Foreign Affair ›› n.h. mature

Twenty-Seven

Niall Horan

I burst through Liv's front door. "Bonjour Madame!"

"Bonjour Monsieur!" She was running around like a lunatic getting everything in order.

"Êtes-vous prête?"

"Okay I don't know what that means. I almost forgot I was dating such a worldly man," she said with a playful wink. "Bonjour is about all I know."

"Don't worry, I looked it up before coming inside. I was trying to ask if you're ready?"

"Ah! Oui oui!"

A few weeks ago I had surprised Liv saying I wanted to take her on a trip for her spring break. Now it's Friday, she just finished her last class before break, and we have a flight to catch in a couple hours.

My bags are in the car, we're just about ready to go.

"Good lord." I looked at her massive suitcase about to burst at the zipper.

"Girls overpack. It's a fact of life. No need to comment on it," she said.

"Do you have your passport?"

"Check."

"Swim suit?"

"What for? It's cold."

"I don't know. Hot tub? Indoor pool maybe?"

"I didn't bring one to London at all."

"We'll get you one. Toothbrush?"

"Check!"

"Alright, that's everything I usually forget so you're probably good to go. Let's head out!"

"Wait!" She grabbed my arm. "Niall, thanks again. I'm really excited."

"Me too." I leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. I couldn't wait to spend a week with this girl.

I tossed her bag in the car and we headed towards Heathrow. Andy was driving so my car wasn't left at the airport for a week.

...

Olivia Allen

A hour and a half later, we were on the plane. We had gone into the airport separately at my suggestion. Niall said Heathrow is always mad packed with paps. He said he didn't care but I thought it would lead to less headache later if we weren't seen leaving together.

Basically to paps and the fans it's still a question of whether we're actually together or if we're just friends. We would both really like to keep it that way as long as possible. It's just easiest. I like to think I'm tough when it comes to rumors but they're definitely annoying and sometimes I hear a ridiculous one and I'm just dying to set the record straight.

It would be a short flight to Paris, only a little over an hour. We were going over the plan for the week. "We're taking the train to Bayeux tonight, staying there and visiting Normandy Beach and the World War II museums there tomorrow," Niall said. "Then we will come back to Paris and spend a couple days and do everything you want to do and see everything you want to see, then we'll take a train to the alps and stay at a ski resort for a few nights before heading home."

"Skiing? Niall, your knee!"

"Oh we don't have to ski. It's a really nice lodge, you'll see. If you want to ski on your own I can find something to do all day."

"This whole week sounds incredible. Truly, thank you so much."

"A perfect spring break," he agreed.