What If..?

Chapter Thirteen

|Song: Wake Me Up-Avicci|

JADE

Two months. That's how long it has been since that horrific day. That is how long Niall has been in the hospital unconsciously laying down in a bed and not responding to anything. Two months of rushing straight to the hospital after school. Two months of staring at my phone intently when I wasn't at the hospital, waiting for a call that will help me breathe easier. 1,464 hours of watching time tick by slowly. Two months.

Never have I hated someone as much as I do the boys that did this to Niall. Well, that's a lie. There is one other person...

I'm startled out of my thoughts by a groan from the body laying on the hospital bed in front of me. Standing up, I move closer to Niall and move his hair out of his face. "Niall, you need to wake up now... You've been asleep for way too long... I miss you. It's not the same without you teasing me for the idiotic things I do, like tripping over my own feet." I quit talking, getting too caught up in the memories and emotions floating through my mind.

NIALL

I am the one this team looks up to. If I show doubt or worry they are surely to feel like attempting to win this match is hopeless when it, in fact, is not. Years upon years, season upon season, our school goes undefeated until this match every year. I have to do this. Not only for myself but for the school also.

After the pep-talk I give myself, I gather my team around me. "C'mon lads, we can do this! We've come too far to let them walk home with this Championship! If we get out there and work together we'll stand strong. This is the last game of the season. Let's go out with a bang!" I shout. My mates whoop and holler their appreciation to my speech as we make our way onto the field.

I cordially greet the Captain from the opposing team, the Lions. "Ready to lose like all other years?" He asks snarkily.

I just laugh it off. "See if you still say that in the end, yeah? Wouldn't want to get too ahead of ourselves." I say, "After all, we shouldn't set ourselves up for failure."

I keep a calm persona, but if it were up to my inside emotions, I'd probably be shaking like a leaf. Show no fear, I think to myself.

The buzzer sounds, and I knock the ball away from his feet. Passing it to a mate of mine, I keep close to ensure he's got it. Once I'm fully assured, I take off down the field.

Before I know it, the last minute is on the board. Fourth quarter, and we're down by five. Hope is dwindling, but my team refuses to give up.

Jonnathan, the last name of the opposing Captain, knocks my feet out from under me. I tumble to the ground in an awkward position. He jogs away with a smirk plastered on his face.

I push myself up as a whistle is blown. Coach rushes over to me and helps me up. "Horan, what happened?" He demands.

"That wanker tripped me, and I landed wrong" I spat.

With the help of Coach, I limp over to the benches. I look at my knee once I am seated. It's swollen and purple. That's probably not good.

Coach throws his clipboard down. "Dammit! We can't do this without a Captian! We have to forfeight!" Coach shouts and paces.

"No we don't. I'm finishing this thing" I mutter and stand up.

"Horan, you're injured. You can't!"

"Watch me."

I walk out to the field ignoring the throbbing pain in my knee. Due to his penalty, I get two shots. If I score, and we win. I listen to all the negative things buzzing through my head until my eyes land on her. Jade. I glance at the clock on the score board.

It's the last 30 seconds ticking by on the score board, and the crowd is dead silent. As they stare at me, I can hear my heart thumping in my ears. I can do this I think to myself while sprinting down the field with the ball at my feet.

Time is quickly fleeting. It's now or never. Risking it, I kick the ball and hold my breath in anticipation as it soars through the air.

Ten seconds on the clock. nine, eight, seven... It's in! I did it! The buzzer sounds and my team flocks me. I'm tackled to the ground by my mates as the crowd full of supporters screams in excitement.

When I finally get back to my feet, I see Jade at the edge of the field. I open my arms widely, and she runs into them. I pick her up and spin her, still high on adrenaline. I did it.

I am walking through the hall receiving congratulations from everyone, even Siva. This is odd I think to myself while smiling awkwardly. Within the blink of an eye, everything turns upside down. I am alone and surrounded by darkness. Laughter fills my ears, but not the joyous laughter. No it is that of mockery. I cover my ears, but it just gets louder. I'm trapped in a nightmare.

Out of the darkness emerges Jade. I run to her in search of comfort, but she dodges my grasp. I look at her, confused and hurt. I try to speak but no words come out as I remain frozen in one place.

"You actually believed I cared for you?" She laughs.

Finally, I find the strength to speak. "You were there when I was stabbed, you were crying, I felt it!" I say, not wanting to believe her hateful words.

"Oh silly, naive Niall, I don't care for you or about you. What you did to James was horrible, and you deserve to go through what he did!"

JADE

They shove me out of the room as Niall's heart-rate escalates out of nowhere. I sit in the hall just outside of his room with my back pressed to the wall and my face between my knees. "I-I need you back, Niall" I whisper to myself.

Two hours later, they finally tell me I can go back into his room. When I get in there, Niall's body is on its side and his face is contorted in pain. I rush over to him and gently hold his face in my hands. I brush my thumbs over his cheeks and whisper, "Niall, I need you to wake up now, okay?"

I kiss his forehead, his nose, and then finally his lips. I whisper, "I really like you, Niall."

Three more hours pass before his body shows any signs of liveliness. Three hours of me staring at him laying on the bed while tears flood my face. Three hours of begging Niall to wake up. Three hours of blaming myself.

Finally, Niall's eyes open.