" I hate to cut this short but I need to catch a plane like now.
"Okay," she replies simply and softly. "Bye Ni. I'll talk to you soon."
I say the same back to her but before I hang up (I thought she had already did) I hear Hayleigh begin crying and I shut my phone off so I can't hear it.
It's the worst sound in the world.
"Lads, I'm going to the airport," I don't give an explanation.
"Good thing we bought you a ticket," Zayn grins and I do the same back to all four of them.
"Good luck mate," Liam gives me a side hug and I wave before grabbing keys and running out of the hotel room.
"Just be back for tomorrow!" I hear Harry yell.
Hayleigh:
"You're fine, Hayleigh," I assure myself, wiping the tears from under my eyes. My legs start pacing back and forth as my anxiety levels rise in my chest. "Stop being dramatic," I say out loud, getting frustrated.
I squeeze my brown eyes shut, the memories flashing through my mind.
All the mean and hurtful things they accused me of or being, permanently etched in my brain.
I had called Niall about an hour ago, but it didn't help at all.
Being surrounded like that, was terrifying. How celebrities do that all the time, puzzles me.
I turn on my stereo to try to distract myself from thinking about it but it doesn't work.
"Up on the hill across the blue lake,
That's where I had my first heartbreak
I still remember how it all changed
My father said,
Don't you worry
Don't you worry child
See Heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry now
Yeah," I don't know why but Madilyn Bailey's voice just made me cry harder as I sunk to the floor. I rest my head on my knees and try to calm myself down.
Up on the hill across the blue lake,
That's where I had my first heart break
I still remember how it all changed
My father said
Don't you worry, don't you worry child
"Hayleigh!!" I hear a voice shout and I groan, sitting up. My brown eyes dart around my room and I see that I'm still on my floor. I guess I fell asleep. My music was still playing and I pat my cheeks to feel dried tears. "Hayleigh open the door!" His voice is muffled but there's no way...no.
I scramble to get up, careful to not scrape my badly scratched knees against the floor, and run to my door and fling it open. Niall's fist was raised-ready to knock again-but I go straight into his chest, slightly crying. His arms wrap around me instantly and he hoists me up on to his side like a little child.
Usually I hate being carried but Niall is an exception.
"Shh, you're okay," he soothes, his grip tight as I bury my head into neck.
"I can't believe you're here," I whisper through my sobs, playing with the fabric of his T-shirt. "Why are you here, Ni?"
"You needed me," he answers and sets me down on my bed and squatting down to meet eye-level. He gently wipes some tears from under my eyes away and kisses my temple.
"I'm fine," I say but my puffed and red face state otherwise.
"Don't feed me that bullshit," Niall replies, getting angry. "You were attacked and harassed, Hayleigh."  "Those girls helped me," I sniffle, being optimistic.
"Please," he begs and cups my face with my hands. "Hayleigh tell me what happened."
"It was so scary, Niall," I break, my eyes welling up again. I curse myself internally because it seems like I can't stop acting like a baby. "I-it was out of nowhere. I was just on my way home from Becca's p-party."
He picks me up and takes a seat near all my pillows. After a few minutes, I'm cuddled into his side while he rubs my back. "I just felt so alone," I cry out, not being able to hold it in any longer. Tears soak through his shirt and his grip tightens even more.
"I'm so sorry I wasn't there," he whispers into my ear, his voice slightly cracking. "It's all my fault."
"No it's not," I protest weakly. "They are disgusting pigs, Niall. They made their own choices."
"I literally almost broke down," Niall shares, playing with the ends of my long brown hair. "My babe-my Haybear getting attacked. Whatever they told you isn't true. You know that right?"
"They kept saying inappropriate things," I tell with a sniffle. "Some were whistling and I tried to keep my head held high but there was so many. Then I tripped and scraped my shins."
I sit up, wiping off my face, aggravated by the low lives. "Niall they didn't even help me!" His blue eyes widen and he cautiously places his hand on my back.
"Hayleigh?"
"I'm not even sad anymore!" I yell, starting to pace around my room.
"I'm bloody claustrophobic, and I had a panic attack!"
"Hayleigh!"
"One stepped on my hand and I can't even feel it anymore!"
"HAYLEIGH!" I turn around fuming, but turn shocked when Niall takes my face in his hands again. "Look at me," he commands softly and I stare into his deep eyes.
"We're going to the doctor to look at your hand," he says first and I nod. "Then I'm going to tweet to the girls who saved you."
"Then what?" I ask.
"I'm going to murder those dicks for assaulting you."
"You can't murder them," I retaliate and he hugs me again. "Just please don't let them hurt me. Please."
"Never again," he promises and I close my eyes to enjoy his embrace.
I interlock our pinkies to completely seal the deal and look up at him.
"I'm holding you to that, you know."
"I know," he replies softly. "Now let's get to the doctor."
Hey guys! I can't believe it's almost Halloween already! Geez it seems like it was just School starting.
Sorry for a horrible chapter. I felt like there needed to be a little excitement before all the big stuff happens.
Love you all and I hope you enjoyed my crappy writing skills!!
~Lex<3