Once (Harry Styles)

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

For the record, I don't really blame anyone for the breakup, except me. It wasn't Zach's fault I didn't treat him right, sometimes people just aren't meant to be. I know I said that before, but it applies to more than only Harry. It applies to Zach and to all the other guys that didn't work out. All those stupid sixth form relationships that were pointless and make me cringe or those two week flings with boys that turned out to be asshats in the end. They all have to end eventually. 

But, hey, in all fairness, there are seven billion people out there on the planet. It takes a gal a while to figure out which one is right for her.

*****

I had changed into pajamas by the time Niall finally found me, curled up in my bunk and staring blankly at the wall. I was trying to figure out the exact moment when everything changed, when everything turned from being perfect to me doing the worst possible thing I could do to someone. It wasn't going very well.

Niall glanced up at me. "Oh, Ally," he sighed.

I didn't look at him, instead just gazed at a spot above his head. At the current moment I didn't really want to do anything, much less talk to anyone. "What?" I mumbled.

 "Lizzie and I were worried when you never came back. Harry was there, and he looked nearly as bad as you and said you two had gotten into it back here. I came to see what was wrong." I wondered why Niall had volunteered, usually boys were more Lizzie territory. But he too sometimes had a sixth sense for what I needed. It sounded horrible, but I didn't think I could handle talking to Lizzie just then knowing she had the world's best boyfriend while I was here, attempting to recover from being dumped. Not that she didn't deserve it, she would never be this awful to someone. 

"Harry," I said almost incoherently. "Where is he anyway?"

"Last I saw he was headed for the bar."

I sighed as Niall pulled himself up into my bunk. He placed his arm around me and I snuggled into his chest for comfort. He smelled good, like a certain type of home only a best friend can provide. I bit my lip to keep from crying again while he rubbed slow circles on my back. "What happened?"

My hand moved to pull a strand of hair from my face. "Zach left. He went home, and he left...he left me."

I could almost hear Niall's eyebrows flying to the top of his head, probably having just as much luck piecing the timeline together as I was. "What? Why?" A few days ago he was calling Niall to come visit me. Just a few days.             

I shrugged. "He said something about him not being a priority and deserving better for himself and something," I gulped for air. "Something about me and Harry."

"Deserved better than you?" Niall was silent for a moment. "Shit, I'll kill him."

I laughed slightly, feeling the vibrations from Niall's chest as spoke. "No, don't. I don't blame him for leaving. He was right, he wasn't a priority for me and he should have been. It just hurts to think he had to leave like that. That I messed something up again." I couldn't bring myself to tell Niall about cheating on him with Harry, I felt too much guilt and sadness right now. The tears came again and I wiped them furiously with the back of my hand.

"No, he was wrong. Any guy would be lucky to have you, Alley-cat," he said firmly. "You're the strongest, smartest, most kick-ass person I know." 

I smiled softly. "Thanks, Ni." I moved to punch him lightly in the arm. "I think Lizzie got the last good one."

He chuckled. The thing I loved about Niall was that he was the type of person that would simply just be there for you. He would sit there and listen, instead of trying to make sense of a situation and attempt to fix it. He'd simply tell you that everything would be all right, and you'd almost believe him.