Aubrey's P.O.V.
We were both so quiet, each of us sneaking glances at one another when we thought the other wasn't looking. Not a single word sounded out from either of us, as if we both lost our ability to speak. As the engine of the car continued to run and the wheels making several tire revolutions while we moved, my eyes remained glued on the side mirror. The bright sun shined down on the mesmerizing crystal, clear blue waters. Short waves slowly rushed up to shore before quickly retreating back into the cool waters. Small grains of sand tickled the creases between my toes, which in turn reminded me of how the coarse, beige pebbles Niall and I been sitting on minutes ago.
If it weren't for Marcus Mumford's soothing yet strong expressive voice playing from the radio, I surely would have lost my mind right now. I absolutely loathed the deafening silence that suddenly appeared out of no where. Whoever called Niall turned his mood upside down. He went from being all giddy and funny to angry and frustrated. Even his body language made it clear something irritated or angered him from the call. His eyebrows scrunched together, forming a few creases on his forehead. Both his hands tightly wound themselves around the leather steering wheel. A few huffs and groans sounded out of him, but they were so faint that I probably wouldn't have heard them if we were talking.
Whatever was bothering him seemed to roughly affect him, though. I never saw Niall become so easily frustrated. Today has been going so great, too. I really appreciated Niall's little trip to the beach. He picked the most perfect spot to go to. I didn't want anything extravagant or a place bustling with people to and fro. Not many people crowded the beach, and besides everyone sat spaced out. Sitting there, feeling the cool waves crash against the skin of toes sent so much relief throughout my body. Sadness no longer overwhelmed my mind, but rather a few twinges of pain hit my heart every now and then.
Niall managed to erase all of my sadness in a matter of hours. He brought so much comfort me with all his constant care and compassion. The way he intently listened to me made me comfortable when I talked to him. Every word that escaped my mouth, he kept record of it. His topaz blue eyes never left my face, and that was more than enough to make my heart leap. Niall payed so much attention to me,it not only reassured me that I was safe with him, but I was wanted by him. I mean I wasn't entirely sure in what sense I was wanted by him, but I knew he definitely wanted me as a friend. And I was perfectly content with that. I think.
"Niall?" I finally spilled out the name that's been threatening to roll of my tongue for the past ten minutes. It seemed that he eased his foot off the gas pedal since the car slightly slowed down in speed.
"Aubrey," he replied, keeping his eyes on the road. Niall's reply sounded as if he were now acknowledging my presence.
"You seem off, is everything okay?" I carefully asked him. I didn't mean to sound like I was trying to pry into his life. In fact, I wanted anything but that because Niall needed to feel fully comfortable with me before we reached that level. Maybe I felt comfortable confiding in Niall, but Niall was his own person, and he shouldn't feel forced to tell me everything if he wasn't ready yet.
"Um, yeah," he cleared his throat, "Somethin' at home came up." Strain and worry laced his voice.
"Oh," I breathed out. For some reason when Niall mentioned home, my heart ached just by hearing that. It hit me like a ton of bricks that Niall's home as back in London, not here in New York, in my apartment's guest bedroom. In the back of my mind, I knew Niall needed to leave at some point. I just hated the thought that he'll be thousands of miles away from me, rather than a mere four feet.
"I hope everything's okay," I added, not wanting to Niall to think I only cared about myself. Actually, I cared so much about Niall; so much it scared me sometimes. Shifting my gaze in the slightest, I noticed Niall's head look over to me. A look of both sadness and fear glistened within his eyes. Curiosity immediately struck my mind. Thoughts of why Niall seemed so tense began to roam my mind. This unknown situation put him in a trance, showing how significant it was.
"I hope so too, Aubs," he breathed out, his tone deflating with each syllable. "I probably need t' head back home in the next coupla days," Niall said, taking one hand off the steering wheel and running it through his hair. Already disheveled from the wind at the beach, it looked even more disorderly. Nonetheless, I couldn't take my eyes off his luscious locks. Blonde tips stuck against his brunette roots, and the two colors mixed in together looked extremely good. Just looking at his hair brought memories to the wonderful sensations I felt whenever my fingers would run themselves against it. I quickly shook my head at those thoughts, considering the fact I shouldn't even be thinking anything remotely close to running my hands through Niall's hair.
"Are the boys okay?" I nervously asked. Relief spread all throughout my body the moment Niall shook his head at my question. Since he had to head back home to London, that meant his family wasn't the problem either or else he'd be heading back to Mullingar.
"They're all fine," he reassured me. "I jus' fucked up big time," he continued, disapprovingly shaking his head.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, not really sure what else I could say.
"Don't be, it's not yer fault I'm an idiot," Niall muttered the last part under his breath before he made a left on the stoplight.
"It is partially my fault," I mumbled, picking at my ring finger with my opposite hand's thumb.
"T'at I'm an idiot?" Niall asked, puzzled.
"That's natural," I joked, causing the both of us to erupt into a small fit of laughter. Elated that I managed to veer away from the prior and uncomfortable silence, I shook my head at him.
"You came here for me, Niall. I'm the reason why you're not back home in London now." Niall's sole reason why he came here was to confess his undying love for me. Don't get me wrong, his get melted my heart and more, but that didn't change the fact that I was the reason for his sudden trip here. Some way, some how, I always ended up causing Niall some sort of pain or sadness. Worst part is that I never intended on doing any of that. I always wanted Niall happy, even if that meant sacrificing my own happiness.
"Aubrey, I told ya before I wanted t' come here, I needed t' come here," he stressed, making another left turn.
"No you didn't Niall," I said, closing my eyes. "You got into a car accident because of me, Pete could have put you into an even worse physical state, I've done nothing but cry and whine to you. Now there's something urgent back home where you're clearly needed, but instead you're three and a half thousand miles away," I listed out, more and more guilt filling my chest with each passing seconds. "Tell me, did you want all that?"
Niall remained quiet for a few moments, maneuvering his way through the entry streets of New York City. Buses, all types of cars, taxis, even bikes stood in front of us as we waited for the stop light to switch from red to green. All our windows were up since we had the air conditioning on, but even the noise of the blasting cool air couldn't drown out all the loud shouts and ear-piercing honks of the city folk. "Yes," he finally said at the same time the light turned green.
"Yes?" I shockingly repeated. I knew Niall cared for me, but not to the extent where he was willing to practically die for me. "Why?" I asked, averting my eyes to his.
"Coz it was all fer ya," he answered, pausing for a moment, "I'd do anythin' fer ya Aubrey." Speechless. Stunned. Touched. I felt every emotion associated with love rush back to me. I hadn't felt this way in weeks, months maybe. Niall made me feel so many things at once, it was difficult to pinpoint one exact emotion. His voice dripped with so much adoration and care that I knew he meant every single word. Every single action he took was indeed for me. Niall never once thought about himself; his focus centered around me and my feelings. I didn't know whether I should cry or smile.
It also never struck me how strong Niall's feelings were for me. Now that we were both face to face, nothing to hide, I realized just how in love he is with me. That got me thinking did my heart still possess the capacity to fully and comfortably love again? After having my heart brutally ripped out of my chest, I became extremely nervous to put myself back in that situation. But this was Niall, the man who's love I had buried deep, deep inside me and swore to never bring back up. Maybe it was time to let those feelings resurface.
*
Sweet and delicious aromas of melted chocolate wafted throughout my kitchen. My fingers tightly wrapped around the metal spoon as I continued to mix the chocolate around in the pot. I felt the warmth radiate off of the stove and to my exposed skin below my shorts. Adam had been hinting he wanted chocolate covered strawberries for the past few weeks, and seeing as tomorrow was his last day of school, it was the perfect treat to make.
In my head I assumed I had all the ingredients in my fridge so I didn't bother to stop and think if I truly needed anything. Up until Niall and I got back to my apartment, I realized I had all but two strawberries in my fridge. Too lazy to run to the store, I cancelled making them, but of course Niall stepped in and said he'd go buy them. After five minutes of arguing with him, telling him he didn't need to go, he grabbed my keys and casually headed out. This reminded me of all the times we shared while we were first
getting to know each other back in London.
The rest of the car ride didn't end up being as awkward as I thought it'd be. I didn't say anything more after Niall's heartfelt confession. Lack of words, I smiled at him to which his eyes lit up at. From that internal communication, I knew that things were slowly progressing between the two of us. I was unsure in exactly what direction we were moving in, but I knew my heart would be safe.
"Why didn't ya tell me there's like five kinds 'f strawberries?" Niall's voice quickly filled the silence of my kitchen. I turned around to face him, only to see he didn't just buy strawberries. In one hand he had two clear containers of the red and ripe berries, and the other hand carried a large case of beer. Typical Niall.
"Any kind will do." I smiled at him as my feet took a few strides to reach him, so I could take the strawberries. Once I got back to the stove, I took the pot off the stove, placed it on the counter, and opened up the first strawberry container. As I contemplated on where to start, I heard Niall open his beer bottle. Soon afterwards, I heard him slam the bottle on my table.
"Want one?" He offered me one as he reached for his second one. Holy shit, he chugged that entire bottle in less than a minute. Talk about being Irish.
"Sure why not?" Maybe letting a little loose will help me forget all this crazy nonsense going on in my life. Niall opened and handed me the cold, glass bottle. A few sips in, and I already felt my head buzzing. I was a light-weight drinker, so maybe I should stick to just one bottle. Not all of us could be like Niall and have a high tolerance to alcohol.
Back to making the chocolate covered strawberries, I grabbed one by the stem before dipping it into the warm and creamy chocolate goodness. I twirled the strawberry around the pot for a few seconds before lifting it up and placing it on the cookie sheet I had next to me. Careful not to drip any chocolate on me or the counter, I placed a few paper towels around my work area. As soon as I finished covering the third fruit, I felt Niall's presence behind me.
"Can I help you?" I asked as I turned around and finished the remaining contents of my bottle.
"Give me a strawberry," he demanded, his eyes widening a little bit. He already finished his second bottle, starting his third, so I didn't think he was entirely drunk. From what I remember it took a lot to get him drunk. Unless being injured lowered his tolerance somehow.
"Magic word?" I shot back, feeling the alcohol begin to pulse through my veins.
"Please." Niall's lips blew tiny puffs of air onto my face as he said it. My hands shakily reached behind me and grabbed one for him.
"With chocolate," he added with a smirk spreading across his face. Completely sober me would have slapped or pushed him away for that attitude. In my current state, though, I couldn't help but find Niall so cute, and somewhat hot. Turning around, I dipped the berry into the chocolate, ensuring not to fully cover it since Niall was going to eat it. I placed my hand underneath it as I turned around and held out to Niall's mouth. His lips immediately wrapped around it before sucking it entirely in, until the stem portion. At this point, my fingers laid idle against Niall's sticky and wet lips.
My eyes trailed up to look at Niall, instantly finding his gorgeous blue eyes and face extremely close to me than before. I wasn't sure if I just wasn't paying attention before, but we were really close now. Practically chest to chest. I couldn't help but flicker my eyes back to Niall's pink lips, and
of course, they were curved up into his heart-melting smile I adored. Slightly blushing, I brought my gaze back up to Niall's, only to find he was intently staring at me.
Both of Niall's hands suddenly latched on to each side of my t-shirt, creating a rush of tingly sensations to erupt inside my stomach. Niall's hand started to rub small circles against my hips, and I felt like I was being tickled. A few giggles escaped me as his fingers gradually moved up my torso. Soon, his head moved closer to mine, to the point where mere mere inches away from my lips. My laughing quickly subsided as my breathe came to an immediate halt in my throat, finally realizing just how close his lips were to mine.
Once again, I looked back up to meet Niall's gaze, noticing his bright blue eyes had become a shade lighter. I wanted to kiss him so badly, but my mind was too blurry for me to figure out whether I really wanted that or it was the alcohol talking. All I knew is that I wanted to feel his lips slowly press against mine.
Barely a second ticked by before I felt his lips softly come into contact with mine. Breathless, I let myself melt into the kiss, savoring every taste and feel Niall's lips gently moving against mine. Fire lit up my entire body, and I felt my cheeks flame a dark shade of red. My once empty body felt as if it were suddenly ignited with a rush of adrenaline with the simple press of Niall's lips against mine. His lips perfectly moulded against mine, reminding me of how much I missed kissing him.
Fireworks were going off in my head, electricity surging through my every vein, and my heart speedily picked up its beat as Niall deepened the kiss. Gently stroking my sides, Niall's hands trailed down to my thighs. I felt his grip tighten around them before I felt myself being lifted off the ground and onto the counter. I quickly pushed the bowl and pan to the side before latching my hands on to Niall's hair. He positioned himself between either side of my legs, still kissing me with so much ease. I gripped onto his golden locks, running each of my fingers through each soft tuft of hair. Completely lost in the kiss, we both forgot that we needed to breathe. Detaching my lips from Niall's, I let out a large breath, before I met his stare. He widely grinned at me, leaning his head back towards mine.
In one sudden, swift motion, Niall meshed his lips against mine and continued to kiss me just as passionately as before. With a surprised squeal, I quickly wrapped my legs around his thin waist while my fingers returned to being tangled in his streaky blond hair. Hands firmly holding me close to him, Niall pressed his front up against mine, causing our pelvises to grind against one another. Moving along to the growing beat of our hips pressing against each other, I felt soft lips find the sweet spot in the crook of my neck. The feeling in my stomach rose in intensity, until I could no longer ignore the urge to allow the threatening moan escape my lips.
"Niall," I whimpered as his lips continued to their assault on my neck. In response, Niall let out a guttural moan, making my stomach ignite into flames now. My hands moved away from Niall's hair, down his beautifully shaped face, and straight down his torso. Smoothing across the fabric of his white t-shirt, I tugged on the hem of it as a signal for him to take it off. Pulling away for second, he practically tore it off himself before kissing his way down my chest. No longer than five minutes later, Niall had nothing but his boxers on, and I in my bra and underwear.
"I love ya," Niall whispered against my ear as he kissed my bare shoulder. I shuddered against his touch. I hummed in response, not in the right state of mind to reply to such a statement.
"Mmm, Niall," I breathed out while his hands cupped me through my bra. I wanted to give Niall just as much pleasure as he was giving me, so I tore my hands away from his chest and brought them down to this boxers. I traced the waistband of them before my right hand looped itself inside to tug them down. Not even sliding them off yet, Niall abruptly pulled away from me, nearly bumping into my fridge.
"We need t' stop," he said, shaking his head as he bent down to pick up his clothes.
"But I don't have a boyfriend anymore," I confusedly said, slightly dizzy from the alcohol. Niall stopped pulling his pants over his legs and stared at me. The shade of bright blue darkened into a stormy blue clouded by frustration and anger. At the same time, I noticed how heartbroken he appears to be.
"Aubrey, t'ings ar' jus' complicated right now," he sighed. "I'm sorry baby," I heard him whisper once he pulled his t-shirt back over his head. Only moments ago, I felt on top of the world and elated with a whole load of powerful emotions. Minutes later, everything completely disappeared making me feel empty and numb.
"I'll call ya tomorrow babe, promise," he whispered again, this time in front of my face m. He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against my forehead before turning around and leaving my kitchen. Seconds later, I heard the loud slam of the door, but even that wasn't as hard as my heart fell for Niall.
Niall's P.O.V.
Nearly twenty four hours have passed by now, and I hadn't called her yet. God, I wanted to pick up my keys and drive over to her flat and explain everything. Unfortunately nothing was that easy. How could I even begin to explain to Aubrey why I pushed her away yesterday? If I told her, I knew she'd want absolutely nothing to do with me. After trying so hard for so long to get her back, I couldn't let one careless and idiotic mistake mess up my chance with Aubrey again.
Not one blink of sleep came to me last night. So much on my mind, not even sleep could take over and ease my mind. I already felt guilty enough for taking advantage of Aubrey like that. With our close proximity and the comfortable atmosphere we were in, I caved and kissed her. Partially drunk, I went against my better judgement and deepened the kiss. Of course, the alcohol running through both of our bodies pushed us closer and closer. Three beers usually got me slightly tipsy, maybe laughing too loudly or foolishly dancing around. Although, I never thought that three beers would bring to the point of almost having sex with Aubrey.
Admittedly, though, kissing Aubrey excited me beyond belief, and every touch of hers sparked an amazing and unforgettable sensation throughout me. Every press of her lips against mine made my lips curve into an even wider grin. The way her hands tugged at my hair pleasured me in so many unimaginable ways. Her skin hot against mine made me want to rip off both our undergarments right then and there. Yesterday made me realize how much I missed Aubrey, both in the physical and emotional sense.
Hauling myself off the hotel's bed, I let out a deep sigh before heading over to my laptop. Fingers hovering over the keyboard, I resisted every urge I had to search the symptoms of this damn disease. Unanswered questions popped into my head as I continued to think about this situation I stupidly got myself into. I pushed those thoughts away for now and, instead, went on the British Airways site. The sooner I got home, the sooner I could clear all this shit up, and possibly get Mia to leave me alone for good this time. Upon logging into my account, it took me all but three clicks to book my flight back home.
Now that I had taken care of my flight back home, I needed to go get myself tested. My fear of testing positive increasingly grew more and more with each second. If I came out positive, who knows if there was a cure, and even if there was, there's no telling how long it takes for it go away. Any chance I potentially had with Aubrey would be obliterated- something I desperately wanted with her. I crossed every part of my body, hoping and praying that I test negative.
Changed into a pair of black skinny jeans and a flannel, white tee underneath, I tucked wallet and phone in the back pocket and headed downstairs to the lobby. Luckily, Alex knew a nearby clinic that offered all sorts of testing and wasn't all that crowded. The last thing I needed was to be seen getting tested for an STD. Plus, I didn't feel comfortable walking into a room full of people and having them wonder why the hell I was here. Being famous sucked sometimes.
Rain drenched the top of my head once I exited the lobby to find Alex. Parked at the end of the lot, I jogged to the car and hurriedly sat myself in the back. Traffic and rain made a horrible mixture nor did it lift my mood. The entire way to the clinic, I kept stealing glances at my phone in hopes that Aubrey would call or text. As of now, nothing showed up from her, worsening my mood even more. I quickly composed a message to her and crossed my fingers she'd answer. Seeing as it was nearly two in the afternoon, she's probably at work now so it might be a while if she decides to answer.
All too soon, I found myself walking into the clinic, filling out a few forms, and ultimately seating in a chair that felt cold and hard. Only three or four people were at the clinic, relaxing me a bit. Strong chemical fumes infiltrated my nostrils while I continued to wait for my name to be called. The T.V. hung up at the very top of the back wall played some cooking show that didn't even catch my interest. I was too preoccupied with my paranoia about my health.
"Horan, Niall." I heard my name being called. Immediately getting up, I followed the nurse to the back room where I was directed to take another seat. The middle aged nurse offered me a warm smile before she instructed me to take off my flannel and extend my arm out for her, so she could draw my blood. Fuck, I hated needles. Whenever we needed to renew our passports for tour or enter a city with strict policies, I always hated getting random vaccinations or blood tests.
"Don't worry, it'll be just a pinch," she said, seeming to sense my anxiety. All ready to push the needle through my skin, she rubbed the alcohol covered cotton ball across my forearm before bringing the needle closer to my skin. My heart beat tripled, and I nervously bit down on my lip while the nurse pressed the needle under my skin. A sharp, stinging feeling quickly overtook my nerves, but slightly subsided while the blood filled up the needle. In a matter of seconds, the needle left my skin and laid flat against the metal plate besides the nurse.
"Okay, sweetheart, results will be ready in the next one to two weeks," she kindly said as she cleaned my arm. One to two weeks?! That was way too long to wait. I thought the results were instant, and I didn't even live here.
"There's no way I can get them sooner? I live in London...," I trailed off, hoping I could speed up the process. The nurse gave me a sympathetic looking, and all my hopes were crushed.
"I'm sorry, but if you want an accurate result, we need time to ensure we give you the right results," she explained. "But, I can have your results sent over to one of our partner clinics in London, and we can notify you by phone as soon as we get the results back," she suggested.
"Erm, sure," I replied, unsure of what else to say. The next two weeks were going to be living hell for me. I'm going to be walking on egg shells everyday, not knowing whether or not I'm clean. "Are there any clear symptoms of syphilis?" I found myself asking.
"Usually there's bumps or sores along the genital area, warts may appear around the palm of your hand, but those usually appear in the third stage," she continued to explain.
"There's stages?" I shakily asked.
She nodded her head in confirmation. "There's three, The first two are cured with antibiotics, and aren't very harmful. As for the last stage, years could go by and it won't be noticed, but by then it maybe too late since damage to the heart or nervous system can occur." Shit. What if I was diagnosed with the third stage? That may possibly result in death if my heart or nervous system fails. I suddenly felt myself become dizzy, and I wanted nothing but to leave the clinic.
After putting my flannel back on, I confirmed my phone number, email, and address with nurse, payed the fee, and made my way out. Heavy droplets of rain pelted me on my way to the car, but I could careless about that. Now, fear and anxiety ate away at my nerves. Messed up as it already was, I didn't need another worry added to my life. Head leaned against the cool glass of the car, I looked down at my phone to see that Aubrey hadn't replied to my message yet. I desperately needed to talk to her abut yesterday. I left without saying much, but there really wasn't much for me to say in that state.
Aubrey's familiar office door came into view after my long elevator ride. Since I knew she wasn't home now, stopping at her office was my next bet. It wasn't a surprise to me when I saw the vacant desk outside her office. Still shocked her tosser of an ex cheated on her with her assistant, I walked past the desk and wrapped my hand around Aubrey's door handle. Slowly twisting it to the side, I walked inside, surprising Aubrey while she talked on the phone. She sent me a glare to which I offered her a small smile before I made my way towards her desk.
I always admired the way she looked at work. All her focus centered around her work. She poured every ounce of effort into her writing, and I felt extremely happy she was able to pursue her dream career. Her eyes beautifully glowed against her cream top despite the lack of sunlight pouring in. Rather than letting her hair down in its usual wavy form, Aubrey had it pulled up. Regardless, she looked flawless per usual.
"Sounds wonderful. Thank you so much Chelsea," she said to whoever was on the phone, apparently Chelsea, and hung up. Right away, she turned her chair to face me. Instead of the relaxed and happy Aubrey I walked in on, her mood shifted into furious and confused.
"What are you doing here?" She coldly asked.
"Look Aubrey, I'm sorry 'bout yesterday. I really can't explain myself right now, but ya gotta trust me," I pleaded. Both her eyebrows shot up her forehead, while her grip around her pen seemed to tighten. I hated being the cause of her angry moods, because I knew just how frustrated she got, but at this point not much could be said. I had no idea myself, if I was clean or not, and Aubrey didn't need to be dragged into my problems with me.
"Trust you?" Aubrey shook her head, letting out a few huffs of disbelief. "Niall, I just got cheated on, do you know how hard it is for me to trust anyone? I don't even know if I trust myself," her voice trembled out. I noticed the way her eyes glistened under the dim light of her office.
"Babe, I know, an' I'm sorry but I need t' sort some t'ings out first," I tried to explain.
"And how does what we did yesterday get in your way? Both of us wanted it yesterday, why'd you push me away?" She cried. If I had known, this sort of thing would happen, I wouldn't have bought the beer. It physically pained seeing her in such a state.
"My flight leaves t'night, at ten," I whispered, taking a sudden interest in the marble top of her desk.
"Did you know that yesterday?" She asked. I shook my head before lifting my head to look at her.
"I booked it this morning," I responded.
"Oh," she plainly responded, shuffling through a few manila folders scattered across her desk.
"Aubrey, darlin', please talk t' me," I begged her. I wasn't leaving here, or this country, until I endured things were settled between us.
"What do you want me to say Niall? That I felt useless after you walked out like that yesterday? That I just wanted to things to go back to normal between us? That I finally felt the feelings I haven't felt in months?" She cried, pushing away all the folders, pens, papers, basically everything in site. Surprised with her sudden actions, I jerked my head back on instinct. Aubrey stood up from her chair, walked around her desk, and took a seat straight across from me.
My mind struggled to process the fact that Aubrey said she wanted things to go back to normal between us. By that did she mean, friends or more than that? I also couldn't deny the leap my heart took when she said I made her feel things she hasn't felt in months; a clear indication Pete deprived her of those sensations. Another part of me made hate myself because of the way I made her feel. Aubrey was anything but useless. I just didn't know how to explain my thoughts to her.
"Ya think I didn't want any 'f t'at yesterday? I wanted all t'at an' more. I've wanted t' kiss ya since the first time I saw ya again," I admitted. Aubrey's eyes widened at my confession, her facial features softening. "Please don't ever t'ink yer useless. Yer evry' thin' t' me, a'right?" I pleaded, placing my hands on top of hers and giving them a slight squeeze to reassure her I meant every single word.
"So none of that was just fun for you?" she asked.
"No, baby, I wanted it, for a long time actually," I shyly admitted, causing a blush to appear across her cheeks. I smiled at her before lacing my fingers with her own. Our fingers intertwined together felt so perfect, as though they were meant to interlock with one another. The feeling of her skin against mine never failed to make veins pulse with adrenaline.
"It's just hard, especially with what Pete did and all, I'm sorry," she mumbled, keeping her head down.
"I understand, an' t'at's why I need ya t' believe t'at I need t' care 'f some thin' back home, then we can work on whatever t'is is," I said as I pointed my chin to our interlocked fingers. Aubrey's sullen frown curved up into a warm smile.
"Good," she replied.
"Good?" I smirked at her.
"Yeah, good," she trailed off, raising an eyebrow at me. It brought me so much amusement messing around with her. She always got flustered whenever I kept pressing at her for things or when I took on a teasing or sarcastic tone.
"You're stable enough to fly? Took your medicine at the right time?" Aubrey questioned as the two of us now stood only a few free away from her office door.
"Yes Aubrey, I'll be fine. Probably sleep most of flight, barely got any shut eye last night," A yawn slipped its way through my reply.
"Sleep and rest a lot, okay? Call me once you land or whenever you get a chance so I'm not worry all day," Aubrey listed off before she stretched her arms out and wrapped them around my torso. Instantly my own arms enveloped her against my chest and buried my face into her hair. A light vanilla scent traveled up my nose, making me savor every single second I had left with her. My hands gently squeezed her hips as a sign that I'm really going to miss her. She buried her head deeper against my chest, rubbing her nose against the fabric of my shirt.
"I'll miss you," she mumbled against my shirt.
"I'll miss you most baby," I whispered through her hair. One final squeeze against one another, Aubrey pulled away and forced out a smile for me. Crimson cheeks, glossy eyes, quivering lips, her face said it all. I knew she didn't want me leaving, neither did I, but I needed to see what the hell was going on with Mia.
"See you soon Aubs," I gently said as I placed a soft kiss against the soft skin of her cheek. Aubrey seemed to tense up at my action, but quickly covered it up by nodding her head in response.
"Travel safe, and I hope everything's okay at home," she smiled at me before reaching out and opening the door for me.
"Thanks, take care," I bid her goodbye and walked out. A few steps out of her office, and I hadn't heard her door close. Turning on my heel, I looked back only to see her leaning against the door frame, smiling at me. One last look at her, I made sure to ingrain it in my memory since I didn't know when I would see her next. I memorized everything about her, from her dazzling eyes to her heart melting smile, it was all in my head. God, I love her with everything in my aching soul.
*
Heathrow Airport greeted me after a tiring and long eight hour flight. Despite the numerous attempts I took to get some sleep, I simply couldn't longer than a half hour without waking back up. Basically, my flight consisted of several half hour naps- not the most pleasant thing in the world. My eyes slowly adjusted to the bright light of the terminal while I waited for my bags to come around on the conveyor belt. So many people crowded in front of me, it was difficult to maneuver myself through in order to get my one suit case and two carry ons.
Once I retrieved my bags, I walked outside of the terminal and towards the exit where pick up would be. While waiting for my flight to board back in New York, I texted Mia letting her know I was on my way back to London. Not wanting to scare or worry the boys any more than I have, I decided to have Mia pick me up. Besides, it is her fault
I'm in this situation in the first place. Well, partially her fault at least.
I searched the crowds of people holding signs for their expected arrivals, but none of them were for me. Shifting my gaze to the other side, I recognized no one. Mia agreed to pick me up, and she'd promptly be here waiting for me at one when my flight was scheduled to land. Finally, after squinting my eyes, I located her silky black hair. She widely grinned at me as she weaved through the people in front of her in order to reach me.
"Niall!" She squealed as she tightly hugged me. Definitely not like Aubrey's hugs, but I had no choice but to hug back. I mean Mia was a great friend, funny, and easy to get along with. Only problem is that she expected something from me that I could never give to her: my love. Aubrey held that.
Pulling away from the hug, I weakly smiled at Mia, still not fully accepting the fact she may have transmitted a disease to me. Mia's eyes glanced to her side, my own following them stopping at an older woman. Her tan skin and shiny black hair greatly resembled Mia's. She looked way to old to be her sister, and I do remember Mia mentioning her sister looked nothing like her. Confusion clouded my mind as I tried to decipher who this mysterious woman was.
"There you are mum," Mia chuckled, "This is Niall, my boyfriend." Are you fucking kidding me right now?
A/N: omg you guys have the right to hate me all you want! I always say I'm going to update and then somehow I get side tracked with work and school and just life ugh, and I never do. I really hope this chapter makes up for it! I feel so bad because this book has been at #1 for nearly three months now and I can't thank you guys enough! All your support is amazing!!!
Now I don't mean to sound ungrateful or to complain (because I love you guys to bits) but I noticed the last two chapters didn't get as many votes and comments as usual. am I doing something wrong? Is the story getting too boring? I love and value your guys' feedback so much so please tell me if there's something I can do to improve! I want to hear your guys' voices! Again I'm so sorry if this comes off rude, I just want to ensure your enjoyment :)
One last thing, did you guys see how hot all the boys looked at the fragrance launch?! And Niall's tear brought me to tears. I swear that boy will be my death. Anyways I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and as always remember to vote and comment lots and lots! Love you all loads and loads ❤️❤️