"You look tired, Ally. Maybe you should try and sleep for a little while." Niall says.


I lean my head against the window of the car as we approach the lights of the city, attempting to do just that. Even though I already knew that it wasn't going to do any good. I had too much on my mind to even think about going to sleep right now. My head begins to hurt as I ponder over what I will say to my parents. They get terrified if they don't know where I am, anything could happen. And I hadn't left a note. I cringe at the thought of howselfish I had been tonight.

That was yet another quality that I absolutely despise about myself. My parents must have been worried sick, and I hated myself for doing that to them.

There were plenty of things I didn't like about myself. I was in no way the best person. Nor the prettiest, or the smartest. Normally, I was good at ignoring the people who laugh and make fun. I had done it for years considering it as the least of my worries. But one can only do that for so long. I had been through hell and back in my eighteen years, and the last thing I need is to be ridiculed by my peers. It only puts more pressure on me because they expect me to be perfect to 'belong' in the social world, when I am as imperfect as one can be. I suppose that was one of the reasons I attempted what I did. After all, pressure will make you do things you never imagined you would do.


I sigh as all of those awful things begin to swirl around in my mind. Despite my fight to try and stay awake, I slowly begin losing consciousness with every horrible thought that comes up


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"Ally!" I hear somone saying as I feel my body being shaken "Ally wake up!"


I jolt awake, being taken aback as I see my surroundings. It was obviously not my family's apartment.


"W-where am I?" I ask.


I was still very tired, and I had not fully woken up yet. So I didn't even notice that someone else was in the room with me until he spoke.


"My hotel room."


I whip my head around to see Niall standing in the doorway. The bright lights in the room letting me see him clearly for the first time in four years. I stare blankly, realizing howattractive he was. He must have noticed because a small smirk begins to make its way onto his face.


"Why am I here?"


I glare at him. I had been out for far too long and I knew I was going to get hell for that when got home, although most of the blame was mine.


"You fell asleep, so I didn't want to wake you. And I wouldn't have had a clue what to say to your parents if we had took you to your apartment."


I nod my head in agreement, thankful for that. Thankful, but still pretty angry. Although most of it was directed towards myself, not Niall.


"I also wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"


I look at him confused. What could he possibly want to say to me? Hadn't we already discussed what he was about to say? Hadn't he already said enough?


"Why did you do what you did?"


I sigh, for this was the question I had been avoiding. Honestly, I myself didn't even know the reason I would do something so stupid. My only answer was stress.


"I don't know. I'm just under a lot of stress. I thought it would be easier for everyone this way."


He sighs and walks over to sit on the bed next to me, wrapping his arms around me in the process. It was comforting, but slightly annoying. I felt weak when someone hugged me like that. Like if I didn't have them with me that I would break. I thought that I was stronger than that.


"Don't think like that."

"But I do."

"Well you shouldn't."


I glare at him. There was no way I was going to have this argument.


"I'm sorry." I say, the fake tone evident in my voice.

"Alyson listen, do you remember that promise I made to you the day we met?"


I sigh as I think back to the day for what seems like the thousandth time in the past hour.


Flashback

I raise my head from its place in my hands, still shaken from my crying spell. Hesitantly, I look at the boy beside me, who in the past thirty minutes has quickly became my friend. My cheeks flush in embarrassment in realization that I had just told my depressing life story to and cried in front of somebody that I barely even know.


"You probably think I'm a weak little cry baby, don't you Niall?"


He shakes his head and wraps his arms tightly around me. I lean in to the comforting gesture. Who know a stranger could be so nice? Although I guess he's not a stranger anymore considering we had been sitting here getting to know each other.


"Not weak, just fragile. And it makes since to cry. I would too if I had to deal with everything that you have to."

"Thanks." I say, slightly shocked.

"No problem. You seem like a really nice person Ally. But you seem like you could use a friend. I'll be your friend if you want me to, I promise."


I smile, forgetting everything for a moment. How was it possible that he could make me so happy? Why did he have that effect on me?


"You seem a little mature for a fifteen year old." I joke "And yes, I would like that."


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"Y-yeah I remember, Niall."


I nod my head, still a little disoriented from the onslaught of memories that were going through my mind tonight.


"Good. Now as your friend, I can't let you hurt yourself. So promise me you won't?"

"I promise." I say hesitantly.


He smiles wide, causing me to smile in return. It was impossible not to be happy whenever he was happy.


"But you have to promise me something in return."

"And what would that be?"


I had to say it. I knew I did. I didn't care if everyone thought I was stupid, or if I felt weak because of it. That didn't matter anymore. I knew now what I needed. I needed a friend. I needed Niall.


"Promise me that, no matter what, that we will always find a way to keep in touch. I don't want what happened last time to happen again. The whole reason I forgot you was because it was to painful to remember when you were gone. I thought I'd never see you again."

"I promise."


I smile and hug him tightly, because for the first time in a while, I was truly happy. And there wasn't anyone or anything that I would let take that away from me.