Heartbreak Weather | Niall Horan

37

The sound of the rain pitter pattering against the side of the house makes for the best reading ambiance. The sun had set hours ago, leaving me with only Maman's antique lamp to illuminate the pages. Oliver is at my feet, curled up in a little orange ball. His soft, and somewhat annoying, snores pull me from the story every so often. He's really taken a liking to me after he outgrew his kitten phase.

I am determined to finish this book tonight. No matter how late it keeps me up, I'm following this story through to the end. I need to know if there's a happy ending.

Maman went up to bed a while ago, after telling me not to be up too late. I reassured her that I wouldn't, but neither of us believed my words.

With a blanket in my lap, a cat at my feet, and the rain outside; it's the perfect night to finish a romance novel.

I'm not sure how much time had passed by the time I was pulled from my book again. It could have been merely minutes or many hours, I was too caught up in this fictional world to notice. Three loud knocks thump against the front door, slightly startling Oliver and myself.

Checking the time, I realize that it is not nearly as late as I had thought it was. The clock above the fireplace said that it was just a little after 11. The thought of a stranger knocking on my door this late is a bit frightening. Not a clue as to who it could be, I remind myself to be brave like the main character in my book and to answer the door.

I throw my lap blanket over my shoulders like a shawl and get up from my spot on the couch. Carefully, I mark my page and set my book down beside Oliver, who's once again sound asleep. Softly, my feet pad across the cold wooden floor over to the door.

I'm half expecting either Lucy or Gillian to be standing outside because the other wanted to have the apartment to themselves for the night.

I turn the lock and open the door just enough for me to look outside and see who it is.

It's definitely not Lucy or Gillian.

Immediately I'm frozen in my spot, my body refusing to move or say anything. He's standing at the bottom of the porch steps, just a few steps away from me. My eyes meet his icy blue ones and part of me thinks I have to be hallucinating.

The rain is still pouring to the ground, drenching Niall and his suitcase behind him. His hair drips into his face and his clothing is completely soaked. He must be freezing.

I'm still unable to move, or even speak. I want to ask him what he's doing here, but I want to run into his arms even more.

The look on his face makes it clear that there's a million things he wants to say, but like me, he doesn't know how to say it.

Finally he begins to speak, but I can barely hear it over the noise of the thoughts in my head and the rain around us. "You want me to be honest with you?"

Not a single word can form in my mouth, like I've completely forgotten how to speak. I sharply nod, making sure he's able to see.

"I love you." He confesses, "I've loved you since the first time I kissed you and I've never stopped."

Tears are already filling my eyes, my vision going blurry. "Niall." I finally manage to croak out.

"I've traveled thousands of miles and I've been to countless cities, but the only thing that's been on my mind has been you. It's always been you. I still feel the same way I did about you as the day we met and I hate how things went down." He confesses, a mixture of rain and tear drops cascading down his cheeks.

"I'm going to make up for all the months, no minutes, that we lost. I promise..." He professes. I didn't realize that I had been crying until I felt my tears drip off my chin. Niall looks directly at me and speaks, silently asking me for permission back into my life. His voice shakes, "That is, if you'll let me."

I want to shout at the top of my lungs that I'd of course let him, but instead I throw my blanket over my shoulders and onto the ground. My bare feet meet the concrete of the porch, but only for a moment before I leap into Niall's arms.

He holds me for a moment before setting me down, but he doesn't let go of me. His head rests on my shoulder while the two of us hold each other and cry. The rain pours down on top of both of us, completely drenchining my clothing, as we both let out all the emotions that couldn't be expressed to anyone but each other.

I finally regained my ability to speak again, muttering the three words I've been trying to repress for months. "I love you." I say in between silent sobs, "Please don't leave."

The cry that escapes his lips is indescribable.

"Tell me you want this." He pleads, "I need to hear you say it."

My breathing is heavy, but it doesn't stop me from speaking, "I want this, Niall. I love you."

"I can't promise you that everything will be perfect..." He begins to tell me.

"I don't want perfect." I tell him, the rain pummeling on top of us, "I just want you. I want us."

And for the first time in months, he kisses me. It was just like our first kiss, over a year ago, that took place on the doorstep of my old apartment nearly a thousand miles away. The longing and passion is still there, like nothing ever changed. But everything has changed, everything's different now. But through everything we've been through, the good and the bad, this is the light at the end of the tunnel.

It's a new beginning for the two of us. The start of our forever.

We're going to be alright.

Who needs a happy ending from some stupid romance novel? I think I've just gotten my own.

The end.

But not really.

Epilogue and Bonus Chapter will be out on October 7th, in honor of this book being a year old.

Until then, MWAH!

(Be prepared for a super sappy author's note on the Epilogue. I hasn't hit me yet that this story is over.)