The One in the Crowd

It had been a month since Alyssa and Niall first locked eyes at the concert. The whole month, they texted every day, sometimes called, DM-ed on Twitter, and very rarely would get to have a Skype date. They were very happy and were falling for each other more each day. But it was getting difficult being apart and not being able to really see each other, be in each other’s arms.

He would be done with the tour in 2 months and it would also be Alyssa’s summer vacation. They planned to meet up in Orlando the day he was done and spend the day at Disney. She couldn’t wait for that day especially for Magic Kingdom. How romantic would walking through Cinderella’s castle with Niall Horan be? Quite. Alyssa thought to herself. She was laying on her bed daydreaming about what that day would be like.

She could imagine walking around the parks hand in hand, him holding onto her when she got scared on any rides, and both of them eating everything in sight. What would make their day absolutely perfect, is if Niall bought her a tiara. Then she could really be his princess.

But that will never happen, Alyssa thinks, he’ll spend the day with me and realize that he doesn’t like me, plus that I’m ugly and he’ll just dump me then and there at the “happiest place on Earth.” Before she can stop herself, she starts crying and puts her head in her hands just sitting on the edge of her bed. How could he like me? I’m hideous.

Just then, she gets a Skype call. It’s from Niall of course. She quickly dries her tears and accepts the call. “Hey Ni,” she says forcing a smile.

“Hi princess…what’s the matter?” he says cocking his head.

“What do you mean? I’m fine.” She says rubbing her eye.

“No you’re not, your eyes are red. I know you’ve been crying. What’s wrong?” he says concerned.

“Nothing, just forget it.” She retorts.

“No, it’s not nothing. We may have only known each other for a month, but I know you better than you think. Why is my beautiful princess upset?”

There’s a pause before Alyssa says, “That’s just it, Niall. What did you just call me?”

“My beautiful princess…” he says confused.

“You’re lying, Niall.”

“Well yeah….I know you aren’t really a princess.” He says.

“No! You called me beautiful! I am not beautiful in any sense of the word! Niall every day in school, I get taunted and teased, because I’m ugly. I’m told to get out of school and to kill myself at least ten times a day! How could I be told these things that many times without them being true?!” she asks as her voice rises.

For a few moments after she’s finished, Niall just sits there. He doesn’t say anything and even looks as if he could cry at any moment.

Finally he takes a deep breath and says, “Alyssa Leigh Maggio. No matter what those stupid idiots at your school say, you are one hundred percent beautiful in every sense of the word. You’re taunted and teased, because those people are jealous of you, and how beautiful you are. As for people telling you to kill yourself…please never listen to them. Please never obey those stupid kids who want you to end your life! You are worth it. You are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen and I get to call you mine. I’m the luckiest man on the planet…to be yours.” He finishes and then does cry a little before Alyssa stops him.

“Niall, please don’t cry. Look…in the past, I’ve done…..and thought about doing, some pretty horrible things to myself. I’ve cut myself up and down my arms and legs. I’ve had knives and even a gun at the ready. One day I was so close to doing it. Finishing myself off. I drove to a cliff…and I stood on the edge ready to jump. I was about to…but something pulled me back. Something made me step back, get back in my car, and go home. Back then I didn’t know what that something was, that was my savior that day. But now, two years later, I know what that something was. It turned out to be someone. And that someone, somehow…was you. I didn’t know you or have any idea that you existed. But somehow I felt you pulling me back from the edge of that cliff telling me it wasn’t worth it. And I want to thank you so much for that. You found me, and you saved me.” she finishes starting to cry herself.

“Alyssa…thank YOU so much for being my princess. My beautiful, beautiful princess. Sadly I have to go now. The lads want to get a last minute rehearsal in before the show tonight. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay, I’ll talk to you soon Nialler!” Alyssa cheers into her laptop through her tears.

“Talk to you soon, love. But please don’t cry. You’ll hear from me soon!” he says.

“All right bye sweetie!”

“Bye, babe!” he says blowing a kiss to her before logging off. Alyssa closed her laptop and flopped onto her bed. Niall Horan thinks I, Alyssa Maggio, am beautiful.

She closed her eyes and smiled to herself, drifting off into real dreams of her and Niall’s magical day at Disney, knowing it would be a day she would never forget for as long as she lived; which thanks to Niall, will be for a very long time.

Notes