Lost

On the Edge

2014 Evie

Niall fell asleep next to me. I slowly moved away from him and wrote a letter. I explained how I couldn't marry him. I would never be good enough for him. I took off my ring. As it slipped off of my finger,  I had to wipe tears away from eyes. I placed the ring on the letter. I kissed Niall's forehead one more time. I finished packing my suitcase and left the house. I took one last look at it as I walked down the street.

When I made it to the corner, I realized I couldn't disappear on my own. I was frightened, and running away on my own would be horrible. I pulled out my phone and called the one person I could always count on: Michael.

"Evie?" He sounded surprised. "Isn't it early in England?"

"Michael, I need your help."  I said. "I can't marry Niall."

"I thought you said you loved him."

"No, I do. I really do. I keep thinking I can turn back." I looked back again. "I keep questioning this decision. But I have to go through with it. Michael, I'm calling you to help me with this."

"What are you asking of me?"  He questioned.

"I need to disappear. Please help me." 

I heard him sigh and swear a few times. "Explain a little more."

"I need to start over. I'm asking you...I'm asking you to leave everything behind. Please, please join me." 

He swore a bunch more. "Dang it, Evie. Do you understand what you're asking from me? You're asking me to leave everything I've made behind. You're asking me to give up on the band, on the fans-"

"Luke is in prison. You get out now and it looks like the band just broke up. Rip the band-aid." I breathed in my hands to warm them up.

"Where would we even go?"

"America. We can buy a house there and-"

"Are you asking me to live with you?" He interrupted me.

"Well, I hadn't gotten to that part but I was hoping you'd marry me."

He started coughing and then there was total silence.

"Did I just kill you?"  I asked.

There was a deep breath. "No, you just startled me. Why would you want me to marry you? You love Niall."

"Michael, please." I moved the phone to my other ear. "If I take your last name people won't be able to find me."

"People will be able to find me, Evie." He was getting irritated at me. "Do you really think that I can disappear? I can't."

"We'll live in the woods!"

"This isn't some fantasy novel, Evs!" He yelled. "You can't just move away, expect someone to marry you, and disappear.  For gosh sake's, Evie."

"Please, Michael. I can't keep getting the people I love into dangerous situations. They keep getting shot or targeted. You change your style so often, no one would recognize you. You can grow a beard!"

I was pulling everything out of my magic hat. I just wanted him to go with me. I couldn't run away by myself. I felt tears pooling in my eyes.

"I can't do it alone." I whispered, choking on my words. "I need you to be with me. If Niall goes, he's in danger. I can't ask Calum, you know that. It was either you or Ashton and I picked you."