The airport wasn't as packed as I thought it would be, but it was still pretty busy. I wheeled my suitcase behind me as I walked through the airport to the baggage check in. I checked my bag in, and then met my "family" out in front of security where I would have to say goodbye. I saw my mom first with Spencer standing next to her. I gave Spencer a quick hug and told him it was nice meeting him even though I didn't spend much time talking to him. Then I turned to my mother.
"I know you probably never would have thought I would say this, but thanks for coming back. It actually meant a lot more than you think. Sure I was mad, but in the end I'm glad we could kind of work it out." I said to her. She gave a smile and then pulled me into a hug. I was taken by surprise at the sudden jump, but then I slowly wrapped my arms around her too.
"Me too." she said over my shoulder. When we let go, my dad was standing next in line.
"Daddy." I said.
"Come here, cupcake." he said waving me into his arms. I walked right into them and he gave me a hug. "I'll miss you while your gone."
"I'll miss you too, dad. I always do."
"Me too El, me too."
"Thank you for this weekend."
"Of course." he kissed my head and then let me go.
"Bye, dad."
"Bye, El." I turned around and there was Charlie, standing at my feet. I keeled down so that I was eye to eye with him.
"Do you really have to go?" he asked.
"Yeah I do, bud." I said.
"Do you have your shell?" I pulled the shell he gave me at the beach out of my pocket to show him. Then I placed it back in and patted the pocket.
"Got it."
"Good."
"I'm gonna miss you, Charlie."
"I'm gonna miss you too, Ella."
"But remember, I promised I'll be back. And then it's just me and you."
"Me and you." I smiled. Then I wrapped the little boy in my arms and he managed to wrap his around my neck.
"Okay, I gotta go now."
"Okay." Charlie said letting go. I kissed his head and then stood up. I turned to all of them. My mom and Spencer were standing next to each other holding hands, and my dad was holding Charlie up on his shoulders so he could see me.
"Bye guys." I said.
"Bye, Ella." they all said in unison. I turned around and started walking towards the security line. When I turned back around to see them one more time, all I saw was a glimpse of blonde hair popping up over the crowd, slowly moving farther away.
***
I soon landed in Boston, kind of happy to be back in a place that was more familiar to me than Baltimore. I grabbed my carry on and got off the plane. Then I went and grabbed my suitcase from the baggage claim. I wheeled my suitcase towards the doors of the airport to grab a cab outside, but standing there in front of the doors was Niall with a sign that said Ella on it. I dropped my suitcase and made a bee line right for Niall. Niall dropped the sign as I ran right into his arms. He picked me up and spun me around like they do in the movies when lovers are reunited in airports. Just like my dad said, it was just like a fairy tale. Once Niall put me down I immediately started crying.
"Oh my God Niall I missed you so much." I sobbed into his chest.
"I missed you too, El." he said. He kissed the top of my head. He put his arm around my shoulders and he walked me over to where I dropped my suitcase in the middle of the airport. He picked it up and then wheeled it behind us as we waked out of the airport.
"Was the trip really that bad that you missed me that much?" he said while throwing my suitcase in the trunk of his car.
"Not the last day." I said.
"The last day was the only good day?"
"Yep. I hung out with Charlie the whole day basically."
"Charlie? Who's Charlie?" Niall said frantically. I took this as a chance to mess with him.
"Oh he's this boy I met in Baltimore. He's wicked cute. And he's a blondie just like you." I said in a flirty tone.
"What? Ella, why are you hanging out with another guy?" he asked.
"Hahaha, I'm kidding. Charlie's my new little brother." I said laughing.
"Ohh, that's a relief." Niall said starting the car. "So he's a cool little bro?"
"Yeah, you would love hanging out with him." I said.
"Well, hopefully I'll get to meet him someday."
"Hopefully."
"So is everything worked out with you and your mom?" he asked.
"Umm yeah, it's getting there. I haven't fully forgiven her yet, but I don't hate her guts anymore."
"That's good. I'm glad you worked it out."
"Me too."
"I was really serious about going down there to take you back here when you called."
"I know you were."
"I couldn't stand you being that distressed."
"I could barely stand it either. But I appreciate you being so concerned."
"I'm always watching out for you, Ella."
"I know. My Superman." I said. He smiled. We continued driving on our way back to campus, and it was silent. I knew Niall didn't want to bring up anything more about my mother or the bad moments of this past weekend, and I loved him for that.
"You know, you haven't kissed me since I got back." I said to Niall. He didn't answer right away.
"You're right." he said, then he quickly turned the wheel and pulled into a parking lot that was on the side of the road. He pulled the car into a spot and put it in park, and then pulled me over to the drivers side so I was straddling his lap. Then he brought my lips down to his. The feeling of his lips on mine was something I had missed, but tried so hard not to think about all weekend. After kissing for awhile, his lips left mine and he stared into my eyes.
"How was that?" he asked me.
"That was wicked romantic." I said breathing heavily, referring to how quickly he parked the car just to make out with me. He let out a laugh.
"I'm glad." he said. I climbed back into the passenger seat and we drove back to campus. When we got there, Niall and I went over to my housing unit and brought my luggage up to my dorm room. I unlocked the door and opened it. Sitting on my desk was a vase with a beautiful bouquet of flowers in it. A small white card was sitting next to it. I went inside and read the card.
'Welcome home, I missed you. Love Niall' is what what written. I turned around and Niall was standing in the doorway.
"What is all of this?" I said smiling.
"What?"
"The flowers, the kissing, the surprise at the airport...why are you doing all of this? I was just gone for the weekend." I said.
"I just really missed you is all." he said. I smiled.
"I missed you too. But you're not like buttering me up for something right?" I asked. It wasn't that I didn't think Niall missed me or was generous or anything, it was just weird that someone would do all of this after only be gone a few days.
"No. No, why would I be buttering you up?" I was quiet.
"I don't know. Never mind." I shook it off. "Thank you Ni, the flowers are beautiful."
"Of course. Oh, and I didn't get lilies cause I know you're allergic." he added.
"Wow, you remembered." I smiled.
"Like I would forget." he walked over to me and put his hands on my neck and brought my lips to his. He kissed me softly and then pulled away. "I gotta go finish up some homework I never did, but I'll come back after."
"Um, okay. I'll just be here unpacking." I said. He smiled, gave me a quick kiss, and then left my dorm room. I grabbed my suitcase and put it on my bed so I could start unpacking. It was stuffy in my room from not being in here lately so I opened the window, just in time to see Sarah and Jess walking towards the building. Jess looked up just as the window was opening and saw me.
"Ella! Hey! We were just coming to see you!" she yelled up to me.
"Hey El!" Sarah yelled.
"Hey guys! Yeah come on up!" I yelled back. I went back to my suitcase and unzipped it. I started unpacking my clothes and putting it all in the right drawers. After I had emptied about a fourth of it Sarah and Jess came in.
"Ella!" they yelled before tackling me in a group hug. "We missed you!"
"Missed you guys too!" I smiled.
"How was your trip?" Sarah asked.
"Ummm, it was interesting......and emotional." I said.
"Oh goodness, what happened?" asked Jess, holding me at my shoulders. They sat down on my bed and I explained everything about the trip while I continued unpacking my suitcase.
"Oh my god that's crazy stuff." Sarah said once I had finished.
"Did you and your mom make up?" Jess asked.
"Kind of. Not completely but we are getting there." I said.
"That's good." Jess said.
"Charlie sounds so cute though!" Sarah exclaimed.
"He is so adorable." I said remembering my little brother back in Maryland. We continued talking about the trip and what they had been up to this past weekend while I finished unpacking. Once I finished unpacking I sat down with them on the bed.
"So what do you say we go have some lunch?" Sarah suggested.
"Yeah! A welcome home lunch!" Jess said.
"Um sure, but I'll have to tell Niall because I told him I would be here." I texted Niall quickly saying we were going out to lunch. He didn't respond right away so I just put my phone away and left the dorm to go have lunch with the girls.
While at lunch, Niall had texted me saying okay and to meet him back at my dorm when we were done. I texted him back asking if everything was okay and he said yeah everything was fine. I said okay and then put my phone away.
"Was that Niall?" Jess asked.
"Yeah, he wants me to meet him back at my dorm after lunch. He's been kind of weird since I got back this morning."
"Oh, it's probably because of that mishap...." Sarah started but then cut herself off.
"It's probably nothing." Jess said to cover up.
"Wait, what mishap?" I asked.
"It's really nothing to worry about."
"But I want to know. If I don't have to worry about it then just tell me." I said. Jess and Sarah were silent and looking at each other.
"Alright. We aren't supposed to say anything but something happened while you were gone." Sarah said.
"Clearly, but what?" I asked.
"It's about Niall." Sarah continued. I was all ears.
"Maya and Niall kissed." Jess said.
"Maya?" I asked.
"Yeah, but it wasn't Niall's fault, Maya was being stupid." Jess said. I wasn't listening to anything after 'Maya and Niall kissed'.
"Ella, it's not as bad as you think." Sarah said.
"I gotta go talk to him right now." I said getting up from my chair.
"Ella, you have to listen to the whole thing, there's more to it!" Jess said as I was leaving.
"I need to hear it from him." I said as I walked out the door. I walked all the way back to my dorm and saw that Niall's car was in the parking lot in front of my housing unit, which meant he was here already. I hope he was here to explain what happened because that's what I was here for. I got up to my room and threw open the door. Niall was sitting in my desk chair with his hands in his lap.
"What the hell Niall?" I asked. He looked at me stunned, clearly not knowing Sarah and Jess had told me what happened. But then his face showed that he caught on. His shoulders dropped.
"They told you didn't they."
"Yeah, so what the hell is going on?"
"Ella wait...."
"You kissed Maya?"
"Baby, just listen to me."
"No! Answer my question."
"Yes, I did."
"Why? You had told me before that you didn't love her. So why are you kissing her?"
"Ella, I don't love her. It wasn't my fault."
"How was it not your fault?"
"She threw herself on me. I had nothing to do with it. I didn't even kiss her back."
"What happened exactly?" I asked him.
***Flashback from Niall's POV***
"Hey Niall." Maya said from a park bench as I was walking on the sidewalk. I stopped walking.
"Hey Maya. What's up?" I asked.
"Where's Ella?" she asked.
"Um, she's visiting her family for the weekend. Why?"
"Oh, nothing. It's just she isn't answering her phone. I was wondering if she was sick or something."
"No, she's just visiting her family."
"That's sweet." She got up from the bench and started walking towards me.
"Did you need her for something?" I asked.
"No....I was just making sure she wasn't here."
"Why?" I looked at her confused.
"So I could do this." she came towards me, grabbed my shoulders, and pulled my mouth to hers. She pressed her sloppy lips to mine as I pushed her off of me.
"Maya, what the hell are you doing?" I asked, wiping my lips.
"Oh, come on, don't act like you didn't like it." she said as she pressed her lips to mine again. I pushed her off with more force this time.
"I didn't. Why did you just do that?"
"Admit it Niall, you miss me."
"Why would I miss you? We literally went out for a few weeks and it wasn't even real dating. It was awhile ago anyways."
"Stop pretending Niall. You can't even deny that you liked being with me at least a little bit."
"Maya you're being ridiculous. I gotta go."
"Wait. So you didn't feel anything?"
"No. I'm in love with Ella, not you." I said and then turned and continued walking down the sidewalk leaving Maya standing there alone.
***End of Flashback***
I had moved to sit on my bed by now, and Niall was still in the desk chair.
"She came on to me Ella. I didn't kiss her." Niall said.
"So she was just sitting there, and then threw herself on you?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me Niall?" I asked him.
"I didn't want you to get mad."
"Get mad? This is me mad! I am mad!"
"But Ella, it wasn't my fault!"
"I'm not mad about the kiss! I get it was an accident! I'm mad that you didn't tell me! Instead you smother me with kisses and surprises to try and avoid it! You had to have known it would have come up at some point!"
"I know, but I was afraid you would get mad and not listen or understand!"
"I do understand! But you made it worse by avoiding it and not telling me! I thought we had trust Niall! This is not trust!"
"I'm sorry." Niall said. "I broke our trust and I'm sorry." I looked up at him, not expecting him to say that. I didn't respond. "I guess I didn't tell you right away because I knew what you had gone through this past weekend and I didn't want to overwhelm you with more drama."
"Really?" I asked. My hand was on my head when I looked up at him again, and a tear was drying on the side of my face.
"Yeah, but I guess I was wrong to do that, and I'm sorry."
"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I yelled. I know you were only trying to protect me. And I know the kiss wasn't your fault." I saw Niall get up from the desk chair out of the corner of my eye. He came over and sat next to me on the bed. I had my eyes closed and my hand on my head. I was starting to get a headache from all this drama. Niall wrapped his arms around me and pulled me onto his lap. I curled up and dug my head into his chest, with my arms wrapped up by my face. After holding me for a second I started crying.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I sobbed into his chest. He rocked me back and forth until I calmed down and stopped crying. He kissed the top of my head occasionally and would rest his head on top of mine as he rocked us back and forth. A few minutes later I was passed out and asleep.