seasons of love | Narry Storan AU

chapter 28.

2032

"And, fun fact: Niall didn't dare, not even once, to reply to Shawn's message that entire weekend of Thanksgiving." Louis Tomlinson says, pointing out to his best friend while saying those words. "Which proves my point."

"Your point? What point? I was not aware that you had a point here." Niall argues, crossing his arms right above his chest.

The doorbell rings right at this moment, and Louis is the one who runs to the main door just to hug his (previously ex, now) boyfriend (again) Liam Payne. Niall smiles at the scene; after seeing two of his best friends in an on-and-off-again relationship for years, it finally seems like they're about to settle down this time. He feared more for Liam's feelings because he knew Louis like nobody else and knew how ever-changing his high school friend could be from time to time.

Home, a song by Phillip Phillips, is now playing in the background as everyone reunites around the dining table. It's Thanksgiving night — the first one in a very long time since they were all in the same room for the same type of familiar event —, and all the Thanksgiving-related food is served on the wide, rectangular, glass table. Niall smiles to Louis, who smiles to Liam, who smiles to Taylor Horan, who smiles to Chloe Horan, who smiles to her father, and the circle continues to spin around in smiles, light-hearted jokes and good memories from their early years.

"Now, back to where you stopped the story", Chloe says, carefully resting her elbows on the glass table and intertwining her own fingers, "because that was a very important point for the story, about dad not replying to Mr. Mendes's messages."

"I didn't say he didn't reply", Louis defends himself, "I just said he didn't reply him at the time of the Thanksgiving weekend."

"Oh. So he replied later." She murmurs, almost feeling bad for the conclusion."

"It was complicated, darling", Niall intervenes in the conversation, after feeling like he was being left out of the topic even though he is the topic.

2015

Niall is facing his own cellphone for fifteen consecutive minutes. Shawn's message is displaying on the screen, and he still has no idea of what to do about it. Harry is pacing back and forth on their college bedroom — it's their first Monday back to the studies after that holiday —, waiting for his friend so they can go to their first class of the day together.

"Nialler."

"Why are you calling me like that?"

"I have a lot of reasons, but the one I'll use right now is: I'm calling you Nialler because it's the only way to make you see me. We have to go."

"I'm thinking, Harold. You can go without me."

"No way I'm going through that hellish class without my only friend there. I'll wait."

"Harold."

"You can call me Harry."

"I call you Harry sometimes. It's enough."

"No, it's not. I feel like I'm talking to my father every time you say 'Harold'." His face turns into a clear expression of disgust when he remembers his father. "It's not cool."

"OK... Harry. You can go without me."

"Still not going, Nialler."

"OK, then help me."

"Shawn?"

"Yeah." Niall sighs, freeing up space on his right side on the top bunk bed for his friend to sit on. "I want to know him, I want to go out with him, but I know it's not the right time for that."

"Then tell him that."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"It's better to be honest, Niall", Harry shrugs while saying those words, "than to lie and carry this lie for the rest of your life."

"I wish everyone could relate to that", he says, mentally thinking of Harry's hidden feelings for Niall himself. "I don't know if I can."

"Give it a try. He will understand if he's a good man. And then you'll probably hang out with him once he's not our professor anymore, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah, yeah, you have a point."

"I always do."

"Convinced."

"Still you love me, Nialler."

"Now you're a liar."

Harry laughs out loud, resting his head on Niall's shoulder without thinking about this action. Once he stops laughing, however, he doesn't leave that position. They stand there, facing Shawn's words on the phone screen, silently thinking of a nice answer to him.

"Say you want to meet him, but not now." The Styles lad gives up on his own feelings just to help his roommate. "It will be alright."

"Hey, Mr. Mendes! Or should I call you just Shawn from now on? *nervous emojis pieced together because I'm just like that*

So, I thought about your invitation and yes, I would love to hang out with you and discuss the things we have in common. However, these last days have been so stressful for me, you have no idea. I can only think about my homework, my dad's sollitude back in our little town and in trying to remain sane during these times. Besides, you're still my teacher, right? People would say very bad things about that.

So, with that said, I would very much like the idea of us going out on a meeting once you step down as a professor, as you said you would do in the near future. It's better for both of us, I guess.

I hope you don't talk with anyone about my videos. I feel so embarassed by them now!

— Niall Horan."