Never Good Enough \\ n.h. au

Twenty-Three

I figured everything would go back to normal after that since I was back to where I was before I'd ever said one word to Niall. 

So I went down to the track one day, a few weeks after I'd seen him that day. Chloe hadn't waken up until I shook her awake myself, so she didn't know. I didn't want to tell her and relive the memory, but I did anyway every second of the day from then on.

It was August, and school still had another month until it started up again, which I was dreading, but that meant I could run in peace at the track. I used to do it all the time in previous summers, but that season hadn't given me much reason to want to get up and do much of anything. 

I wanted everything to go back to normal. Chloe would still be in love with Harry, I would be quiet, and Niall would go back to forgetting I existed. That was the way my mind was convinced it needed to be.

So then why was he always right there, at the back of my brain? His hurtful words were the most prominent, but that night where I finally understood how he felt towards me replayed so many times that I might as well have lived it a million times. 

Even though I let my memories of him criticize me, I couldn't help remembering those nights when I slept over after his games. I kept thinking back to how close we were, how his eyes wouldn't leave me, and how I liked it. But I always hear the same insults from him, and I get back to being confused as to why he was ever nice to me in the first place. I ruined his life, after all. 

But after everything good that happened, he would always show his true colors again. Like when he invited the guys over the morning after I'd slept over.

Good ol' Niall, I growled to myself. I passed over the exact spot I had been when I threw that stupid soccer ball at him. 

We were both idiots to get involved with each other, I sighed. All of the emotions built up inside me as I approached the finish line. I was timing myself, but I was already past my personal best. 

That didn't keep me from pushing through and running as fast as I could to the end, my anger fueling that sprint. 

I stopped the timer, feeling the air rush into my lungs quickly. I stood there for a few seconds, my face burning again. I suddenly remembered that night when I'd almost kissed him, the only night that I would ever want to remember with him. I'd blushed so much then. But drunk Niall wasn't coming back. 

He's never gonna stop being--

I looked up just then, and when I saw him standing there, his eyes fixed on me, I really didn't know what to do. Pinch myself? Punch him? 

"Your mom said I would find you here," he chuckled, putting his hands in his pockets and glancing around for a few seconds as I stared him down, my heavy breathing stopping and making my heart pound even faster. He looked back over at me, his eyes shining as he grinned and confused me completely. 

"This is where we met, remember?" 

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oh my gosh i'm like crying

ayyyee i made a really short chapter so i wouldn't have to write a big one right now lol but i really wanted to get something out for you guys 

so yeah! two more parts left :( i'm gonna get up some Niall POV chapters in the other NGE book before I post here again, though

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH ME AND MY STUPID SCHEDULE AND BRAIN AND LIFESTYLE BUT I'M GETTING THERE 

please vote and comment because i miss all of you 

thank you so much for 19k, too! i'm so freaking happy 

Mel xxx