THE NIAM DIARIES

Chapter Two - A Reason To Smile

August 21

Dear Diary,

A few tips when you’re at a nursing home:

1. Don’t ever close your eyes when you’re sitting on a very comfy couch.

2. Don’t ever leave your diary open for everyone to see.

3. Don’t ever let your sister catch you sleeping with your mouth open or you’ll be famous on Instagram.

My sister literally laughed at me the whole way home. She almost got us into an accident when she accidentally hit the horn of the car and shocked a dog that scrambled across the road. Even after church this morning, she started laughing again when my photo just had two hundred likes.

I tackled her to the floor but all I got from that was a “What is the matter with you?” from my mother. I guess my parents talked to my sister because my picture was no longer online.

Anyways, everybody’s asleep except for me (it’s about eleven) because I couldn’t sleep and just had to write down the next part of Niall’s story. There’s something about this that I couldn’t get my hands on. It’s like an answer was in front of me but I see it as blank, pure whiteness.

I asked Niall if Liam had any family left but he just didn’t know. It was a long time ago and he wasn’t sure where Liam or Perrie was or even Zayn, Louis, or Harry. My sister says Niall’s making the story up but I didn’t believe her. How can someone do that so vividly and accurately that I felt I was with them in that moment?

I wanted to search Liam in the internet but the Wi-Fi here in the house has a password and my parents wouldn’t give it to me. I begged my sister too but she told me I would be wasting my time. I snapped and told her better waste my time than keep my head churning and asking questions. The main computer in the study room doesn’t require a password but I haven’t managed to sneak in there YET.

I just have to sneak in there without my parents or my sister around. If that doesn’t work, I’m wishing that something miraculous would happen and just… argh. Anything. Just anything. An address… a letter sent to me by mistake… a late night call… a message on Facebook… a tweet on Twitter… a free ticket to wherever any of them might be!

Anywhere Liam, Louis, Harry, Zayn or Perrie might be! I don’t care if it’s in Siberia or Nepal or Ireland or Australia or New Zealand or London. If I could just meet one of them and make them tell me their version of the story and tell me that everything Niall has been telling me is true, I’ll be just superb.

I’m plotting aren’t I? After the first day of meeting Niall, my head was filled with thoughts and “what ifs”. A little too much for a teenage boy to be thinking about but, I’m sorry. My soul can’t rest until I find Liam – even if he’s still alive or is now six feet under the ground.

Niall’s POV

I woke up with the sun already rising in the horizon. It was still a bit dark outside but I feel like I’ve slept for hours. A small dot on my laptop was blinking red. I guess a Toy Story marathon drained the hell out of it. That’s when I remembered I had company with me in the car…

I tried to shift from my position but some kind of weight was stopping me. On my shoulder, Liam was sleeping soundly with a smile on his face. He had his arms wrapped around me and then I noticed one of his hands on top of mine.

Last night was great, to be completely honest, it was more than great. It was like all my worries were gone for just one night. All the problems just melted away and were replaced by happiness I can’t explain. Whenever he laughs, whenever he cries while we watched the movies, I just wished I was like him – without any worries, no insecurities at all.