Still You (Niall Horan)

Chapter 6

November 9, 2012

From: Niall (1:32pm)

Hey! It's Ni, have time today for coffee?

(Sorry, not trying to pressure you at all. Totally get it if you need space and time and all that)

(But if you don't, I know a place with a cinnamon latte that'll blow your mind)

And sorry for the amount of texts, I'm not a stalker, I promise haha

From: Lizzie (1:48pm)

Deer Nail, it's Blooberry. My mum isn't shure if she haz tyme 2 hang, but I like latays (and cat treets). Cud you bring her 1 at skool so she kan take it home 2 me?

From: Niall (1:50pm)

Dear Blueberry, I'd be happy to bring you a latte. Just have your mum text me the address, and tell her I think you're far too young to be drinking caffeine

From: Lizzie (1:51pm)

Mum sayz not to kwestion her parenting skillz

Niall found me at one of the picnic tables in the courtyard on campus, surrounded by textbooks. The dusting of snow from a few days ago had melted, instead leaving us with a surprisingly warm autumn day. I had left the house bundled up in a peacoat and thick, plaid scarf, but had abandoned the woolen fabric in favor of just wearing my jumper.

Niall had apparently been better prepared, as he appeared in only a grey hoodie, cerulean eyes hidden by a pair of thick sunnies. I graciously accepted the coffee cup he handed me while he sat down across from me.

"Blue says thanks," I said as I took a sip. Niall grinned in return.

"It was no trouble, except that the barista did give me an awfully weird look when I said the name was Blueberry." I twirled the cup around, chuckling when I saw that he had in fact gotten my cat's name written on the cup. "The shop was fresh out of cat treats, but I thought you might be hungry so I brought this, too." He produced a wax bag with a rather large cheese scone from his pocket.

"Thank you," I replied. "I'm actually starving, I forgot to eat lunch. But you probably should have brought two."

"How was I supposed to know you were hungry enough for two scones? Most people would just say thanks," he replied jokingly.

I rolled my eyes. "If you had let me finish, prick, you would have heard that I just texted Al, so...," as if on cue, my sentence was cut off by the arrival of my tiny, blonde best friend on the corner of the green.

She took off in a run towards our table when she saw us. "NIALLER," she screeched, bolting across the grass and practically tackling him with a hug.

"ALLEY-CAT," he yelped back, thrilled at the surprise and immediately wrapping his arms around her.

Her voice was muffled from the grey fabric of Niall's sleeves. "I missed your stupid face. Oh, wait, no I didn't. Your poster is on every fricking Tube stop for miles."

"Well, I missed your stupid face," he replied with a laugh.

"Obviously." She released him after a moment, only to approach him again with a less-than-friendly sock in the arm. "That's for not calling, you twat."

Niall rubbed his sore bicep. "Jesus, Al, where did you learn how to throw a punch like that?"

"Luke," Ally responded at the exact same time I said "Sam," while Niall simultaneously answered his own question with an "Alex." All three were the names of Ally's brothers, who were typically on the receiving end of her violent affection. Ally shrugged, figuring we were all right, and sat down, immediately taking a portion of my scone without a second thought.