Things get absolutely sorted in my life following the weekend trip with Niall – as unusual as it sounds. My temptation towards Steven that had already taken a backseat enhances its position and the serenity in my mind returns in full form.
Niall and I have stopped discussing our feelings for each other because it's just too complicated. We instead concentrate on hanging out and sharing laughs only. This reminds me that we exchanged numbers too although I don't know how circumstances took such a drastic turn.
My performance has also boosted in office and Venkatesh rewarded me by promising an incentive for this month. I've started to talk to my friends back home regularly and it makes me feel so alive. In my spare time I cook new recipes that I learn from cooking shows and Sophia often stops by to taste them for me. She has become a very good friend.
Today I've been super focused since morning in office, and that helps me wrap up my work by 6.00 Pm sharp. Deepak has already left at 5.15 Pm citing some urgency and although Venkatesh is present he's dozing right now. I arrange my stuff and dump them in my bag before heading to the washroom.
While I walk, I see Steven stretching his arms and turning his head back, making his eyes land on me. Unlike other days I don't break our gaze and act weird. Instead I flash him a respectful smile and walk ahead.
When I come out from the washroom, I notice that Venkatesh is already gone. It appears a tad strange to me, but I grab my bag and my mobile and turn on my heels anyway. Just then I hear Steven call my name from behind.
I stop, and turn around.
He smirks at me while searching for something in my eyes. I don't initiate any conversation.
"Are you leaving?" he asks.
"Yeah, it's time," I retort.
"Ahhmm," he scratches the back of his head, looking down. "Are you in a rush?"
I bite my lower lip. I understand that he wants to spend time with me, and that this is nothing but a signal of repentance for the way he behaved with me.
"Why?" I dare to ask.
He pauses for a few seconds. "Would you like to go out for coffee now? I was also leaving."
I swallow not being able to believe the actions occurring before my eyes. It brings back the old feelings I had for him, but strangely they're not dominant enough to stop my heartbeats. Therefore, I open my mouth and say something that never in a million years did I think of saying.
"I've to meet some friends for dinner tonight. It's a long-awaited plan, I really can't reschedule. Sorry, maybe some other time," I shrug and puff my cheeks.
He looks me in the eyes for a little longer than normal before shifting his eyes away. He rubs a hand over his chin again and again while shaking his head. I understand I've hurt his ego, but I couldn't care less and somehow that means everything to me.
After what seems like forever he finally nods his head, eyes now cast down on the floor. I don't wait for him to look at me again, and simply turn on my heels to leave the office.
The sky looks glum when I hit the streets, and I pray to God so that it doesn't pour down before I get home. Thankfully, a bus arrives right after I reach the bus stop and it's pretty empty as well.
Sitting by the window as I plug in the earphones and play music, I can only laugh at myself. I'm such a stupid girl. I misunderstood my feelings for Steven and made a total fool of myself when the reality is I never really loved him. In fact, I only liked him from his outward appearance and I now understand that he was never really my type.
Anyway, I reach home a little late having gone to do grocery shopping. The gate of our building is wide open when I enter and it helps me walk easily with my hands filled with shopping bags. On arriving to my floor, I rush and reach my apartment, keeping the bags on the ground. I fish the keys from my handbag and unlock the door.
Once I enter, I jog to the kitchen and thump the stuff on kitchen counter and come back in the sitting area to grab the couch. I release a deep sigh and think of my day in office today. Suddenly my phone buzzes and I fetch it out from my denims' pocket.
Seeing Liam's number flash on the screen I smile a tad, assuming they must be hosting another party tonight. I answer the call at its fifth ring.
"Hey, having another pa...." I get cut.
"Please just come here, Nadia. Something is wrong with Niall," Liam says, and quickly hangs up.
I can't figure out a thing that just happened, but find myself rushing out of my apartment anyway. I close the door and run towards Liam's place.
The door is ajar when I reach and I hear ear-cracking vomiting noises coming from inside. I enter as my eyes search for either of the boys.
"Liam?" I call out.
"In here," he instantly answers.
I jog inside the room from where his voice comes, and confront the horrific picture of Niall coughing blood on the floor. He wears a cream colored vest and faded denims. His hair is all messy and the collar bones are very conspicuous. His eyes are those of utter pain and gloom. I don't know how, but this breaks my heart and makes me choke inside. I can't believe this is happening to Niall, and I don't know why I'm feeling absolutely heartbroken about it.
"What's wrong with him?" I ask as I run to help Niall.
"I...I don't know," Liam replies, his voice a tad cracked.
I look in Liam's eyes and feel that he might be hiding something. However, instead of wasting my time in unraveling that mystery I focus on helping Niall. He has now crashed on the floor due to coughing and I circle an arm round his back to hold him get his balance back.
"It's okay, it's okay, you don't wanna vomit anymore, it's gone, it's over," I say while rubbing circles on his back.
He breathes heavily and after sometime nods silently.
"Liam, may I get a hand?" I raise my eye brows at him.
"Yeah," he nods as both of us help Niall stand on his feet and lie down on his bed.
I sigh and look down on all the mess that the blood has created. It freaks me out, but I conceal my fear regardless.
"Would any of you please tell me now what the fuck just happened?" I ask, my voice raises an octave.
Niall looks down, gasping while Liam glances at his cousin.
"Liam?" I scream now.
He takes a deep breath. "I think Niall needs to be admitted to the hospital."
"Like I didn't realize that already," I roll my eyes. "What are we waiting for then? I'll call an ambulance," I turn on my heels, and grab Niall's mobile from the nightstand.
But, even before I'm able to dial; Liam takes away the phone from my hand.
"What the hell?" I throw my hands in the air.
"I've already called one ambulance," he retorts, and disconnects the call.
Although it's a justified answer to hang up I sense something unusual in Liam's body language. I knit my eyebrows and stare at him, noticing him shifting his gaze off me. I decide to sit beside Niall and wipe some of the blood and cough that smear his mouth.
"You don't have to do this," Niall says to me as I start wiping with my hands. "These are shit dirty."
I laugh. "What are friends for?"
"To get drunk and party."
Liam and I both burst into laughter.
I jog to the bathroom and wash my hands, still smiling on Niall's joke. After coming back, I walk to the kitchen to get some tissue papers.
"I'll do that, Nadia," Liam runs to me as he sees me cleaning the blood from the floor.
"I can do it, it's fine," I push a smile on my lips, looking in his brown eyes.
He looks embarrassed, but doesn't pester regardless. After cleaning I throw the dirty tissue papers in the toilet bin and wash my hands again.
"How far is the ambulance? Did you call?" I ask Liam.
"Should be here in another 5 minutes," he replies.
I take back my seat beside Niall on his bed.
"If you tell me where you keep your clothes then I can bring you something to wear to the hospital," I say, brushing through his hair.
He keeps his eyes closed, and speaks after few minutes.
"My jacket is on the couch, I don't need anything else," he opens his eyes and locks them with mine.
I nod, and smile.
Liam soon gets a call from the Ambulance driver. While Liam arranges their stuff I run back to my apartment to get a jacket and lock the flat too. When I come back Liam is locking the door and Niall is somehow leaning against the wall and standing. My heart crashes into nothing seeing him like this.
"C'mon," I say as I put Niall's arm around my shoulders and help him walk down the stairs. Liam follows us.
Niall smells like disease as our bodies stay in close proximity with each other. I turn my eyes to glance at him to find his eyes dreary and numb. This is so un-Niall! I cringe my face, certain that my expressions give away too much gloom that I would like to.
I don't know where did the banter-loving, sarcastic, confident, bad-boy Niall went to, but I want him back and I want him back this instant.
After reaching the main gate, the cab driver helps me board Niall in and make him sit comfortably. I take my seat beside him in the back seat as Liam sits on the passenger seat in the front.
"I need to lie down, I feel woozy," Niall says and starts panicking to find space for lying down.
I move away immediately to give him space, and help him lie down as well. And, the next thing I see is Niall slowly closing his eyes and not responding anymore.
"Hey, Niall? Niall?" I slap on his cheeks and move him to get a reaction.
Streams of blood starts flowing from inside his nostrils as his hands turn ridiculously cold. I can't explain in words how frightened I get. There isn't any helper with Niall and I at the back, and although I can just turn my head and call Liam; somehow I can't find the energy to pat him.
I don't know how and when, but a loud voice breaks my musing. I turn my head to meet my eyes with Liam.
"What happened to Niall?" he asks me, brows knitted together.
I can't fathom any words to retort hence; I only feel the warm tears rolling down my cheeks as Niall's cold hands lock up with mine.
The ambulance stops, and Liam barges inside the back seat.
"Hey, bro," he holds Niall up and wraps his arms across his torso. "C'mon, bro, c'mon," he slaps Niall to make him respond.
I don't have any idea whatsoever of what to do and how to deal with the situation. The driver closes the back door and hurried sits on the driver's seat.
"Get to the hospital right now, fast," Liam screams as the driver drives us off.
I sit beside Niall the whole ride to the hospital and don't utter a single word. It's too much for me to take and it's even weirder that I'm feeling so heartbroken. I don't know why.
No sooner do we reach the hospital than the driver scurries down and calls some ward boys. Together, they take Niall out of the ambulance and put him on the stretcher. Liam and I stand at the door as the ward boys hurriedly take Niall inside the emergency room. The door closes and I feel my heartbeats become numb.
Liam sighs and sits on the sidewalk. I follow suit.
"He doesn't deserve this," Liam murmurs.
I sniff, realizing that the tears have now dried up on my cheeks.
"Are you sure you're not hiding anything, Liam?" I ask.
He looks at me shocked, and then breaks gaze from me; looking at the ground.
"I'm not, Nadia. I just don't want anything to happen to him."
I hug Liam, and pat on his back. "Everything will be fine," I whisper in his ears.
We stay locked up in each others' arms for sometime before the voice of someone from the back breaks our thought process. We turn around and notice a ward boy standing before us, his eyes carrying a concerned and somewhat relaxed look.
"The doctor wants to see the family member," he sways his index finger from me to Liam and vice-versa.
We both rise to our feet and walk inside the hospital with the ward boy.
"This way," he points to his left.
I stand at the juncture of the emergency room and look at Liam. I know he's beyond worried than me, but I still hope for a sign of optimism from him.
"Please don't lie to me after you come out," I say.
Liam takes a deep breath and closes his eyes briefly. He puts his hands on the sides of my shoulders.
"I won't, don't worry," he pats on my shoulders and leaves.
I turn on my heels and find a seat on the waiting chairs, close to the emergency room. I glance at the mobile and see that it's 11.00 Pm now. I know it's extremely late to get back home, but leaving Liam and especially Niall in this situation sounds inhuman in my mind.
This triggers me to think of Niall. I don't know what's wrong with him, and no matter how much Liam tries to convince me my heart says he might be hiding something. I don't know if I can help Niall in some way because if it is then I would do anything.
I'm not analyzing my feelings for him, in fact I'm not even thinking about them. But, I can't push aside the trip, the fact that he thinks I like him, and so many other unsaid emotions in my mind. I don't know what it is that I have for Niall, but I know seeing him in pain is bothering me a lot.
I sniff and look forward as I hear footsteps. I look up and see Liam walking towards me.
"What's the status?" I ask, rising to my feet.
"Niall is unconscious. But, he'll be fine tomorrow so I can take him back home," Liam pockets his hands, eyes cast down. I know they're filled with anxiety and an undefined tension.
I stare at him for a little longer than normal.
"I was wrong," I say, out of the blue.
Liam doesn't utter any word, but just locks his sight with mine.
I nod and break our gaze. "Niall is a wonderful person," my voice breaks and I know my eyes are welled up. I continue, "He has got his way of dealing with life, and it may not be normal like you, I or anybody. But, he's special and I don't wanna lose him," I bow my head down and cry.
Liam moves closer to me and embraces me in his arms. I cry in his shirt.
"Look at me Nadia," he pulls away and demands me.
I obey.
"Trust me nothing will happen to Niall, alright?" he emphasizes. "He's my cousin, he's my family, I came here with him and I won't let him leave me alone. You don't worry; I won't let anything happen to him."
I nod and push a smile across my lips.
"You should go home, it's very late," he suggests.
"What? I'm not leaving you two alone," I furrow my eye brows.
"Nadia, I'll stay back with Niall. You've office tomorrow, please go home."
"I'll stay with him too, and don't bother about office. I'll skip it tomorrow."
Liam takes an exasperated sigh.
"You need to go home Nadia. This is just a normal one-time thing; you can't risk your job."
"What is this one-time thing? Tell me," I pester.
He sighs again. "Niall's liver is almost completely damaged and this was just a reaction following his indefinite drinking nature."
I look at Liam, absolutely shocked.
"But, don't you worry about him. Liver problems run in our family and most significantly livers can regenerate, so he'll be fine. Trust me."
Somehow he convinces me and I nod with acceptance.
"I'll call you in the morning. Goodnight and be safe," I say as I turn on my heels and walk towards the exit of the hospital.
When I finally turn around to see Liam, he waves at me. I wave back and he immediately vanishes inside the emergency room. I commence to walk a little down the road before booking a cab to home. My mind is left with Niall and I can't wait for tomorrow to arrive, so things could get back to normal.