Night Air

Chapter 23

*Niall's POV*

"Nice job, babe." I complimented the last girl of the day, Amanda. She gave me a smile and a thank you before walking off of the set and disappearing from the room. I grabbed the camera's memory card after turning my camera off and placed it on the table as I do everyday so Tom could pick it up and review it. I grabbed my black bag and stuck my camera inside of it before turning the set lights off and making my way home.

I sighed as I shut the door to my car and dropped the bag into the passenger seat. I patted my pockets and groaned realizing I had forgotten my phone inside. I rolled my eyes and ran back inside to grab my phone startling Lou as she was finishing up cleaning and putting everything away. "I thought you left." She raised an eyebrow.

"Forget me phone." I smiled and headed back to the set seeing my phone sitting on the table next to the memory card. I raised an eyebrow in question watching as my phone lit up and started buzzing, slightly sliding around the smooth wooden table. I walked over to it and saw Alyssa's name pop up telling me she was the person trying to call me.

I smiled to myself how she was calling me and picked up the phone. She usually didn't call me unless she needed something or had a question, but I didn't care because that still meant time I was spending time with her. I was definitely developing feelings for her and I wasn't sure how or why considering I hadn't felt anything even similar to this for the last five years. It felt weird for me, almost forbidden. Like something had triggered in me in the past few years telling me that I should never feel like this, but somehow she had managed to get that mode in my brain to turn off and that definitely was a sign of some sort. It actually scared me how easily I allowed her into my brain and into my thoughts.

I swiped my long finger across the screen and held my phone to my ear. "We just saw each other last night, babe. Up for another night of that again or something? 'Cuz I know I am." I smirked remembering how we ended up snogging like mad for most of the night in her hotel room while half-watching some crime show she's really into.

I jumped and my heartbeat quickened when I was met by her startling and high pitched screams instead of some smart ass reply. These weren't good screams or angry screams as if she was freaking out over something amazing or if I had done something that pissed her off. These were screams of horror. "Alyssa?!" I called frantically. What was happening?

I jumped again hearing a loud thud and I went into full panic mode. "Please don't hurt me again." Her sweet voice cried. "I'm your girlfriend!"

Corbin.

"A worthless one at that." His voice spat. "Can't even get you to make me a fucking sandwich, around here! You're just an annoying, nagging, little bitch!" Fury built up within my veins and my knuckles turned white at my sides.

Without a second thought, I ran back out of the room and was met by Lou who was throwing away trash. "Niall?" She called worried. I was about to walk around Lou and to the door when I heard a smacking noise on the other side of the phone followed by a squeal and a sob. I ended up freezing in my spot not sure what to do. "Niall?" Lou's voice asked, but I barely even acknowledged her or realized she had even spoken to me at first.

"I- I have to go." I told Lou about ten seconds later after hearing silence on the other line before I walked around her and to the door.

"Wha? Niall? What's going on?" She asked from behind me.

"Sorry! It's Alyssa!" I yelled back, running out to my car. My breaths were raspy, my legs were rubbery, my heart was pounding, and my brain was swimming by the time I finally reached my car on the other side of the parking lot.

"I don't even know you anymore!" She cried to him as I started the engine. That was the first noise I had heard in the last thirty seconds and I was about to worry about the silence. "I wish I would have never told you yes because, trust me, I never would have if I knew you were this controlling and abusive!" My heart was beating fast and rough in my chest and I could literally feel it beating into my ribs and could hear it pounding in my ears.