Need You -N.H- Book Two

One; All Too Well

        All Too Well

 

        I was ready, I could smell the fresh air and the dew on the grass. Hear the chanting in my ears and the taste of popcorn in my mouth. I missed the field so much it hurt and my bones were aching to run and play with the girls but I couldn’t. I can’t, not yet.

         Its been eight months, remission has been going well. I feel better, my legs are stronger and my heart beats normally. My arms aren’t weak anymore and I can walk farther, even started running once a week as far as I could.

         I left early in the morning, taking it one step at a time. I run down past the grocery store slowly but I get there. Most days I collapse on the bench just before the park, the park is only five minutes from the house. But I get there and it feels amazing.

         Brad follows me sometimes, even when I tell him not to come he leaves the house a little after me. I hear his foot prints behind me and I smile thinking of even know him being protective. I sit across from him in the cafe and watch him sip on his black coffee, his shoulders have gotten bigger from his training and he looks ridiculous.

         “You need bigger shirts,” I say out loud and he looks down over himself and nods his head slowly. “and to stop following me on my runs.”

         He opens his mouth and then sighs before closing it. “I just don’t,” he starts and then looks down at the floor. “I don’t think you’re ready to be running.”

         “That or leaving the house, drinking beer, spending an hour at the movies.”

         “I’m just concerned that you’re pushing yourself Sarah, too hard and with Niall gone and you alone.”

         “I’m not alone though Brad, I live with you in the apartment.” I say back to him and he rolls his eyes at me. “And Liz as of late.”

         “Hey,” he says defending himself. “She’s your best friend.”

         “Give me some space to breath Bradley, please?”

         “Whatever you say boss,” he jokes “but morning runs are still a group activity.”

         We walk back to the apartment and I strip down to get in the shower before the dinner tonight. We were holding the annual team dinner (the same one that Niall cornered me in a hallway at last year) for the girls before the first game.

         Niall hasn’t called in a few days but the last time we spoke his mom was having a hard time with things. She was calling him Greg again and that never goes over well. He also asks about Louis every time he calls, he holds off on it for the entire conversation until I bring it up. Then he acts like he has no idea what I’m talking about.

        Just like clockwork a knock on the door brings me from my room, I pull a loose blouse over shoulders and tuck my hair into a ugly little pony tail. It had grown past my ears but still looked awful, and messy all of the time.

         “Hello love,” I answer the door to Lou who stands in front of me in a ripped sleeveless band shirt and ugly jeans.

         “Seriously?” I say out loud “are you homeless?”

         He pulls at the hem of his shirt and his index finger pops through one of the holes, “I like this shirt.”

         “You can’t wear that to this restaurant you won’t even be allowed in.” He huffs and walks into the apartment without invitation. “Hold on, and by hold on I mean don’t sit on the couch and don’t touch anything…”