Mistaken

Chapter 2-Broken Thoughts , Broken Eyes

“Hey zayn”. Niall said flatly as he walked across the apartment to his bedroom.

 “You are still coming right?” he figured zayn would be checking on him. He was notorious for cancellations lately.

“Yes I was just about to leave “niall lied, rifling through a basket of laundry digging out a faded Ramones t-shirt.

“Oh good I was worried you would bail on me.” Zayn sighed.

“No worries, I’m heading your way now.” Niall managed a pair of dark skinny jeans as he held the phone against his shoulder

“Great, I’ll have a beer waiting for you when you get here

That pleased niall at least something could

He hung up, shoving his phone into his pocket before slipping on a pair of black converse. Casual dress. He was heading to the pub after all. Finley’s good bear and good music. It was a favoured hangout for the college students and grads that still lived in town. Niall had been going there for years. But he hadn’t been there since last year.

As niall made his way to the door he slipped on an over-sized black leather jacket. It had been loams. The arms were just a little too long, but he always wore it whenever he rode. Before exiting the apartment he scooped up his black messenger bag and his motorcycle helmet then trotted down the three flights of stairs to the parking lot. Niall reached the last landing and approached the glass doors that led to the parking lot. Behind his building, thumbing through his keys until he found the ones for Liam’s motorcycle. It was nothing special just a beaten up plum coloured Honda shadow. But niall had spent so many nights on the back of it with his arms tightly wound around Liam’s waist. After his death , Niall found himself riding it more, as if he was still there riding it with him.

Putting his quiff neatly in the helmet as to not mess it up, niall slid his leg over the bike.

Here goes nothing. He still had his reservations about going out, but zayn was waiting for him .despite his delusive behaviour over the last year he knew that it was better if he wasn’t alone .he knew he needed a distraction from the thoughts I’m his head. He didn’t want to think about him tonight.

The dormant rumbling as the bike idled beneath him caused every other lingering thought to dissipate. Niall curled his fingers around the chrome handlebars before backing out of his parking spot and twisting the throttle

The bike growled to life as he rode into the street. Niall could feel the adrenaline pumping he went faster

Niall was driving down a road almost there he said to himself ‘’ almost there’’

He was relaxed almost happy. Breathing the night air in a deep gulp. Nialls sholders eased, realising the tension of the day

. The red light reflected off iridescent shimmers in small puddles on Damp Street as he awaited at the intersection. Niall hadn’t even realised it had been raining today as he was too lost in his own head to even peer out the window. Now he sat at the light he took in the dampness of the thick summer air and the gust of wind that rushed by the moving traffic on the adjacent

Just as he could see the opposite streets traffic lights turning yellow, a greyhound’s bus came across came across the intersection. Nialls had been watching the traffic with disinterest, to him it was just one large mass of unidentifiable vehicles blurring by. Then the large blue bus rolled passed seeming to slow down temporarily, which set part from the rest of   the vehicles

Nialls arms and back tingled something pulled his attention towards the bus. He looked up at the bus windows as they rolled past, all the faces seeming to blur just like the traffic. Nameless, faceless people. None taking any notice of him. Then his eyes locked with a familiar icy brown gaze staring at him from the back window, and as it registered just who they belonged to, the bus flew past the intersection and out of view. Niall remained at the light mouth falling agape as his brain failed to make sense of what he had seen

It was impossible right?

That couldn’t have been Liam

Liam is dead

A horn blared behind him, jarring him out of his trance; the bike lunged forward as niall over-accelerated against the wet road. It spun across the intersection, tossing him onto the sidewalk as the bike abruptly slammed against the curb scraping the pavement. Several onlookers rushed over, hovering around him with horrified expressions

Niall, although rattled from the crash, pulled himself up. His knuckles were fairly scraped up and there were rips on the side of his jeans. All minimal damage. More embarrassed than hurt

Niall tried to brush some of the gravel off of his wounds. Blood rushed to his cheeks, his face growing hot as he drew attention of both drivers and pedestrians. He hastily thanked the few that actually helped him, and pulled the bike back up, ignoring the concerned looks that were sent his way.

Niall supposed he should try and forget what he had seen and go to the pub. No sane person would believe it was really Liam.

But those eyes.

He knew those eyes.

They were Liam’s. He wasn’t crazy .emotionally unstable yes! But crazy? No. it had to be him .he knew what he had seen. He couldn’t sit there debating any longer, there was only one way to find out. With the load roar of the engine, niall bolted across the intersection once more zipping narrowly past several cars. Dodging his way through traffic. His eyes searched frantically for the bus, but he had lost sight of it, his eyes darted in both directions hoping for a sign of its passing. A few cars honked their disapproval at him as he cut in front of them nearing the edge of downtown; his eyes fell on a blue sign with white lettering. The words “Bus Station” and an accompanying white arrow pointing right gave him a glimmer of hope.

He hooked right his bike leaning dangerously low as he maneuverer the sharp turn.

Nialls heartbeat hit heavy within his chest as the bus station came into view at the end of the street.