The road was vacant and quiet as I drove home from the studio. Me and the lads were having fun, recording some songs together for our upcoming album and we were so busy we weren’t aware that it was already past midnight. I tried so hard to focus on the road because all I saw in my mind right there and then was my fluffy pillows on my comfy blue bed waiting for me to flop on it. I turn on the radio on full blast so that it would wake me up a bit. I sang along to whatever song that was played on the radio. As soon as I got home and parked my car at the driveway, I trudged to my room, flopped onto the bed, took off my shoes and in a blink of an eye I fell deep into my sleep.

                I woke up to the sound of my annoying alarm clock. I managed to ignore it for the first few seconds but it started deafening me.

                “Shut up,” I moaned and turned off the alarm. I squinted at the brightness of my phone but the words of the reminder really did pop my eyes open and got me off my bed.

                “Shit! I’m already late!” I was supposed to meet Alie for breakfast at a restaurant at 9 o’clock and it’s already five minutes past ten! “Mom!” I whined as I struggled in a hurry to change into a new pair of clothes. “Why didn’t you wake me up? You know I have a date this morning right?” I asked as I fixed up my blonde quiff.

                “I did,” Mom responded from downstairs. “But you didn’t even budge. And your alarm managed to wake the entire neighbors but weirdly not you.” Wow I must be so exhausted, I thought. I rushed down stairs, two steps at a time and whizzed through the door.

                “Bye, sweetie.” Mom shouted from the kitchen when she saw me passing through faster than a bullet train.

               

I drove as fast as I could and I don’t even care if there was a speed trap. It was supposed to be a fifteen minutes ride but because of my driving that could almost killed anyone even myself, it took only five minutes. As I parked the car, I could see through the glass window that Alie was patiently waiting for me with a cup of coffee in between her hands.

“Honey, I’m so sorry I’m late,” I told her as I sat across the round small table suits for a couple. “I got home late last night after the recording in the studio. I didn’t realize it was already past midnight. Then, I…”

                “Niall,” she held my hand that was on the table and gazed straight into my eyes with a soft smile on her face. I never got bored staring at his soft, calming face, with her long brown wavy hair fell perfectly just below her shoulder, and she always let down her hair letting the wind stroke it. She was the most beautiful women I’ve ever met. “It’s okay. Your mom told me you’re going to be a bit late. And even if she didn’t I would understand that you’re busy with your music. Its okay, no harm done. And nobody died,” she giggled.  Her sweet voice soothed me and calmed me. Now I know I was the luckiest person to have her.

                “Thanks, Al. You’re the best.” I squeezed her hand that was holding mine and smiled. “C’mon. Let’s go somewhere else. I bet you’ve started to get bored in here.”

                “But you haven’t take your breakfast yet,” Alie said.

                “You,” I touched her nose, “are my sweetest breakfast.” She smiled as her face started to color.

                “Ok then, whatever you say my prince,” she said as she dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin. I walked to her side and held out my arm.

“Shall we?”

“We shall.” She took my arm and we walked out of the restaurant towards my car.

“Where are we going anyway?” she asked me as I opened the door for her. I went to the other side and got behind the wheel.

“Somewhere special.” I closed the door and buckled up. I decided not to tell her where I was taking her because I wanted to make it a surprise and to make it up to her because I wasn’t on time. “Buckle up and just wait and see.”

“Watch your step, baby, watch your step,” I said as I guide her way. She couldn’t see because she was blind-folded.

“Niall,” she chuckled, “it’s hard to walk like this. Can I just please take this off? You know I’m scared of the dark.” Her hands were searching something in front of her to grab on.

“Uh-uh. We’re almost there. Just a few more steps.” And just like I said, after a few more steps, we were finally there. “And we’re here.” I took off her blindfold and as soon as she saw it, she was stunned and her expression was hard to read. A waterfall was what she saw. Bubbling and roaring, uninterrupted, the splashing waters create a steady pattern of endless rhythm. This had been my favourite place ever since I was a kid. My dad used to take me here often. He said that this place gave him the calmness and the happiness he needed. And this Mediterranian-blue and magical waterfall gave the exact same feelings to me.

“So, you like it?” No answers came from her. “I know it’s not that magnificent it’s nothing actually but I just love this…”

“Oh, shut up already.” And at that moment our lips crashed together, sharing a soft passionate kiss, witnessed by the nature. Just the way I’ve always wanted it to be. “I love it, baby,” she said as she pulled back. “You know how much I love nature, right? This is a picture perfect. It is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”

“You know I’ve been waiting for this time to come around, to come here with someone special. And now I’ve found that someone.” I put my arms around her waist, pulled her closer and looked far into her eyes. “It’s you. Ever since I met you I know you are the one for me. The other half of me that I’ve been searching for. I love you, Alie. I really do.”

“And I love you too, Ni…” she coughed before she could finish her sentence. At first I thought it was just a simple cough but it got worst and worst.

“Honey, are you okay? Is everything alright?”

“I’m fine,” she coughed again. “Just the weather I guess. Nothing serious.”

“C’mon let me take you home,” I took her hand and was about to leave when she stopped me.

“No no it’s okay. I’m fine.” She gave me a reassuring smile. “Can we stay here for a little while?”

I was worried about her condition but she said she was okay and looking at her face, there was no way I could say no. “Sure, baby.” I told her. “Anything for you.” We sat there watching the waterfall swishing over the rocks joyfully, thundering down into the pool like a gigantic water spout and the cold breeze was seeping through her hair caressing her skin. I put my arms around her and she rested her head on my shoulder. “I wish the time is frozen so we could stay like this forever,” she murmured.

Later that day, I sent her back to her house, walked her to the doorstep and kissed her goodbye. “Careful on the road,” she told me as she stroke her thumb on my cheek.

“I will,” I replied as I touched her hand. “I’ll miss you.” She nodded in reply. She looked so tired like we’d been out all day and night but we were barely out for more than 2 hours. I wanted to spend more time with her actually but she didn’t look well enough. “Get some rest okay, baby? I don’t want you to fall sick.” Again she nodded and with that she went inside and disappeared from sight. I drove home as careful as I could like what Alie had told me. That night, I called her and she sounded worst. She said she had a sore throat because of coughing a lot. I told her to go see a doctor and she said she already did. The doctor told her that she’s going to be well again after a few days and gave her some medicines.

“Don’t forget to take your meds or you won’t get better soon.” I reminded her before we hung up to go to bed. I prayed to God that she would get better soon because I want to be with her more often and with her being sick, it’s hard for her to even take a walk outside.

The next morning, I called her the moment I opened my eyes but she didn’t pick up. So I figured she must still be asleep. I tried calling her again later that evening but now I reached her voicemail.

“Alie, where are you? Why didn’t you pick up my calls?” I questioned myself as I tried calling her again and again but everytime was to no avail. I’ve started to get worried. Where could she be? Why didn’t she pick up my calls? Had something happened to her? A lot of questions had been running through my mind. I’d decided to go check on her at her house and when I knocked on the door her mom answered.

“Oh hello there, sweetie,” she greeted me with a warm smile.

“Hello Mrs. Thompson,” I returned her smile. “Is Alie home?”

She looked agitated when I asked about her beloved daughter. “I’m sorry, dear. She’s not home. And she’s going to be away for about a week.”

                A week? I frowned. “Where did she go? She didn’t tell me anything.” I was confused. Usually Alie would tell me if she’s not going to be around even if it’s just going to be for two days, but a week?

                “She – um – she had to go look after her grandmother. She was really ill and she needs Alie to look after her since Mr. Thompson and I are busy with work,” she was hesitating. “Don’t worry, she’ll be back.”

                “Okay,” I replied. “But why didn’t she pick up my calls?” I asked. She said that the coverage there was very poor she might probably be able to call once or twice. “Then, just tell her that I missed her so much if she ever called.” I thanked her and went home with disappointment and confusion. Something seemed so wrong but I couldn’t figure out what. Well, probably it’s just my feelings, I thought. “Alie, if you could feel what I feel right now you’d know how much I miss you.” I murmured.

It’d been a week since she left me without any notice. It’d been a week since I last heard her sweet calming voice, feel her warm soft kiss, and her sweet-scented smell of her odor that was a remedy of mine. As I was recalling our moments in my head, my phone went off and it was flashing her name on the screen. The moment I saw it, I grabbed the phone and answered it.

“Hello, Niall?” I heard her voice at the other end.

“Alie, baby, I miss you so much! Why didn’t u tell me you were going to be away for a week? Gosh, I miss you sweetheart.” There was a brief silence. “Baby?”

“Look, Niall,” she sounded sad. “I don’t think we can go on with this relationship anymore.”

“What? Why?” I was surprised by what she just said. Totally surprised. “Baby, what’s wrong? Why did you say that? Did I do anything wrong?”

“No, you did nothing wrong,” she started to break. “It’s just that I – I – I can’t go on with this relationship. I have to let you go, please understand,” she sobbed.

“Baby, tell me what’s wrong?” I asked, concerned. “Why are you saying all this things?”

“Because I don’t love you anymore!” she broke into tears and the line went dead. Those words. Did she just say that? Am I dreaming? I asked myself. It was like my world had been torn apart and everything was fading away. She didn’t love me anymore. I was nothing to her. She had just told me, in the morning, that she didn’t feel the same about us in the bones. Those words were running on my mind and was haunting me that it seemed like when I died these words would be written on my stones.

For two days I didn’t eat much. I couldn’t get anything to pass my throat and I didn’t even feel hungry at all. So I’d decided to go meet Liam and asked him what I should do as he was the most mature among us.

“Hello there, Nialler.” Liam greeted when he opened the door to his house. “You okay, mate? You look upset,” he asked me with concerned in his voice. I shook my head. I couldn’t get the words out. “Why don’t you come inside, take a seat and calm yourself up while I go make you some nice hot chocolate okay?” I nodded. After he had finished making the hot chocolate, I told him everything that had happened as he listened patiently to every word I said.

“You know what,” he started. “Honestly, I don’t think Alie is that kind of girl. There must be a reason why she did that. Tell you what,” he touched my shoulder gently, “go and meet her tomorrow and find out why she did that. I’m sure there’s an explainable reason.”

I looked at him and he was giving me the most sincere smile that really did cheer me up a bit. “Thanks, mate. I know I can count on you.” I returned his smile though mine wasn’t as sincere.

I did exactly what Liam had told me to. I went to her house first thing in the morning. When I knocked on her door her mom answered with red and swelled eyes like she had been crying all day and night. “Is everything okay, Mrs. Thompson?” She shook her head and burst into tears. Then, Alie’s dad appeared beside his wife, putting his arms around her. “What is going on here if I may know?” I was confused and had no idea what was going on. Mr. Thompson told her wife to go inside to cool herself down.

“Son,” he said as he put his hand on my shoulder and looked far into my eyes. “First, I want you to be calm when I tell you this.” What is going on around here? Why is everybody so serious? I asked myself. “Alie…She…She is gone.” He hesitated.

“Yes, I knew that. She went to look after her sick grandma isn’t she?” I frowned.

“No, niall. She’s gone. Forever.” The moment I heard that my heart stopped. I cringed slowly as I shook my head in disbelief. “And she wasn’t gone for a week to her grandma’s house. She was admitted to the hospital from lung cancer.” I was numb. I couldn’t move a muscle. Why didn’t she tell me all this? And why would she lie? Without realizing, a tear fell down my cheek.

“But why didn’t she tell me? Why did she do this to me?” I asked as I shook Mr. Thompson’s shoulder. I was hoping that this was all a dream that I’m going to wake up from but this was the truth. It was really happening, and Alie had really gone. Forever.

“Read this and you’ll know,” Mr. Thompson gave me a small white piece of paper that was folded nicely into a small square. “She said to give this to you when she’s…she’s gone.”

I took it as I wiped off my tears and when I opened it, it read…

“My lovely Niall, by the time you read this, I know I’m already gone and I know you’ll be wondering why I didn’t tell you that I was dying, that I had a lung cancer and why I broke up with you. Well, the reason I did all that is because I didn’t want you seeing me die to be the last memory of us. I wanted you to remember how happy I was, being with you, and how happy you made me feel. Let those memories filled your mind, repeating itself over and over again. You did survived for a week without calling or texting or even meeting me when my mom told you I was away to my grandma’s. Now I know you can go on without me by your side. But baby, there’s one thing I’m sure of. I’m sure our love is so strong not even the death could break it. Although I’m already gone and died, I know I’ll always stay in your heart and live there forever and always. Thanks for giving me the love that no one in the world could. I want you to know that I never stop loving you even though my heart had stopped beating I will always love you, Niall Horan. Always had and forever will. ~Alie Thompson~”

My tears were rolling down my cheeks like the showers that are British as I was reading it. Although I am broken, my heart was untamed still. I still love her and I could still feel her by my side. I wish the time could be frozen when Alie was still alive so that she wouldn’t leave me and be gone. But now I know that our love and our story was written in these walls of skies up there and the colors that I couldn’t change. I looked up at the blue sky where Alie probably was watching me right now and said, “I love you too, Alie.”