Your Song (1D Short Stories & Imagines)

"Half a Heart"

HIM

It was New Year’s Eve and I was at my best friend’s party, surrounded by couples kissing and grinding on each other. Normally I didn’t attend these kinds of parties alone because I would just stand by the food table all night stuffing my face with various cakes and puddings, but my friend practically dragged me here. He insisted that I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself and start dating again.

Easier said than done.

            It had been a few months since Mikaela and I had broken up. The fight was over something so stupid; I can’t even remember what it was. All I know is the last time I saw her face was when she was running out of my house in tears. I should have gone after her. I should have told her how stupid I was being and apologized. But no, being the stubborn idiot I am I let her go.

And I regretted it.

I wasn’t like one of those guys you see in the romantic movies where he walks around like a total zombie because his girlfriend broke up with him. My life, apart from the break-up, had been going pretty well. It just felt like something was missing.

C’mon, Niall, you know exactly what’s missing.

I shook my head and walked over to the cooler, peering down inside to see what was available.

“Hey, there!” greeted a feminine voice behind me. I turned around to find Valarie, one of Mikaela’s friends, standing there. She was nice enough but I never had eyes for her.

“Hey,” I replied with a grin. “How’ve you been?”

Valarie shrugged. “Not too bad. Uni has been kicking my arse but I’ve been doing well otherwise. And yourself?”

“I’m okay. What bring you here?”

“Oh, Mikaela and I were invited by Evan. We thought it would be nice to see everyone again. Not to mention we’re dateless tonight.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Wait, Mikaela’s here?”

With a knowing smile, Valarie nodded and said, “Yeah, she’s catching up with Evan right now. Have you guys talked recently?”

“No,” I replied shaking my head. “We haven’t seen each other since…”

“Yeah,” murmured Valarie. “I figured as much.”

There was a long awkward silence between the two of us as we stood in front of the cooler, watching the people around us letting loose and dancing to the music.

“She hasn’t been the same, you know.”

I looked down at Valarie and saw that she wore a strange expression. With a nod, I said under my breath, “That makes two of us.”

Valarie must have heard it because her eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Why haven’t you done anything about it, then?”

“Well I tried calling her for days after the break-up but she never answered! I didn’t want to get my hopes up so I stopped contacting her. I thought she needed space.”

“She did at first, but within the past few months I’ve noticed something different about her. She doesn’t get as excited about things, anymore. It’s not like she’s absolutely miserable, but it’s almost like there’s something missing from her.”

Valarie paused for a moment, then continued. “Remember that old sweater you gave to her? Well, she won’t go sleep without it. She doesn’t think I notice but I do. I know she misses you… and I know you miss her.”