Passenger Seat

The next few days dragged on. I tried my best to keep busy and take my mind off Niall being gone. With work, spending time with Aunt Jenny and hanging out with the girls- I even went shopping with Jesy (girl has interesting fashion sense, but I loved it). I hung out with the guys too. I really appreciated that even though Niall wasn’t around, they still pulled me in and treated me like they’d known me all their lives.

But at the end of the day, it was hard not to remember that I hadn’t seen my boyfriend in almost 2 week. 2 weeks. It hadn’t even been that long and I missed him so much. If I can hardly stand this, how am I going to manage when they go on tour? I don’t even want to think about that right now. I think it might be really getting to me because Blue was gone too. She was off having a blast with Max on their first ‘couple’s holiday’ in Paris, the saps!

Niall called me every night, even if he was a bit pissed from going out with his childhood friends. The calls were the worst I think. Because it was like he was so close yet so far away.

Oh god, I’m becoming one of those girls. The ones that can’t be separated from their boyfriends for very long. And I’m dating the wrong guy for that clinginess! I need to reevaluate my life or something, I need to get a handle on things. We haven’t even been together that long. Almost 6 months, not very long.

All these thoughts just roll around my head at all times against my will. I love Niall, way more than I’ve ever loved anyone, if I’ve ever truly loved anyone before this that is. It scares me though, like sometimes I feel like we seemed to rush things, but at the same time I feel like we haven’t been moving fast enough.

“Hey Ayden, did you check out?”

“What?” I snapped out of my thoughts at Matt’s voice. I was with Dan, Matt and Josh at Dan’s house just hanging out. They had been talking about something when I guess I zoned out in my thoughts. They were all staring at me with an amused expression like I had grown two heads. “Sorry I must have zoned out.”

“You okay there?” Josh chuckled.

I stuck my tongue out at him, “I’m fine.”

“Thinking about the Irish boy band member are we?” Dan smirked.

I felt my cheeks get hot. There was no used denying it, “Bit me.” They all laughed at me.

“When’s he come back?” Matt asked as he threw his arm over my shoulder.

“Tomorrow afternoon.”

“You wanna come out with us tonight?” Josh asked.

I shrugged, “Where are you going?”

“Pub crawl!” Dan cheered.

I laughed at his enthusiasm, “I guess so. Sounds fun.”

*****

And that’s how I ended up completely shit faced after 5 pubs. We were at some random dive now. We were all proper pissed. It was just Dan, Josh and I now. Matt went home after the 4th pub when his bird came to pick him up. He went a little too hard on the alcohol too soon I think.

Now, at the 6th pub, I was about halfway through another pint of logger watching Dan try and pick up a girl.

“I think I’m gonna call Molly,” Josh slurred. He’d been casually seeing Molly now since the video shoot. He said it was casual anyway, but I think he really liked her. “Do you want a ride home?”

I scoffed as I downed the rest of my drink. My mind was seriously foggy, “And be a cockblock? No thanks. I’ll get a cab.”

“Aydennnn,” he slurred, “Why take a sketchy taxi when you can get a ride with us.”

I waved him off, “I’ll call someone or something.” I hiccupped, “I’ll be fine. I’m a 20 year old adult, I can handle myself,” I assured. I wasn’t too far from my flat… I think. Worst comes to worst I could walk.

“Well, if your sure babe,” Josh said as he got up. He leaned over and kissed my cheek, “Be safe!” I nodded as he wondered off. I sat back and just enjoyed people watching. Tonight had been just what I needed, a night out with my friends. Granted I was way more drunk than I had planned, but it happens I guess.

Dan came over, “I’m taking that bird home. You alright? Where’s Josh?”

“He went to call Molly and go home with her.”

“You need a ride?”

I shook my head, “As much as I love that you guys feel the need to babysit me, I’ll be fine. I’ll get a cab.” I patted his cheek affectionately, “Now go take that girl home. She looked rearin’ to go!” I giggled.

He looked back at her over his shoulder before turning back, “That’s what I’m hoping. You sure you’re good?”

“Yes,” I dragged out, “Now go!” He nodded, kissing my cheek before going back over to the girl and directing her to the door.

I had yet another pint, against my better judgment, before I decided to find a way to get home. I could barely stand though, let alone walk. I made it outside where there were a few smokers. A few creepy guys eyed me, making my skin crawl. I looked around and realized I wasn’t where I thought we were, and I had no idea how to get home from here. And let’s face it, walking wasn’t an option since I was so off my rocker I had to lean against the building to stop the world from spinning.

“You alright?” I voice said from next to me. I looked up and it was one of the creepy smokers.
“Fine,” I said shortly. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. I hit Niall’s name and put it to my ear.

“You wanna come back with us?” the guy said gesturing to his friends that were a few feet away vaguely watching us.

“No thank you,” I said trying to make my voice hard around the alcohol.

“Ayden?” Niall said answering.

“H-hi,” I squeaked.

“You alright love? You sound weird.”

“Come on love, come back with us,” Creep said, clearly not getting the hint.

“Fuck off yeah,” I snapped, “I’m not going anywhere with you!”

“Ayden!” Niall said getting my attention back, “Are you okay? Where are you?”
“Fine. Some pup on the edge of town. I need to get a cab,” to me my speech was perfect, but in actuality I was a slurring mess. I looked up and the guy was still there, “Oi mate, you can leave now.” The guy scoffed and called me a bitch before he started to walk back to his friends, calling me a bitch.

“Ayden,” Niall said again, “Stay on the line real quick, someone’s on my other yeah?”
I sighed leaning against the building more, “Okay.” He clicked over and I was listening to dead aid through the phone. The group of guys were still there, and watching me through the corner of their eyes, giving me the shivers. I regretted not catching a ride with Dan or Josh.

After a few minutes Niall was back, “Ayd?”

“I’m here,” I hummed.

“Will you do me a favor babe?”

“For you, anything,” I hiccupped.

“Call Harry and tell him where you are, he’s on his way to get you.”

I huffed, “I don’t need you all treating me like a child, I can get a taxi.”

“Ayden,” there was a slight harshness to his voice, “just do this fore me.”

“Fine,” I snapped and hung up on him. If I were sober, I would have known he was just trying to make sure I was safe, but I wasn’t sober so I wasn’t in the mood for people to baby me.

I dialed Harry’s number and he picked up after the first ring, “Where are you?”

“You don’t have to come get m-me.”

He scoffed, “I’m already on my way, where are you.”

I sighed in defeat looking around for a street sign, “I’m on South and Main. The pubs called Harlows.”

“I’ll be there in 15 minutes,” he assured. “Call Niall and tell him you called me.”

“I don’t need to be babysat!” I snapped rather loudly. The group of guys were staring at me again.

“Call him Ayden,” he demanded before he hung up.

I groaned, but dialed Niall’s number. Mostly because I didn’t want to be bothered by the creeps that would not stop staring at me.

“Can you not hang up on me.”

“Well can you not act like my parent?”

He groaned in frustration, “I’m not. What am I supposed to do when my girlfriend calls me while I’m in another country and she’s clearly way too drunk and I hear some guy trying to take her home? You gave me no choice but to call one of the lads to come get you.”

“I can get a taxi, I’m a grown adult!”

“Well now you get a free ride home, and I can sleep at night knowing you’re safe.”

“Whatever,” I huffed. I was just annoyed now. Not really at him, but he was getting the blunt of it all.

“Who’d you go out with? Why are you by yourself?”

I rolled my eyes at his tone, “I was with Dan and Josh. But Josh went home with Molly and I didn’t want to intervene to I told him to leave, and Dan took a girl home and I told him I didn’t need a ride.”

He groaned, “How were you planning on getting home?”

“I told you, a taxi.”

“Babe, I can tell from your voice that you are too far gone.”

I sighed, “Maybe.” I leaned my head back against the wall and looked up at the stars. I didn’t want to argue, I didn’t have the energy for it.

“You should have taken a ride from your friends.”

“I got it Niall,” I snapped.

“I’m sorry, you’ve made me anxious!”

“Well you’ll be home tomorrow, you can lecture me then.”

He hummed, “This will be the last thing on my mind when I see you, but maybe.”

I looked up and saw Harry’s range rover roll up, “Harry’s here.”

“Call me when you get home.”

“Yeah,” I sighed, pushing myself from the building to walk over to Harry’s truck. I saw him get out.

“I’m serious Ayden.”

“I will,” I insisted. “I’ll talk to you soon.” I hung up right when I met harry at the front of his truck, “I think I can open a door for myself, yeah?”

“Well I wasn’t sure if you were gonna fall on your face, you’re walking like a baby giraffe right now,” there was a slight smile on his face. He grabbed my elbow as he guided me into his truck. “You can put on your seatbelt yeah?”

“Yes,” I snapped. He shook his head, amused at me, and shut the car door. I put my seatbelt on and leaned against the window. Harry was back behind the wheel and started driving.”

“Good night?”

I hummed, “Too good. Drank too much I think.”

He laughed, “Yeah, I’d say that’s about right.”

“Shut up,” I sighed, “I’m already getting the third degree from the Irishman.”

“It’s only because he loves you Ayd.”

I glanced at him, “I know. But I could have taken a taxi with no problem.”

“He just wanted to make sure you got home safe.”

“Yeah, I know,” I sighed. It was more a content sigh this time though, “I get it. He’s been gone for like, ever,” I exaggerated.

“He’ll be back tomorrow,” he smirked at me.

I yawned, “I know. But what about when you lot go on the world tour? Won’t see you lot for way longer than 2 weeks. I don’t know how I’ll deal.”

“You’ll make it work,” Harry promised, “Niall would do anything for you. I’ve never seen him like this with anyone.”

“That’s not always reassuring though,” I said. “Look at you and Kota. You both love each other to the moon and back, yet, you broke up.”

“It’s more complicated than that.”

“How?”

He shrugged, “I guess you’d have to ask Dakota, because I don’t have that answer.”

I huffed and relaxed more into my seat, “Well she’s being dumb because you’re an amazing guy. I mean, you got up at,” I glanced at the car’s clock on the dash, “2:20 in the morning to pick up your best mates bird. Who does that?”

He huffed out an awkward laugh, “I don’t know how to answer that.”

I waved him off, “All I’m saying is that you’re a catch and I wish I could figure out what’s up with her.”

“Can we not talk about this?” He said, focusing on the road.

“Yeah sorry,” I rushed out. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up. I’m never drinking this much again,” I said in what must have been one breath.

“’s’alright,” we were pulling up to my flat. Thank god because I was so tired now. He parked and started to get out, “Come on, I’ll help you to your door.”

“Ever the gentleman, aren’t we Haz.”

“Old habits die hard I guess.” He walked me though the lobby of my building and up the lift and to my door. “You alright from here?”

I yawned, “Yeah I think so.”

He nodded and kissed my cheek briefly, “Alright. I’ll see you soon yeah?”

“Yeah. Night, and thanks.”

“No problem. Sleep well.” I nodded and made my way into my empty flat.

I locked the door and dropped my bag right by the door and kicked my shoes off and practically dragged myself to my bed. The alcohol setting in a fatigue like no other.

I fell onto my bed, still in my jeans and top, not even caring. I hardly had any energy to pull my phone out and call Niall. “I’m home,” I mumbled as soon as he said hello.

“So Harry got you home alright?”

I hummed, “Yeah. And now I’m about to pass out I’m so tired.”

I heard him chuckle, “Well I’m glad your home safe.”

I yawned, “Yeah. I’m picking you up around 3 tomorrow yeah?”

“Yeah, my flight gets in at 2:50.”

I yawned again, “K. I already had my alarm set.”

“Go to sleep babe. Tomorrow we can nap together.”

“I can’t wait. I love you.”

“I love when you say that. I love you too.”

“Night.”

“Goodnight Ayden.”