Words [Niall Horan] AU

Chapter 4: Shopping

I wave as I spot Peyton, Dawn and Ella by the food court waiting for me well Dawn and Peyton were, Ella was on her phone texting someone I assume. They all come towards me and took turns giving me hugs with small greetings and finally Ella and I pulled away.
"So what's for lunch? Because I'm hungry," Dawn complains.
"Let's have sushi!" Peyton cheers before starring off dreamily.
"Yeah, I'm cool with that, you two want sushi?" Dawn asks Ella and I.
Ella nods and I agree also not caring what we eat. I was starting to get hungry too and I was pretty happy with eating anything right now if it was going to get some food in me. We walk together towards the food court then headed to the sushi bar where we took turns paying. I grabbed the box with the most sushi in it and a bottle of before paying and joining Peyton who was already sitting in a booth.
"So do you like Rockwood High?" Peyton asks.
"It's not as bad as I thought normal school would be honestly and I'm glad I met you and everyone else. I miss some of my old friends though some have already forgotten about me but I'm still texting like two for now but everyone here's really nice," I smile and nod.
"Anybody in particular?" Peyton smirks raising an eyebrow.
Damn how does she raise just one eyebrow? Teach me your skills Peyton.
"What do you mean?" I ask still staring at her raised brow.
"Is there anybody in particularly nice," She states bluntly dropping her face.
"Well Louis seems too overly sweet but Zayn says he's trying to make a good impression on me cause I'm 'Derick Mason's little sister'," I shrug.
Peyton face palms and almost smacks her head onto the table. I think she would have if Dawn didn't join the booth and asked what Peyton was doing.
"Anyways what did you need to buy today Erica?" Dawn asks.
"I need to get a dress for my brother's graduation and another one for a family friend's graduation. Didn't you need one for Liam's sister's wedding or something? Are you two dating or...?" I ask curiously.
"Yeah, we were childhood best friends and I guess we both had crushes on each other even as kids but then Liam moved away cause he's dad got transferred. We messaged occasionally but then he's dad got transferred back so we became insuperable again. Then when high school hit everyone kind of pushed us around knowing we liked each other but I don't think we believed the other liked us until the group basically make us spill and now we're happily together. That's our cute little love story," She gushes.
It was almost hard to keep up with her lip reading the whole time but I managed I couldn't help but 'aww' it was sweet and cute. Aren't we all waiting for something like that to happen to us?
"That's so cute and sweet!" I squeal.
"What's cute and sweet?" Ella asks taking a seat across from Dawn who was sitting next to me.
"Dawn and Liam's love story, and then there's me and Zayn. He liked me and I liked him then he complemented me and I didn't quite understand him. Now we're dating and I still don't quite understand him sometimes," Peyton laughs and everyone joins in.
"What about you Ella?" Do you have a cute or not so cute love story with someone too?" I ask curiously with laughter and open my sushi box.
"Nope, I'm single have been for a bit now. Just going out partying and having fun, you know how it is. What about you Erica?" She asks before beginning to eat like everyone else.
"I don't have a boyfriend, I've only ever dated like two guys and clearly they both failed. I'm the kind of person who needs to be friends with the guy before dating cause I don't know, I don't like dating strangers or people I don't know very well," I shrug and shove a tuna roll piece in my mouth.
Soon enough we all finished lunch and headed out to clothing stores to hunt down some clothes and well dresses for Dawn and I. Dawn need a more formal dress for the wedding but I could go for a semi-formal ones since it was just graduation. Before I could process what was going on Peyton gripped onto my hand before dragging me into a store causing me to nearly tumble over and fall down with the lack of balance and surprise.
"This is cute," Peyton turns and shows me a floral dress.
"Yeah, that would look good on you," I nod in agreement.
"I'm going to try it on, and this," She says while grabbing a skirt before walking towards I assume the changing rooms.
I walk over to Ella and Dawn who were looking at close and I begin looking through a rack. While I was looking at a dress that was neon yellow which was starting to hurt my eyes someone tapped my shoulder. I turned to see Ella holding up a black and white horizontally stepped dress which was fitted at the top and went out a little at the hips.
"You should try this, it would suit you," She insists before placing it in my grasps and giving me a light shove towards the changing rooms following me close behind with a few articles of clothing.
I didn't even have time to probably see what the dress looked like until I stepped into a change room and closed the door. It was black and white vertically stripped which was fitted at the top and went out a little at the hip and probably ended just above my knees. It was defiantly my taste and something I would wear by choice since I usually have to attend my dad's banquets for work and not have much say in what I wear.
I slipped it on easily and did a small twirl. It looked formal enough for my mom to approve and comfortable enough for me to wear. I took the dress off and changed back into my regular shorts and top before walking out carrying my shoulder purse and dress. I continued to skim through the store but once I couldn't find anything else I liked so I decided to sit on the couch as I watched Peyton, Ella and Dawn walk in and out of the dress rooms with different clothing.
After a good 20 to 30 minutes Peyton tapped my shoulder and said we should pay first since the other two were still looking around and would take forever to wait and pay. I went first since I only had a dress and scanned my card before Peyton did her load.
"So you excited for your brothers graduation?" Peyton asks as we plop down on the couches waiting for Ella and Dawn.
"Yeah I guess," I shrug remembering I needed a date for that.
"That doesn't sound very excited," Peyton frowns.
"Well it's next weekend and my parents said to me that I need to bring a date and obviously I don't have one yet, "I groan.
"Well is there anybody you like at school? Got your eyes on anybody? Anybody partially cute maybe a redhead or brunette or BLONDE?" She winks.
"Um well I haven't really paid much attention to outsiders yet; I've only really talked to people in the group so far..." I say in thought.
"So is there anyone in the group then?" She asks causally.
"You realise two out of four already have girlfriends including your boyfriend right?" I laugh lightly.
"Actually there are five boys, Jesse went on holidays to Australia to visit and won't be back till next week," Peyton informs me.
I nod in response before Dawn Ella told us they finished and we could leave. After about 7 stores I was done and so was Dawn so we went to get ice-cream while the other two continued to waste all their money on clothes. I got a scoop of cookie dough and another scoop of bubble-gum while Dawn got a double of choc-mint. I quickly paid for both while she was sending a text and when she realised what I did she shook her head in disapproval. We decided to sit and wait on some chairs for the Peyton and Ella since we were both too lazy to hunt them down.

Peyton P.O.V.
"Do you think this would loo-" Ella cut herself off when my phone began ringing.
She shrugged and took the shirt off the rack anyway and going off to change into it. I pulled the phone out of my bag and to see Niall calling me. I'll bet you 20 this is about his little not so little crush on Erica.
"Hello Ni, how nice of you to call and ask about how IM going," I smirk strolling through the aisles of clothing.
"Haha very funny, I texted Dawn but she was with Erica so she told me to call you, did you find out if Erica maybe likes me?" He asks full of hope.
"What happened to don't tell anybody?" I ask stifling my laughter.
"Let's be honest you like to play match maker so what'd you find out?" Niall urgers.
"Well she only dates people whose she's friends with first so I suggest organize a group event or ask her to hang out for some reason. Also you better sort or plan something fast because she needs a date next weekend and that could easily be you if you play the right cards," I suggest before walking towards the changing room to see how Ella was doing.
"Okay got it, friends and plan something by the weekend. Thanks Peyton, I owe you one," Niall says and lets out a deep breath.
"Yeah you do and I've got to get going so I'll see you tonight at the game, bye" I say and hang up before he could reply since Ella was walking out.
I shove my phone in my pocket and follow Ella to the counter where she paid and we left. We decided it was probably getting late and we should meet up with Dawn and Erica. Once we arrived at the food court we easily spotted the pair and joined them happily dropping all the bags we were holding. My arms felt so much lighter and I gratefully sighed as I slowly got the feeling back in my arms. I had Ella get me a scoop of double-choc ice cream because I was being lazy and she was still jumping off the walls with energy.
"How are you getting home?" I ask Erica as I turn to face her.
"I'm going to call my mom I think, if she's at work I'll just call my dad," She shrugs.
"Do you need a lift home? My brothers picking us up soon probably and he could drop you off too so you don't have to make your parents leave or whatever," I suggest.
"You don't have t-" I cut her off.
"It's fine; you live Niall so that's on the way home anyway. He'll drop you off and that's final," I say without hesitation.
"Okay if you're sure," She mumbles.
"You're going to go to the game tonight right?" Dawn asks me.
Just as I was about to tell her I was I thought of an idea that would make Niall owe me double.
"Yeah of course, Erica you should come too. The boys have a game tonight and all of us will be there actually Ella might not but yeah we'll all be there. You should come too, its fun," I offer.
"I don't think I have plans so yeah sure that sounds good," She nods enthusiastically.
"You want to come straight to my house? The girls are, and then we can just go to the game together," I suggest.
"Yeah, that's cool with me," Erica agrees getting up to throw her ice cream cup in the bin.