Winter Air (Sequel to Night Air)

Chapter 6

*Niall's POV*

I washed my hands and then just looked at my reflection in the mirror. That was the first time I had looked at myself since before the party. My hair was standing up in multiple directions and I had bags forming under my eyes from the horrible hangover I was dealing with. I hope that Aspirin kicks in soon. 

I jumped out of my skin when I suddenly heard yelling coming from outside. I immediately went into protective mode for a few seconds until I realized that it was just Cole and remembered that Alyssa and I didn't have that kind of relationship anymore. That didn't mean I couldn't still care, though.

Nonetheless, I crept out of the bathroom and down the hallway. I stopped at the entrance to the hallway and suddenly wished I would have just stayed in the bathroom until it was clear out there. Alyssa was sitting at the island with a mug in her small hands and Cole was about ten feet from her screaming. A girl was standing behind Cole quite a ways as if she had barely made it inside before Cole tore into his sister. I assumed the girl behind Cole was his fiancé.

"It wasn't bad enough that you had to come stumbling in at three in the fucking morning every other morning that you now resorted to not coming home at all?!" Cole shouted. Alyssa didn't even blink as she was being scolded. I knew that wasn't at all like the Alyssa I met six months ago. That Alyssa hated being scolded and did her best to please everyone and make everyone happy. Something told me she was now used to being scolded and that made me wonder... was she really out every other night like Cole said? Or was he just over exaggerating? I could only hope so, but after our conversation the previous night, I wasn't so sure anymore.

"Cole..." The girl behind Cole said softly while she walked up behind him. She placed her hand on his arm which caused him to snap around and look at her.
"No. Don't 'Cole' me!" His attention quickly turned back to Alyssa. None of them seemed to noticed my presence yet. "I swear to God you better have not been sleeping around." Whoops. "I can deal with you being a young alcoholic but I cannot and will not put up with you sleeping around and not coming home until morning." My eyes widened when he referred to Alyssa as a "young alcoholic". How bad was this new Alyssa? "DO YOU KNOW HOW DANGEROUS-"

His yelling was somehow cut off by a softer voice. "Who the hell are you?" The softer voice startled me and it didn't even register that someone had asked me a question until Cole, who I was looking at, turned around to look at me. I felt like a deer in headlights as I just looked from Alyssa, to Cole, to Holly, then back to Alyssa.

"Niall?!" Cole asked, clearly flabbergasted at my presence. I was flabbergasted by the fact that the guy actually still knew my name and recognized me. I had only met the guy on one other occasion and he was completely wasted. There was no way he remembered much from that night.

I felt awkward under all of their gazes and my pounding head made it hard for me to think of something to say, so I just smiled and said the first thing I could think of. "Uh... hey, Cole." That's a start.

I looked over to the one lady as a look of realization hit her. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers and I had never seen someone's face light up so damn much. "Oh!" She suddenly yelled putting the attention on herself. "Alyssa! This is the guy-"
"Alright! Well looks like you said your hellos!" Alyssa quickly said while shooting out of her seat and racing over to me like a rocket. She grabbed my wrist which made it burn and started to pull me towards the door. What is she doing? "We'll be back!" She called while flinging the door opened with her free hand and pulling me out behind her. I heard the door shut in the distance behind us as she continued to pull me.
"Alyssa? Where the hell are we going?" I asked, but she didn't answer. She just kept silently pulling me as she walked right past the elevator and towards the stairs. We both scurried down them a few flights and once we hit the third story, I stopped and effortlessly pulled my wrist free. She was quick to notice and turned around. I was surprised when she didn't look out of breath from running down all those stairs. Someone picked up running.