PERFECT | 𝘯. 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘯 ✔

Chapter 27: Soldier.

[Darling, it's okay to be scared, it's frightening]

      I jolted awake with sweat making hair stick to my forehead. Was that real? What happened... Did that actually happen? Did I actually see Dylan and the rest? Was it a dream? It had to be a dream. If it was, it seemed so real. I let myself cry, the tears falling like waterfalls. My sobs grew louder, the more I thought about it. My door swung open and the lights flickered on. "Emily? Are you okay?" I looked over at the familiar ocean-eyed boy. 

      "Niall..." I sighed with a sniffle. 

      "Oh, Em." I could hear the heartbreak in his voice as he came to my bed and hugged me. 

      I felt safe. I felt like those boys couldn't hurt me anymore. "Please tell me that was I dream..." I whispered. I feel him shake his head and his hands rubbing my arms. My head on his shoulder as he slightly rocked us side to side. 

      "I'm so sorry." I hear him whisper. I grip his shirt as the tears continued to fall. Niall was there. He stopped those boys. They still did things, but Niall stopped it before it could go any further. 

      "Thank you, Niall. So much." I sniffled against him and sighed. He nodded as I felt myself relax against him. His warm embrace engulfed me in a calm state to the point where I felt my eyes grow heavy again. He laid us down, not removing his arm from around me. 

      I yawned as he covered our bodies with the comforter. "Niall?" He hummed against my hair. "Can you sing for me?" I whispered. I felt him smile before his grip grew tighter. 

      "I'm not a soldier, but I'll fight through our darkest of days... Get on my shoulders, and I'll carry you all of the way... 'Cause there's no life worth living in if you're not with me in it... I'm not a soldier, but you make me wanna be brave..." My already heavy eyes finally fall closed as Niall's voice makes all my worries and concerns blow away. It was only him and I.

ONE WEEK LATER

      On the bus to San Diego, Niall and I sat beside each other sharing earbuds as I present to him Ozzy Osbourne. "Does he have to be screaming?" He asks, jokingly. 

      "That's called rock music, smart one." I retort with a giggle. Things were finally going back to normal after the whole 'Jessie Fiasco'. It was hard getting over what happened, but Niall was there with me the entire time. He let me cry and express my emotions as he held me and took care of me in my dark hours. Thank God for him, honestly. If I didn't have him, I probably wouldn't be back to normal. Of course, I'll never forget what happened, but I'll always remember it as a time that Niall was there for me the most. 

      I still haven't told the boys about what happened exactly with Jessie or Gramma, which I should probably say soon. All they know right now is that Jessie and I ended on bad terms. 

      From what I've heard, Gramma was doing just fine and responding to treatments well. I hate that I'm away from them so much, but I have tried to keep in touch with them all as much as I can. 

      "Stop flirting or my breakfast is going to be all over you!" Zayn playfully threatens with a roll of his eyes. Liam pretends to gag while Louis and Harry mock us. 

      "Say whatever you want, but I have pictures of you all to gladly post." I raise an eyebrow while holding up my phone. They immediately stop teasing and go back to whatever they were doing. Niall laughs and smiles at me. 

      "You know your stuff." 

      I nod, "Of course I do. I have Yomara as a friend." We laugh and continue listening to the music.