Dirty Laundry

Seven.

"NIALL WAIT"

He stopped half way down the hall but he wouldn't turn around. I came up behind him but all I could do was stare at his shoes.

"Please, let me explain. It's going to make me look even lamer than I already am," I laugh a little at myself but this isn't what you think it is.

I watch his feet turn to face me but I still can't look up, I feel like I'm going to choke on my own spit.

"Well?" He asks, "What?"

Hearing his voice gives me the courage to look up. His face is red, his beautiful face is creased with a confused anger.

"I didn't have any of my own laundry to do because I did mine a couple days ago. I felt stupid and desperate doing this," I explain gesturing between us looking down again," without laundry so I asked my hall mates if they had any I could do for them... I just... I was so excited that you wanted to see me! I'm no good at this stuff and like you said we both needed a common ground and,"

I was cut off by his fingers taking a light hold of the strand of hair over my eye. He put it behind my ear and held the side of my face and neck. His hand was warm and I automatically turned into it, looking up at the sound his light chuckle. Great he's laughing at me...

"That is the lamest, most adorable thing I've ever heard"

He's perfect, I thought. He isn't angry and he isn't laughing at me in the way that I was so accustomed too.

"I'm sorry I got so mad so quick. I'm no good at this stuff either. I don't put myself out there like that often and..."

"It's okay. I would have run out too if the situation was reversed."

"Let me make it up to you? Let me take you out if this dirty laundry room like I should have the instead of all this...?"

Cue the internal squealing because Niall just asked me on a real date, my first real date!

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"Good, lets get out of here for now" he says putting his arm around my shoulders.

"Oooo! Wait!" I turn around and go back to the laundry room starting the dryer full of Alex's wet laundry. I come back out to an amused and confused Niall and that might be my favorite face he makes besides his smile.

"Dryer." I tell him and he just laughs that laugh that I will never be able to get enough of.

****

Niall and I ended up in his room since his roommate was out doing frat stuff. And yes I am freaking out about being in his room sitting on his futon with him while he tells me stories of his friends from home and plays silly little songs on his guitar. We laugh a lot and jokingly argue over sports teams and players and he almost chokes on his soda when I tell him how I've never played soccer a day in my life.

"WHAT?! How could you have never played my all time favorite sport?! Not even like when everyone plays soccer in when they're four?"

"Nope. Sorry. I've been playing softball since I can remember. I tried basketball once but I wasn't very good, I've played volleyball, field hockey in high school and took swim lessons til I was 10 but never soccer. Blame my father. He's never like "foot fairies"."

"Ouch. Low blow"

I just shrug.

"Well that can be something I teach ya! Wait, how do you feel about golf? Remember our relationship depends on your ability to answer correctly."