Jillian squirmed in the seat, trying to get comfortable. Jess had woken up almost an hour ago, but hadn't uttered more than two words since opening her eyes.
The small tv played Doctor Who in the corner of the room, but Jillian wasn't paying attention. She had seen the episode at least three times, she practically knew it word for word. Instead her focus was on the textbook sitting in her lap, trying to absorb all the information being thrown at her by the end of the weekend.
Jess had reached over, her fingers barely touching the remote as she pulled it to her. She clicked the button a few times skimming through the channels. "Jillian Nialls on the tv." Jillian heard her say softly.
She looked at the tv, half heartedly paying attention. She watched as pictures were displayed of Niall getting onto a plane, then reading the caption at the bottom of the screen. No. Niall didn't leave and not tell her, he wouldn't do that, would he?
She looked at the screen a few seconds longer, allowing the woman in the telly to confirm her doubts. Niall Horan had left for tour, without even bothering to say goodbye.
Her teeth held her bottom lip captive as hot tears filled her eyes. She should have known better than to trust him. It happened every time she got close to someone, the only people to ever actually stay were her aunt and uncle. She thought Niall was different, felt it in her heart that he was when it was the two of them. But it was all wrong, Niall was no different from the others. She was just glad she was realizing this now before she did something stupid.
But if she were to be honest with herself she would say that even though people left her all the time. That didn't make this time hurt any less.
Niall mindlessly strummed at the strings of his guitar, not paying attention to the world around him. They had a show in a few hours and they didn't have to be at the arena for another two hours. Harry had said something about going to look around at the small shops that littered the area around them, but Niall never said he would go with him.
Eventually he set his guitar down and walked over to his suitcase. He searched to for a pair of jeans, pulling the first pair he could find up his legs. A knocking at his door caused him to groan, walking over and pulling the door open.
"Good you're ready." Harry said looking at Niall. Harry wore his Rolling Stones t shirt and a pair of dark jeans -he was pretty sure Liam had gotten him when his other pair began to fall apart at the seams. As well as those boots all of the boys- Niall included- teased him for wearing, Harry hadn't told anyone, other than Niall who so happened to be the only one on the tour bus that he used scotch tape to keep them from falling apart. Those shoes had gone far past seeing their "better days," now they simply needed to be thrown in the rubbish bin.
"I didn't say I'd go with you." Niall said and Harry shrugged his shoulders.
"Sure, but I also know you have nothing to do." Harry points out watching Niall look down at the ground. "Get your shoes on and let's go." Harry says clapping his hands together. Niall leaves the door open while he slips into his tennis shoes.
When Niall was done he quietly followed Harry out of the hotel room and down the hall. When they got out of the hotel, cameras flashed and people screamed. Her voice rang in his ears, bringing him back to that moment in the elevator. A sigh fell from his lips, she was right, Niall was an idiot. Possibly the biggest idiot he knew.
They walked into the first shop they laid eyes on. Harry wandered around the store picking up random things, shoving them in Niall's face.
"Hey, look at these." Harry said picking the object up and shaking it. Niall watched the little flakes swirl around before taking one for himself.
"I think I'm gonna buy one of these." Niall said to Harry before walking to the counter. But he knew it was going to take more than a silly trinket to fix his mistake.
Jillian leaned into the counter running her fingers through her hair. "I'm heading out now." She called back to Barbra, taking off her apron and putting it back with the rest of her stuff.
Barbra called out a goodbye and Jillian walked out of the diner. Plugging in her headphones, she shoved her phone in her pocket and ran to the bus stop. She ended up waiting fifteen minutes before a bus actually came, sliding into a seat quietly ignoring the drunken man that was talking to her on the bus.
She rubbed her eyes tiredly, shoving the key into the lock of her front door. The door was pushed open, and Jillian already knew her aunt was taking the night shift today, and her uncle would be with Jess. It was another night left alone, but this time she didn't have Niall to spend it with.
Jillian shook her head slipping her converses off of her feet and walking to the kitchen. She wasn't hungry, but the only thing she had eaten all day were crackers, and she only ate three. Looking through the cabinets she saw there wasn't much to chose from, her aunt hadn't slept her aside from a night and her uncle could live off of fast food his entire life and you'd never hear a complaint. Which meant food shopping was up to her, she almost laughed at the irony. But the smile fell as fast as it came, she shook her head and grabbed the pack of twizzlers from the cabinet.
Stalking over to the fridge she grabbed the last can of pop and headed upstairs. Not really the best meal, but really, who was going to know? Her feet carried her up the steps and to her bedroom. When she kicked the door shut she tossed the licorice to the bed and the Pepsi on the dresser. Her pants were pulled down her legs and she grabbed the shirt she slept in yesterday off of the floor. When the shirt was on she pulled her phone off of the dresser grabbing her pop along with it.
Her fingers tapped at the screen, looking at the five missed calls from Niall, seven texts, and one voicemail. All of which she ignored, he wasn't going to simply call and apologize. This didn't work like that, did it? Was it acceptable for him to just leave? Surely it wasn't, but why wouldn't he tell her. Jillian believed she deserved that much, I mean they were friends weren't they? She would have understood him going if he had told her. And if she didn't she would've at least attempted to try.
Her finger hovered over his name, and for a whole two seconds she had convinced herself to call him. But she never did, she didn't want to talk to him. So instead she opened her can of pop and package of twizzlers. She pulled two out of the package and set one in her lap, the other she had taken a bite into each end before sticking it into her can of pop to use as a straw. Jillian leaned back into the pillows on her bed, reaching for the remote and turning the TV on. She settled for Supernatural, and watched two before she fell asleep under her covers.
Niall groaned looking at his phone. She hadn't replied, not that he expected she would, but still. He ran his fingers through his hair walking over to Harry. "Can I use your phone?" He asks and Harry looks up at him.
"What about yours?" He asks and Niall shakes his head.
"No, they won't pick up if I call."
"Is this person mad at you?" Harry asks and Niall nods.
"I didn't tell them that I was leaving.." Niall mumbles and Harry nods,asking no more questions and handing him the phone. Niall gives him a thank you, walking off of the tour bus.
Jillian groans blindly grabbing her phone and attempting to answer it. "Hello," She mumbles, probably more into her pillow than her phone.
"Jillian." She quickly pulls the phone from her face to look at the phone.
"Why are you calling me it's two in the morning."
"I didn't know you were asleep, I just needed to talk to you, I need to tell you something." He says and Jillian stays silent. "I uh, I left. To go on tour. It's not long term like earlier in the year, I should be about two weeks tops we're only here in Australia a few more days and then we go to Japan.." His words are coming out of his mouth so fast and she almost misses half of it. She knows he's nervous, and right now she's too tired to be mad. "I'm so sorry, I-I should have told you and I didn't."
"This isn't your number." She states with a yawn, and she wonders what Niall looks like right now.
"I uh, I askes Harry if I could use his phone." Niall says and Jillian simply yawns in return. "I'm sorry."
"You said that."
"I mean it, I'm sorry."
"It's late Niall," She says and he knows that he's mad at him.
"Okay, I'll um, I'll talk to you later I guess. Y-You call me, when your free." He stammers kicking the wheel of the bus lightly.
"I'm kinda mad at you." She tiredly admits and Niall nods.
"I know, I'm really sorry. Goodnight Jillian." He murmurs into the phone. A sigh falls from her lips and she closes her eyes. She's mad at Niall, and right now him calling isn't going to change that. Her free hand rubs her face and her head hurts from how confused she feels. And right now she doesn't have a clue what goes through Niall's heard or his intentions and she's trying not to let that scare her.
"Goodnight Niall."