Chapter 18
Arianna's POV ~
Pulling back, Zayn stared at me, with a half smile on his face, trying to keep me from crying.
My tears had stopped, realizing I needed to stop crying, I was getting too emotional over nothing.
Niall said he was coming back, and I believe him. I knew he was going to come back. He loved me too much to forget me like that.
It had only been a week anyway, I realized I was overreacting about the whole situation.
"You alright?" Zayn softly asked me, his hand still resting on my back.
I sighed at first, but smiled. "Yeah, forgive me for acting this way." I told him, picking myself up from the ground, and he stood up after me.
"Don't be sorry about anything, Arie." He dusted himself off.
"Just don't cry anymore, please. I can't bear to see you that way." He continued with a worried tone in his voice.
I took a last sniffle and nodded, wiping away the last of my tears from my moist cheek, and I picked my head up and looked at him, a smile taking it's place on my mouth.
"Thanks, Zayn. I wish you wouldn't worry about me too much, you might be getting wrinkles because of me." I teased, poking my finger on his forehead.
His eyes looked to my finger on his forehead, and he raised one of his eyebrows and the other one remained lowered, and he chuckled.
"What?! I'm getting wrinkles already?" He joked.
I laughed it off, shaking my head as I did so and walked past him, going into the kitchen and towards the sink.
Turning on the water faucet, I cupped my hands under it and splashed the water into my face.
I didn't like the way my tears had taken on my face and made it feel so sticky.
"Here." Zayn extended his hand to me, with a dry towel in it.
"Thanks." I said, taking it and drying my face.
I felt new and refreshed, but as my eyes hovered over the kitchen, I remembered when Niall climbed on the counter to grab some food from the cupboard.
Instead of feeling sad about it, I only smiled and let the memory wash over my body with happiness.
"Arianna." Zayn says, shocking me so when he actually says my whole first name instead of just shortening it.
This must meant he was about to say something serious, since he never said my name like that ever since our days when we we're little.
I guess I kinda grown on the way he called me just "Arie".
I don't even remember when he started calling me that. It's been a long time.
"Will you come back tomorrow? I mean, to class and work, and everything like before?" He asked.
I breathed out, relieved it was just that. I thought he was going to ask me something else, but I let that thought go.
"Yeah, I'll go." I responded, smiling.
He smiled, dropping his shoulders as if he was holding something heavy on them.
"Good. It's been so long since you've showed up at work, and I was afraid you were going to get fired." He said.
"Fired?" I laughed. "You don't have to worry about me getting fired, Zayn. I can always find another job. Working at that restaurant isn't even that fun anymore."
He walked to my fridge and pulled out a pepsi, and popped the top and took a sip. He chuckled at my response.
"It is fun! I'm there, aren't I?" He sat the can gently on the table, and pointed at himself as he bit on his lip, trying to look all cool and macho.
"Yes, Zayn. It's very fun, just because you're there." I said sarcastically, picking up his soda and taking a long sip, and when he realized it was his drink, he jumped towards me and tried to get the can back.
"Hey!" He shouted, and tried to reach over my arms that blocked him from taking the can away.
I gulped down the pop, almost drinking the whole can gone, but he pulled it back before it was completely empty.
In satisfaction, I opened my mouth and let out a long, loud burp. Zayn's eyes widened as he stepped back and covered his nose.
"Damn, Arie! That's fucking nasty." He chuckled, his face scrunched up as he still pinched his nose with his fingers.
"Beat that!" I uncontrollably laughed. I myself didn't even know I was capable of creating such a burp.
"I'm sorry, that was very unladylike." I giggled, watching him as he waved his hands infront of him, making the air shoo away my very scented creation.
"I think you turned into a man with that burp!" He teased.
"I might just be." I winked and his jaw dropped, jokingly.
He took the can and drank the rest of it, and after pulling it back, tossed it in the bin and looked at me again with all seriousness.
"Alright," He sighed.
"I guess I'll get going." He said, running his hands through his hair.
"Okay." I replied sadly.
I was actually having fun while he was here. I haven't felt this way for a while.
"Promise you're going to work tomorrow? And to class?" He asked again.
I followed behind him as we walked towards my front door. He opened it and looked back at me with a grave expression on his perfect, chisseled face.
"Yes! I already told you, I will! Don't worry." I rolled my eyes as I exclaimed.
"Alrighty then, I'll be on my way. Be safe, manly woman!" He teased before walking out, and I laughed, watching him walk out and down the stairs.
Sighing, I turned around and went back into my apartment.
It was already bed time for me, and I was very exhausted, even though I didn't do anything all day.
.-.-.-.-.-.
Niall's POV ~
Wow.
It's been a week.
A very, very long week that I spent with my whole family. The family I barely knew.
It was weird sometimes to talk to them, not knowing exactly how to respond since I didn't know how they would react and what their interests were.
That Monday they took us all out to the city, seeing all the big city buildings and some other ancient sort of town, where there was tall churches made of stone.
"Wow! Isn't that cool, Niall?" Amy gushed, pointing at a church with a statue of an angel holding a harpoon.
"Yeah." I responded, pretending to be interested, even though really I wasn't.
I just wanted to yell, "Hey! I don't know you people!" and "I wanna leave!". But I couldn't, since after all, they were my family.
Then on Tuesday, my parents decided to take me, not Amy and Greg along, but just us back to our hometown.
They wanted to show me all the places I've visited before, so maybe it would help me remember something. But nothing came to my mind so far.
It was back in the countryside, where I saw rolling hills of green and no buildings around.
We drove down a long gravel road to a little house, revealing my grandparents who came out to meet me.
Mom and Dad told me not tell them about what happened to me, fearing that they might have heart attacks because they were so old.
"Aw, sweet dear Niall!" A woman greeted me with a hug, her familiar scent breathing in through my nose.
"Oh, bunny hunny! Come hug your little grandson!" The woman called out to the man who could barely walk behind her.
He finally managed to walk his way to me and held out his hand for a handshake, and I smiled respectedly and gave him my hand.
"How are you, son?" He stuttered.
"Good, sir. Thank you for asking." I replied, shaking his hand.
He stepped back afterwards, not even giving a chance to give me a hug, he was too weak.
We stayed there the whole day till sundown, walking around the whole fields that my grandparents owned and cared for.
It was quite nice and relaxing. It wasn't like the city, where it was loud and bright.
"Alright, let's get back home now, shall we honey?" Dad asked, wrapping his arm around mom's neck. She smiled and gave him a peck on the lips in response.
I turned away, not wanting to see that.
Ew, old people kissing was definitely not something I'd like seeing, especially my own parents.
It was an hour drive back, so I rested my head on the car window and fell asleep.
.-.-.-.-.-.
Wednesday morning.
Niall's POV ~
"Niall? Hey baby, wake up." Amy's voice filled my ears as she poked me softly on my cheek.
Opening my eyes slowly, I saw her huge brown-eyes peering down at me and a huge smile on her face. I yawned and pulled myself up.
"We're going somewhere today. Just you and me." She softly cheered.
"What?" I asked with a tired voice.
"Mom said to take you out today." She responded.
I got up, now fully and wide awake.
Now I had to spend time alone with her. I have nothing against it, but it was really weird for me.
"Come on! I'll be outside, get yourself ready and come out when you're done!" She jumped up from the bed and ran out the door.
Resting my head back again, I groaned, but finally got up and got into the shower and prepared myself.
------
I found Amy in the car outside the house as I walked out, seeing her grinning face as I jumped into the vehicle.
"I can drive." I told her before she turned the ignition of the car.
"Nooo... no, no, no you cannot." She turned the car on and pulled out of the driveway as she said so.
"Yeah, I can. Just because I forgot everything doesn't mean I can't drive anymore." I hissed.
"Just let me drive, Niall. I don't wanna risk anything, and anyway you don't know where I'm taking you." She smiled back.
Biting my lip, I let it go and rested my elbow on the car door and watched the road.
She wasn't going to let me drive, and I wasn't going to fight her for it. Ah well, nap time again.
"Niall!" A voice shouted.
I picked my head up and opened my eyes.
What was she screaming about all of a sudden?
"We're here." She grinned, pulling out her bag and jumping out of the car.
I turned my head, looking around to see where we we're at. I had fallen asleep and I didn't even know what was going on.
"Where are we?" I asked as I climbed out, looking at my surroundings that we're filled with trees.
"Smith Lake, baby!" She cheered, raising her arms in the air and spinning herself around.
I covered over my eyes, blocking the sun as I looked over the trees, and sure enough, I saw water. I turned around, and Amy pulled out a huge bag from the trunk.
"What's in that big thing?" I asked.
"Stuff." She winked, pushing the button on the car remote to lock it, and the car honked in response.
"Come on, let's have some fun!" She cheered, grabbing me by the wrist and pulling me along with her as we strolled down the hill towards the lake.
When we made it down, we passed by some people who had their grills out and cooking steaks that filled my noses with hunger.
Mmmmm, they sure smelled delicious.
"Hey, newlyweds!" The man with the spatula shouted, waving his hand and looking towards us.
I looked at Amy, who smiled back and waved at them.
"What's up, Billy?" She shouted.
"Just grillin some steak for the fam! What are you two up to this time?"
"We're gonna go down by the water and take a little dip!" Amy grinned at me after she shouted back.
I widened my eyes, now knowing what she was up to.
I didn't know if I liked the idea or not, being alone with her and all in that water.
"Ya'll have some fun!" The man waved again.
Amy didn't shout anything back, but instead she waved. She looked at me and smiled, taking my wrist again and taking me with her.
She sat the bag down on the rocky ground, and started to pull her shirt off.
"Whoa, whoa there!" I looked away, covering over my eyes and stepping away from her.
"Take yours off too, baby! Let's get in that water! We've done this many times before, come on!"
I watched her as she was unclothed and wearing a colorful, flowery two-piece, and she jumped into the water. I sat down on a huge boulder and decided to sit back and relax.
"Niall? Are you not coming in?" She popped out from under the water and waved her arms at me.
"No, I'm fine how I am! Thanks, just enjoy yourself!" I shouted back.
A frown appeared on her face and she swam back into the water, and seconds later she was closer to shore and walked out.
She came towards me soaking wet, her arm outstretched, as if she was waiting for me to give her my hand.
"I'm not enjoying anything if you're not with me." She whined, stomping her feet on the ground.
"No, really, I'm fine."
"But, but, but.." She pouted once again.
She pulled me up by my wrist and before I knew it, her fingers we're trying to unclasp the button on my jeans.
"Hey! Whoa!" I stepped back, holding my hands over my front.
I felt around my jeans and the button was already loose.
Damn, this girl was impressive.
"Come on? Come in the water with me?"
I pulled the button back and zipped my jeans up, still shocked that she had no fear in touching me in such a place, even without asking.
"Can we please just go back now?" I finally asked.
My question brought a sad frown on her face, and she didn't say anything and ran back towards the water. I guess she gave up.
I was kind of mad that she had touched me without asking, but then I remembered, she was my fiancé and she was probably used to it, not realizing that it was wrong to my current state.
I walked back on the huge boulder and laid on it, feeling calm finally that she wasn't trying to bother me to go in anymore. I didn't like to hurt her feelings, but wouldn't it just be awkward going in with her alone like this? I didn't like the way the situation would've felt.
I guess I had fallen asleep, and when I opened my eyes the sun had went down a bit, but it was still pretty bright.
Amy was walking towards me, this time with all her clothes back on.
"Let's leave now." She said in an undertone.
Not looking at me, she pulled the huge bag over her shoulder and walked up the hill without me.
"H-hey, wait." I shouted after her.
Catching up with her pace, I followed her back to the car.
She didn't look at me or talk to me as she jumped in and turned the car on.
I just sat there, watching her and feeling bad. She was still upset that I didn't go into the water with her.
"You okay?" I asked.
She drove out of the lake grounds, not responding to me.
I sat back and sighed. Yep, she was mad.
After a couple of minutes, she pulled the car into the side of the road, into some grass and stopped the car.
Without telling me anything, she jumped out and walked down the hill.
"Amy? Where are you going?" I called after her, but she had already disappeared behind the trees.
Relieved that it was still a little bright outside, I jumped out and quickly rushed into where she had ran to.
Pushing through the trees, I saw her standing on a tall hill that overviewed the sunset.
"Wow.." I gasped, walking slowly behind her.
She turned around and looked at me.
"Do you remember this place?" She asked in a hushed tone.
"No.." I took in the view, replying with a bit of sadness in my voice.
It was a great view, but I didn't remember ever seeing it before.
"We came here often. You showed this to me first. I can't believe you don't remember it." She sat down and folded her legs, and wrapped her arms around them as she still watched over the hill.
"I'm sorry." I said, looking down at her. She was still disappointed.
"Niall, sit down please? Could you at least do that?"
I quickly sat on the soft ground beside her, knowing she was probably really mad at me, over the things that have happened, she had the right to be.
"How are you feeling?" She asked, looking at me as her eyes sparkled, sending me feelings I felt before but not exactly knowing what they we're.
"What do you mean by that?" I replied, turning my head again to watch the sunset.
"About you not remembering anything. I mean, you don't seem depressed about this whole thing. As if you're totally fine with not remembering your memories and having the life you lived before."
I sighed and rubbed my eyes, not knowing how to respond exactly.
I am disappointed that I couldn't remember anything, but I came to learn a new person and I really liked it, but I couldn't tell her this.
It was cheating, but it didn't really count since I didn't even know I was with her already.
"Do you hate me?" She asked, making me flinch a little since this question was out of the blue.
"I feel like I'm annoying the crap out of you, like I'm just some bug that keeps flying on you and you keep swatting me away like I'm not worth anything."
"It's not that." I stopped her.
She looked at me again, trying to look through me as if she could read my mind.
"Then what is it?" She asked.
I bit hard on my bottom lip, then sat up straighter and pulled my folded legs into my chest and wrapped my arms around them, and rested my chin on my knees.
"Niall.. You didn't denie it. What is it?" She asked again, this time the tone in her voice sounded bothered.
"Amy," I breathe.
"Tell me, Niall. Is it because I annoy you? I can leave you alone from now on, I just don't like that you push me away when I try to be with you."
"No, it's not that. You're not annoying me at all, and I hope you'll stop thinking that you are." I said.
"Then why? Why won't you try and be with me?"
Sighing again, but this time a little heavier, I kept my eyes on the sunset in front of us that was now an orangish-pink color.
The sun was already over halfway down.
I didn't know what to tell her. Any excuse now would sound dumb, but I also couldn't tell her about Arianna.
"Is there someone else?" She whispered, as if she didn't want to ask this kind of question.
It was hard for her just to speak about it. I couldn't tell her.
"Niall? Please answer me."
I looked at her with a serious expression and extended my hand out to her face to brush the length of hair behind her ear. She flinched a little as a result from my touch.
"I'm sorry." I whispered.
"Sorry?" She almost cried.
"I'm sorry I can't love you the way you love me. I wish I could, but I can't force my heart to change its feelings. I don't wanna pretend that I love you either.. You wouldn't want that would you? That will only hurt you. That's the reason I haven't responded in any way to make you think I feel the same for you. So please, bear with me." I managed to say under one breath.
Her eyes twinkled as I gazed into them, and I could see a bit of a tear falling from her eye.
Taking my arm back, I kept watching her, waiting for her to speak. Instead, she looked at me and smiled, fighting through the tears.
"Niall.." She mouthed.
And that's when she broke out.
Her nose turned red and tears flew down from her eyes. She cried as she watched me, and I tried to look away, but I couldn't. Her stare kept me from turning my head.
"When you say things like that, how am I suppose to not love you?" She cried, using her hands to wipe away the tears from her cheeks as she said so.
"You're the best man in the world, you know that? You loved me before, and because this happened it doesn't mean you can't love me again. I love you too much to let you go. We're going to make this work, we'll work even harder and harder to get you to remember." She cried.
"We'll work so hard that you'll remember, okay? Will you try with me too? ..Please?" She asked, her big, brown eyes staring deep into my soul.
"Amy.." I said softly, taking my hand to hold her shoulder, trying to give a little comfort to stop her from crying.
She took my arm and used it to pull me towards her, making me wrap both my arms around her. She quickly pulled me in, and she tightly kept her hold on my body, not letting me move a little so I could leave her.
"Niall.." She cried.
I felt her small arms around me, holding me tightly and giving all the love she could.
I let my arms hold her too, but not as tight as her arms we're holding me.
For a second, my eyes seemed to envision something, but as quick as it came, it flashed and vanished. I wasn't sure if I just saw a blink of light, or something else, but it was there. I was for sure I had seen something.
Was I about to remember a memory again?
"Let's go back.." She whispered, finally pulling away.
She quickly jumped up, and helped me up from the ground. She smiled at me when I was back on my feet. I breathed in relief, glad that she was feeling better now.
"Come on." She said, taking my hand and pulling me up the hill.