Niall's P.O.V.
Ambiguous messages never failed to befuddle my mind. The intense shade of royal blue was all that my eyes could focus on as my gaze remained transfixed on the last text she had sent me. It had been two days since I had not only finished reading Aubrey's binder, but was aware of her true feelings for me. After contemplating over everything that was revealed to me, I felt a small twinge of remorse. Three years ago, I was so concerned with my pain and heartbreak, that I never actually took the time to consider how she felt.
On the inside, though, I felt the shreds of my torn heart still hanging aimlessly. I knew I couldn't just forgive Aubrey, but there was something that kept pulling me more and more towards her. Analogous to the way a magnet of negative charge attracted one of a positive charger, I felt myself being drawn further back to her. Aubrey's most inner thoughts left this giant imprint on me. And it was for that reason I felt the need to show her that I still cared for her, just as I always have. No matter what, I couldn't erase Aubrey out of my life; she was too extraordinary to forget.
Can we talk in person? Please. I respect your decision if you decline, too.
So god damn polite, just like always. Aubrey hasn't changed one bit, and in a way I saw this as a benefit to me. When I woke up to the message following the night I spent drowned in her words, I felt all the color drain in my face. Unexpected with her sudden want to meet with me, I struggled on a definite decision. Yet, here I was stepping out of the bright yellow taxi onto the familiar and crowded avenues of New York City. In the past two days, I will admit I went back and forth between declining or accepting her invitation about a hundred times.
Tired of fighting and arguing with her, I wanted to avoid any confrontations that could possibly lead to such things. My main goal was to settle things between the two of us. Maybe being civil with each other will settle both the aches in our hearts. Hands stuffed into my coat's pockets, I continued to marvel at the multiple, tall, sleek buildings that towered over me. Sounds of all kinds could be heard just strolling down the sidewalks. Different aromas, ranging from the pizzeria across the street to the sewage pathways beneath me, could be smelt.
Upon reaching the cross path that connected People Magazine HQ to the street I was currently walking on, I tipped my head down lower than usual before making my way across. Hats definitely do come in handy in situations like these. The rim of my cashmere woven hat covered the blonde tips of my hair, while the olive green collars of my jacket kept most of my face hidden away from the public. One a Direction may not be together anymore, but that still didn't mean we weren't being hounded after. Fame was always following us around- not that I minded, but privacy is nice too.
When I entered the lobby, everything in view became instantly familiar. The receptionist was still the same except this time he was too preoccupied talking away on the phone. I managed to casually walk past him without questioning me. Racking my memory real quickly, I tried my best to navigate my way back to Aubrey's office, well floor. As soon as I stepped out of the crowded elevator that took forever (again), I felt a bit of relief wash over me. All of the sophisticated and elegant magazine were plastered up against the walls in the same way they were the first time I had come here.
Nearly two minutes following my admiration of the wall decorations, I found myself walking up to Aubrey's difficult secretary. Her eyes immediately widened as soon as she saw me enter. Today her hair fell against her shoulders, stopping a bit below her shoulders. Some make up seemed to cover her face, making her blue eyes pop out behind her black rimmed glasses.
As much as I wanted to deny it, I had to come face to face with the fact that she held a little bit of Grace's physical features. I hated thinking back so far in my past. Obviously, it was inevitable because at some point I would have to. I just didn't prefer as much as it occurred. Grace was well behind me- has been since the day Aubrey walked into my life. Sure, it took me a while to figure all of that shit out, but Grace left my life for a reason. I just wish she didn't have to leave the way she did.
"Mr.Horan, how can I help you?" She asked following the clearing of her throat. I raised an eyebrow at her overly formally use of my name. It was only every so often that I was referred to as Mr.Horan. I more preferred being called by my first name.
"I'm here t' see Aubrey," I simply responded, taking my hands out of my coat pockets. She turned over to her computer before she began clicking a few things. A minute later, her focus was back on me. From the look she had on her face, I knew she as going to give me a rough time just like last time.
"You don't have an appointment," she plainly responded.
"I made one with Aubrey, exclusively," I lied.
She snorted, "Exclusively my ass. Her entire agenda is handled by me and if she wanted to see you, you would be on the calendar." What the hell. I swore she was a shy and innocent girl, but obviously that assumption seemed to take a huge turn.
"Look, can ya jus' call her an' let 'er know I'm here. It's extremely important," I pleaded. Frustration and anger swarmed my mind. I desperately needed to talk Aubrey, and I knew she felt the same way. Last time I was with her in person, I could tell she had so much to say to me, but the words were just trapped in the confines of her mind.
"You're lucky I'm not calling security and reporting you as an intruder," she grumbled under her breath. I eyed her every movement as she picked up the dark grey phone before pressing a button.
"Aubrey, I have a Mr.Horan here to see you, and he's very insistent on seeing you this very second. Would you like me to let him in?" She spoke while giving me a dirty look. In response I sent her a wink, which earned me a roll of her eyes. A small part of me sensed that I made her a bit nervous. Maybe it was because I had such a high level of status here now, I don't know.
"You can go see her, but next time you better have an appointment," she warned me. Waving her off, I walked around her desk, pulling open one of the giant wooden doors that led me inside to Aubrey's office. Aubrey's back faced me as soon as I entered her office. Waves of her chestnut colored her fell loosely against her back. It seemed to have gotten a lot longer than I remember; now it reached to the middle of her back. She seemed so focussed on the skyline of the city that my entrance must not have been acknowledged.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" I spoke up, walking closer the center of the room. My hands firmly gripped the top edge of one of the two leather covered chairs she had placed in front of her desk. In an instant, Aubrey's head whipped back around to face me. As always, her eyes were glowing that wonderful and radiant shade of emerald green. She seemed at a loss of words following my comment. Although, we both knew exactly why.
"You remembered?" She stuttered out, pulling her own chair out in order to take a seat.
"How could I not? T'at was one 'f the first things ya ever said t' me t'at wasn't an insult," I replied. The way my memory worked amazed me. Sometimes I could barely remember what I ate the day before, but then other times I could clearly recall a specific instance. Anything connected to Aubrey was a crystallized part of my memory; they never faded away.
A quiet silence formed between the two of us, each of us staring everywhere but at the other. Only the sound of the loud honks and sirens of the city could be heard. The rising tension between us was slowly suffocating me, and I'm sure it was doing the same to Aubrey. Her lips were pressed in a firm line, eyes glued to the scattered papers across on her desk, and her peach colored manicured nails seemed to be gripping the edge of her desk rather tightly.
"So you read the entire piece then?" Her fragile, yet familiar voice spoke out.
"Yeah, all 'f it," I confirmed, nodding my head. For once our eyes finally locked, sending all sorts of weird sensations throughout my body. "It was beautiful, Aubrey," I quickly added. 'Just like you' my subconscious nagged at me, infiltrating my mind with thoughts I tried to veer away from.
"Thank you, that really means a lot to me," she whispered. More awkward silence followed, and I honestly felt like my head was going to implode from these silences. "All that you read, that was the real article. Everything that was published and put into the public eye, I never wanted any of that revealed," Aubrey explained. I stared back at her with wide eyes. With each passing day, I was faced with new information that only continued to confuse the hell out of my mind.
"Then why wasn't exactly that published?" I questioned, dying to know what led to such a tragic turn of events.
"I didn't have a say," Aubrey's voice trembled.
"But ya were the author, it was your work," I said. Aubrey let out a deep sigh before shutting her eyes. Back open, I noticed a glossy covering over her eyes. Tears were practically forming themselves in her eyes. The expression on her face said it all.
"Niall, I was basically forced into giving my boss the information. Back then I wasn't where I am today. My word was nothing to my boss'," she spoke. A few droplets managed to escape her eyes, each one slowly falling against her pale cheeks. "I practically begged her to drop the subject and discuss something else. Nothing I said or did changed her mind. I even gave her that binder and you know what she said to me Niall? Do you?" Her sobs became worse and worse with each word that left her mouth. I wasn't exactly sure on how to respond since it pained me to see her crying, but there wasn't anything I could do at the moment. All I did was shake my head in disagreement.
"She told me it was irrelevant, every last piece," she cried.
"Aubrey, I," my voice trailed off not knowing what to say. My heart ached just seeing the pain she was still going through all these years later. At the time I thought I was the only suffering, but Aubrey had her own full plate of pain.
"At that point I knew I had lost you for good. There was nothing left for me to do. Within that week the article was out, and I knew you weren't going to listen to anything I said. None of it would have made a difference." The sound of her sniffles filled the room as I watched her lift herself out of her chair. She was now facing the window, probably staring at the ant-sized people swarming the streets of the city.
"A few months later when I bumped into you while emptying out my apartment in London, I thought everything could have been fixed. I saw that as my chance to explain things to you," she paused to let out a sniffle, "Instead, the pain continued to multiply, and it has been ever since."
Hearing Aubrey's confession broke my heart on a completely different level. In a way, it is partially my fault for not giving her the chance to hear her out. I really wanted to listen to her, but I simply couldn't ring myself to face the girl who I had fallen so deeply in love with only to have my heart shattered by her months later.
"I'm sorry Niall, I can never express to you how sorry I am for lying to you. Everyday that guilt haunts me nonstop. I think about it everyday, and I just want you to know I'm sorry," Aubrey said, turning around to face me. An honest and sincere expression was written all across her face.
"Why didn't ya come t' me? At the time ya got assigned the article?" I questioned.
"I couldn't bring myself to it. We were both so happy, especially you. You had been through so much and I knew adding that extra weight onto your shoulders would break you." Care and concern laced her entire statement making my stomach flip. The effect Aubrey had on me was indescribable. One minute I felt so dazed by her words and actions, that erupted into a multitude of mixed feelings inside me. The next I found myself intrigued and addicted to her aura.
"Every time I would look into your eyes, I would feel this giant pang of guilt slam against me. You were my happiness, Niall, and I guess in my own selfish state, I was too reluctant to let go of that. Even if that meant lying to you," Aubrey confessed, walking over to the chair placed only a few feet away from the one I was sitting on. Hands placed against her forehead, her entire posture was positioned towards the tan carpeting that adorned the floor of her office. She seemed so distraught and stressed in this state; seeing her in such a state made it even worse.
In that moment, realization hit me. Aubrey cared so much for me, she was willing to risk everything but lose me. Despite the risks she took on, she still ended up losing me at one of the worst times of her life. With the state I was in, I was too blinded by own feelings of hurt and heartbreak that I forgot there was another half to the situation. Yes, Aubrey was wrong in lying to me, but I finally came to the realization why she did it. Aubrey did it out of care and love, not out of spite and hatred. That's all that mattered to me.
"I'm sorry," I spoke up, my voice barely audible. Aubrey's hands dropped to her knees immediately before her gaze met my own.
"Sorry? Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything to me Niall. I deserved everything you said and did." Her reply sounded both sad and confused.
"I'm sorry I never took the time t' hear ya out," I breathed out, reaching upwards to remove my hat. Aubrey's eyes softened at my reply. Her entire face seemed to relax. "I was wrong t' accuse ya without knowing ev'ry single detail. I guess I was just too hurt to be near ya at the time. Not an excuse, but it's why I did what I did," I explained.
At the time of my actions, I was no where near clear thinking. So much had been going through my mind that I began to not care anymore. Life seemed to have no meaning for me at that point. All of the aching pain and despair broke me beyond repair. Reminders of being betrayed and lied to were all that would ever float through my head. I was exhausted with the feeling of being empty. I wanted to fix things. Things needed to be right between us.
"Niall, you don't need to be saying any of this to me. I hurt you in the worst way possible. I deserve this, and I understand if you never want to contact me ever again." Aubrey's words were so simple, yet held so much power, enough to shatter my heart once again. It was more than obvious to me that she was guilt ridden with her actions, but I hated seeing her this hurt. Seeing Aubrey in this state physically pained me.
"Aubrey, stop. I wouldn't be here if I truly wanted you out of my life. I wouldn't have taken the time to read that entire binder. I wouldn't have been hurt for so long. I wouldn't be trying this hard to fix things between us," I let out. Aubrey's gaze widened at me while she took in what I just said. A huge weight felt as if it was lifted off of my shoulders. Those were the words I've been desperately trying to let out for so long. At first it seemed she had formulated a clear response, instead an incoherent response was uttered from her lips.
"You really mean that?" She asked me in a tone that represented one of a little kid's, like Nina.
"Hell yeah I do. Always cared fer ya, always will," I definitely stated. Within seconds a giant smile replaced Aubrey's sullen grimace. In that moment, I couldn't deny the rapid increase of my heart beat. Her smile was not only beautiful, but it was infectious. My own grin was probably going to make my cheek bones fall off. As if our moment couldn't get anymore happier, Aubrey jumped out of her seat, grabbed me by the arms, pulling me out of the seat in the process.
Warmth infiltrated my entire body once her slender arms wrapped around the middle of my back. On impulse I stuck my head against the crook of her neck, simply taking in her flowery smell. Three years later, she still had the same affect on me. I could feel her small hands roaming across the fabric of my jacket. Despite the heavy material my coat was made out of, sensations of all kinds ran through my nerves with each touch of hers. Short strands of her hair tickled the side of my face causing a huge smile to appear over my face. God, I've missed her way too much.
"I've missed you so much," I heard her mumble as she continued to roam her hands on my back.
"Me too, me too," I breathed out, letting my hands rest against the small of her back, which was covered by the black material of her blazer. Weird as it sounds, I could still detect the hint of vanilla hidden between the shiny brown locks of her hair. No wonder I had been so crazy about vanilla lately- it was a constant reminder of Aubrey.
"So friends?" She arched an eyebrow at me as she pulled away. A twinge of pain stabbed at my chest, but I guess it was the best I could get for now at least. For some reason I had higher hopes that everything between us would go back to normal. Normal as in the two of us dating again. Then again, things can't be fixed that easily plus she has a boyfriend. An asshole of boyfriend.
"Of course," I smiled at her, in return she flashed me her signature smile- the best look on her. Maybe taking things at a slower pace was all we needed for now, but I was going to get my girl back. No matter what.
Aubrey's P.O.V.
As many times as I could possibly pinch myself, I was more than reassured I was in no dream. Niall truly here was with me, willingly too. Everything felt so surreal like it was an illusion of my mind or something. Nothing could have ever led me to believe that Niall and I would resolve our issues and make up. I terribly hurt him, and I completely understood why he wanted nothing to do me. Today, though, all of my prior assumptions were wiped clear out of my mind.
Happiness overfilled my entire mood. Niall's words were still roaming around my head. I found out he still cared for me, which not only made me ecstatic but I also realized that he didn't hate me. Not exactly sure if it was the binder that made him come to this sudden realization, it made extremely relieved that he now knew the completed truth. That was all I ever wanted to write about him. It was everything that made Niall who he was- caring, honest, funny, generous, and human. Just like the rest of us he was human, which meant he wasn't perfect.
Being friends with Niall again sparked up a whole another feeling inside me. I felt so energized and bubbly. Maybe it was because I missed spending so much time with him or maybe it was because we always shared such a special bond together, I don't know honestly. Regardless, I felt extremely rejuvenated just being in the presence of his happy self.
There was no better way to kick off our new found friendship than by going to my brother's second soccer game of the season. Adam's league had started a little later than the other leagues in the area resulting in their first few games being later in month. I always made an effort to come to every game because we only had each other. If we didn't support one another, then who would? Not having as much work to do this morning, I was able to take the rest of the day off to cheer on my little brother. Niall tagging along was just an extra bonus.
"Thanks for coming again Niall. I know you have other things to do," I trailed off as we both walked up the trail that led to the soccer field. Thankfully Niall was able to get his personal driver to give us a ride here, or else I'd still be bustling around to find an available taxi.
"Fer the millionth time, I wanted t' come. Who am I t' give up a classic game 'f footy?" He chuckled as his boot kicked a stray stone in the path. His outfit had caught me off guard today not because I wasn't used to him dressing in that style. Rather it was because the outfit suited him so well, and in all honesty I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I had a boyfriend so I couldn't think in that way.
"You're nothing different than Adam. He literally eats, sleeps, and breathes soccer," I laughed, stuffing my hands into my sweater's pockets. Niall angled his head towards me, his blue eyes brightly shining in the sunlight.
"He's thurteen now?" He asked, returning his gaze back to the front of the trail. I had yet to get used to his adorable accent. I may have been around it everyday three years ago, but it's been a while since I've heard it in person.
"Twelve now, will be thirteen in a few months. But trust me, he acts older than me sometimes," I laughed.
"Sounds like Nina," Niall light-heartedly added. I loved seeing him in such a state like this. Nothing seemed to be bothering him, everything was flowing smoothly between us, it was great.
"All the boys are good?" I questioned, seeing the concession stands come into view as we rounded the corner the trail led us to. Over the past few years I had missed out on so much. The rest of the boys were still really good friends of mine. I wasn't exactly sure where I stood amongst their views considering what I did to Niall was pretty brutal. Nonetheless, I still cared for them so much.
"Yeah, they're all wonderful I'd say," Niall began, "Louis an' El still married, have a daughter, named Holly, t'at's a year old. Zayn an' Perrie have two kids, Nina, who ya met, an' Sebastian, who's six months old. Then Li an' Sophia are gettin' married soon, an' Harry's datin' a really nice girl named Claire," he explained. Hearing all of this brought a wide grin to my face. I was so happy to hear such great thins going on with all of them. They were all great guys, and there was no doubt in my mind that they wouldn't be happy in their lives.
"Awh, their kids all sound adorable. Best of luck to Liam and Harry, too," I added as we reached the soccer field entrance. Niall nodded his head, his focus fixated on the field way ahead of us.
"Been a while since I've been t' the field," Niall breathed out.
"I come here like twice a week for his practices and stuff. I'm like that annoying mom that's always at the games," I joked.
"Adam probably hates it," Niall chuckled, his infectious laugh bubbling out of his throat. Oh, I've missed that laugh so much.
"Shut up, I'm being a supportive older sister," I defended. Niall looked at me with wide eyes before shaking his head at me in disbelief. I loved how comfortable we were with each other. Conversation was flowing back and forth between us, no awkward silences like before. We continued walking further towards the entrance to the stands, catching each other up with the employment aspect of our jobs. My heart nearly melted when I found out that Niall volunteered at orphanage and gave music lessons. I almost lost it when he explained to me in detail what he and Liam were planning on doing here in New York. Niall truly had a heart of gold, along with Liam of course.
"Wait before we go in, I wanna get a funnel cake," I said, halting the both of us in our tracks. Funnel cakes weren't something usually sold at soccer games considering their unhealthiness, but they were being sold today so why not take advantage of the opportunity? Niall and I walked up to the stand, looking over the menu real quickly. Even the smell was making my mouth water.
"I'll have two funnel cakes, both with extra sugar, whip, and chocolate syrup," I said to the older woman behind the counter. She nodded her head at me before she pushed a few buttons against the cash register. Within seconds, my card was swiped and she had gone over to get my order ready. Looking back over at Niall, I noticed him staring at me, and not in a good way.
"What?" I asked, clearly confused.
"Might as well take my man card," he spoke, narrowing his eyes at me.
"Excuse me?" I was so confused as to what he was referring to. I didn't even do anything to discriminate against his "manliness." Unless he was mad about...oh my gosh. "You're really mad I paid all of seven dollars for fried batter goodness?" I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Doesn't matter, I could have paid," he grumbled, walking over to stand next to me.
"Oh get over it. You'll be thanking me in a minute or so," I winked at him. Still begin stubborn old Niall, he kept that same grimace across his lips up until I shoved a portion of my own funnel cake in his mouth. At first he was taken back by my action, but in no time he was swallowing the fried sweetness.
"So good right?" I beamed at him as we took our seats in the upper portion of the stands. Niall simply nodded his head, continuing to eat away at his funnel cake. To our luck, it was a fairly nice day with a few winds here and there.
"Yer whipped cream's all gone?" Niall asked as he peered over to my plate. Whipped cream was hands down my guilty pleasure. It was the first thing I devoured whenever I got a funnel cake. I shrugged before ripping off another piece and eating it. Niall took his fork, which he hadn't even used yet, scooped a bit of whipped onto it, and bringing his spoon up to my mouth. Our eyes instantly locked, reminding me of all the times I had woken up to those deep blue orbs. So many different meanings were held by his gaze. No matter how long I stared at them, I couldn't decipher the hidden meaning behind them.
"Open up," he stated, holding the spoon in front of my mouth. My mind couldn't even process his words properly since I was so fixated on our proximity. Lack of words, I opened my mouth and welcomed the creamy and sweet goodness of the topping.
"Thank you," I quietly said before looking back down at my lap. Saved by the bell, well whistle in this case, Adam's game started taking up both of our attentions. During the entire first half, I alternated my focus between Adam and Niall. While Adam was busy weaving the ball on the field, Niall was either belting out suggestions or profanities. Niall seemed so invested into the game despite the fact it was just a minor league, nothing near the many professional games he attends.
Within the next hour, I not only finished my funnel cake, but I got the chance to witness Niall go completely crazy because of the referee's calls. Adam's team did win, but just barely. At first both teams were neck and neck, then towards the end of the second half Adam and his teammate managed to get past the defense and score their second goal, winning the game.
"I swear t'at number seven should have been red carded," Niall complained as we walked down the stairs of the stands.
"Niall, it's just a game," I said, trying to ease his frustration. He shook his head at me before removing his hat, and running a hand through his hair.
"Maybe, but t'at referee was shit at callin' our fouls. I could have done a way better job," he grumbled.
"I'm sure you could have," I chuckled.
"Ar' ya bein' smart with me, Simmons?" Hearing my last name on his tongue sent shivers up my spine. I knew that was his way of joking around with me. Every little interaction between him and I, I was overanalyzing it way too much. Niall was known to be super friendly and funny with any person he came into contact with. After all, we were just friends.
"I would never, Horan," I joked back as we both stepped onto the field, waiting for Adam to come over by us. Niall turned towards me, looking like he was about to say something except he was cut off by my brother's sudden appearance.
"Adam, you remember Niall, right?" I said as I gestured over to Niall. Adam nodded his head before offering Niall a warm smile.
"Ya did great out there lad. But t'at referee had no idea what he was doin'," Niall began. Adam's eyes seemed to light up at Niall's words.
"Tell me about it. Complete asshole," Adam said, shaking his head.
"Language," I warned him. He may almost be thirteen, but I was going to make sure he knew when to and when not to use such words. I knew if our parents and aunt were still alive, they wouldn't appreciate the use of foul language. Maybe our dad would, but our mom put him in his place. Memories of them, even in times of like these, made my heart ache. I so desperately wished they could be here with me to cheer Adam on and support the both of us in our future endeavors.
"Aubrey, let the poor boy say what he wants," Niall interjected, sending a wink towards Adam. I shot Niall a dirty look before shaking my head at him.
"So you're spending the night at Logan's tonight, right?" I asked Adam in conformation to the plans he had informed me of earlier in the week. His friend literally lived down the block from our apartment so it honestly wasn't that big of a difference, but I needed to be informed of his whereabouts as paranoid as it seemed.
"Yeah, I'll call you when I get there. I think we're leaving now so I gotta get going," Adam said as he reached down for his bag.
"Okay be safe, and text or call if you need anything," I warned him.
"I know Aubs, it was great seeing you again Niall, take care," Adam waved at us before turning around. A few steps into his departure he turned around, yelling, "Tell Pete I said happy birthday." Shit. I didn't want to even mention Pete's name in front of Niall. More worse was that it was his birthday, and I had to get home, get myself ready, since he was taking us out for his birthday. Nothing could ever go smoothly for me.
Niall and I walked back down the trail in silence, the sound of our shoes hitting the rock gravel being all we could hear. I had planned on taking a taxi back home from the main street here, and hoping I'd have enough time to get ready. The entire walk back, Niall had his hands stuffed inside his pockets with his gaze focussed on the floor. I kept trying to think of ways to kill this awkward tension that reappeared between us, but nothing was coming to mind.
Upon reaching the main street, the car that we were dropped off was waiting on the curb at the end of the street. "Thanks for coming with me today again, I had a lot of fun," I honestly stated.
"Me too, Aubrey," Niall began, his arm reaching to the back of his neck. I knew he was scratching at it in attempt to ease his nerves. I didn't understand why he felt the need to be nervous around me. I was nothing special. "I'm leaving in a coupla' days but Li an' will be back soon so we'll pay ya a visit fer sure," Niall said, smiling at me.
"Sounds good," I mused.
"Ya sure ya don't need a ride home?" He asked me.
Shaking my head at him, I replied, "No, I'll just catch a taxi back. No worries. Have a safe trip back." Before I knew it, I walked closer to him before enveloping him in yet another hug. Nothing could ever get me tired of hugging Niall. He poured so much warmth and comfort into the hug, it actually sucked letting go. His distinct Armani smell infiltrated my nostrils almost immediately, making me want to stay in the hug forever. I never realized how much I truly missed Niall up until he was actually here with me in the flesh.
"See ya soon Aubrey," Niall said, waving goodbye to me right after he pulled away from our hug.
"See you soon too, Ni," I whispered as I watched him get in the back seat of the sleek silver car. Disappearing into the swarms of traffic ahead, I watched him disappear into the horizon. Niall may have been gone, but I knew it was only temporary. Thank god.
-
Fancy dinners and heels were two things that I hated from the bottom of my heart. I just never liked the idea of making myself uncomfortable not only in shoes I loathed, but in an environment where it was absolutely necessary a person act all "posh." One of the many reasons I dreaded special occasions. Celebrations always implied some sort of sophisticated dinner which obviously had to be accompanied by the appropriate attire. Though, contrary to my previous beliefs, having dinner on the roof of the Empire State Building was another story.
Pete was crazy about architecture, which actually made sense since one of his best friends, Ryan, was an architect. Anyways, for his birthday he wanted to have dinner up here. At first I was really skeptical about coming up here since I was deathly afraid of heights. A little coaxing from Pete and research about safety precautions on my end, I managed to ease a bit of my fear. I must admit it's actually worth it. Lights adorned the entire permitter, illuminating the entire rooftop. The moon brightly shined in the night sky, while the stars could barely be seen due to the many lit up buildings and screens of the city. Music lowly played in the background as the few people up here are way at their meals.
"So how are you holding up?" Pete joked before taking a bit out of pan seared salmon.
"Great, not feeling nauseous yet," I replied in an attempt to kill any uneasy feelings that may arise. I poked my fork at my Parmesan and marinara covered chicken. Halfway through it, I decided to give my stomach a break. The funnel cake I had earlier must have filled my stomach and killed my appetite for the rest of the day. "Having a good birthday?" I asked, taking a sip out of my lemon water.
"The best," Pete smiled at me.
"I hope you liked your present," I added, unsure if he enjoyed my attempt at creativity. This year I decided to get him a watch that not only had the different cardinal directions programmed within it, but can be programmed to display two different time zones. Along with that, I got him a name display for his desk that had a balance with a judge's mallet in the middle of it it, molded across it.
"I would be crazy to not love it. I love it, but nearly as much as I love you," he replied, a few laughs escaping his mouth. Following our argument the other day, Pete repeatedly apologized to me regarding the whole Niall issue. He knew better than to jump to conclusions and he felt extremely bad for accusing me of such things. Jealousy did get the best of him at times, so I got where he was coming from. As long as he realized he was wrong and admitted his mistakes, I was happy.
"Love you too," I replied. Our waiter walked back over to our table, checking if we need anything and ensuring that were enjoying our time here. Right when I thought he was about to leave, the waiter turned over to me before grinning widely at me.
"You're Aubrey Simmons, right?" He asked, seeming so excited that he was in my presence. Confused as to how he knew my name, I looked back over at Pete who held the same expression as me. I wasn't even that famous yet, unless this had anything to do with Niall. My first article as head editor hadn't even been published so that's definitely not how he knew me.
"Um yeah?" I trailed off, still shocked and confused with this who ordeal. From the inside of his coat pocket, he took out what seemed like a flyer. Carefully, he stepped closer to me before handing me the paper. When he first pulled it out, I swear I thought it was blank, but now that it was in my hands, my eyes nearly fell out of their eye sockets at the contents written on it:
AUBREY SIMMONS
WILL YOU MARRY ME?
I could feel my entire breath come to a complete halt just by reading the words. Looking away from the paper, Pete was down on one knee right in front of me, with a ring that had a diamond the size of my pinky's fingernail. If my heart wasn't beating any faster before, it was definitely beating faster than a cheetah running at full speed. Everyone had crowded around us as Pete opened his mouth.
"Aubrey, meeting you in high school, I never would have thought you would have ever had this huge impact on me. You were always a girl that I saw as my out of my league, not one that I deserved. Then one day you gave me the chance to get to know you, know your quirks and everything else about you. I managed to mess that up quickly though," he explained, the crowd chuckling a bit. Threatening tears lined themselves up outside of my tear ducts because I knew I was about to burst into tears.
"I can't even explain to you how much I regret doing such an idiotic thing. To this day, I thank god we found a way back to each other and I am blessed with your beauty every morning and night. I love you with all my heart. We've been with each other for years and my love for you grows more each year. You are a beautiful and caring person and have always been there for me one hundred percent through the bad times. Will you do me the honor of changing your last name? Be my wife?" He asked. Tears were streaming down my face as I took in the position he was in. My mind was still trying to process the words he had just uttered. He wanted to marry me, oh my gosh. I couldn't even think straight. The crowd stared at me as I felt myself being overwhelmed by all of this.
My life was taking a turn for the better. I needed this to stay happy. Pete made me happy, and he was willing to continue making me happy. That's all I could ever ask for someone to do. It was time to make up for all of the sadness and times of despair in my life. Time to turn a new page and begin a new chapter. "Yes," I sniffled out. Immediately the crowd erupted into cheers while Pete slipped the silver ring onto my left hand's ring finger before engulfing me in a giant hug.
"I love you so much," Pete widely grinned at me before placing his lips against mine and kissing me deeply. Through the kiss, I managed to kiss back despite the amount of tears escaping my eyes. Except I wasn't sure if I was crying tears of joy or tears of sadness.
A/N: So um, yeah please don't hate me. "Change My Mind" came on as I was writing the last portion of this chapter, and not gonna lie, I cried a little bit. just remember that I love you guys so much, and Naubrey fixed things for the better, yay? :)
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