Since We're Alone |NH|

Chapter 22

Ophelia's POV

"You almost done?" Tomi asked me as I was still cleaning up around the bar.

"Yeah, I'll be done in about ten to fifteen.  You guys go on and go, I'll meet you over there."

I could tell she wanted to spend a few more minutes alone with Mully.  Smiling, she waved and said, "See you in a few.  And you better not back out!"

"I won't," I said, wiping down another bottle.  Turning around, I saw Niall walking back towards the bar from the men's room.  He smiled at me as he looked around.  "Almost done."

"Mully still here?"

"No, he and Tomi went ahead.  You can, too, if you want?"

"Nah, I'll wait.  If that's okay?"

"That's fine.  Give me just a few more minutes."

"Don't I still need to pay?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, I guess so."  He handed me his card.  "Thanks, be right back."

After I ran the card, I looked down at it and noticed his name, "Niall Horan...that sounds familiar," I said, softly.  Without thinking too much about it, I returned the card to its owner and gave him a pen to sign my copy.  After signing it, I cashed out everything and brought it back to the office where we keep the safe.

After counting the drawer and everything looking good, I was free to go.

"Ready?" I asked, reaching under the bar and grabbing my jacket and bag.

"Yep," he said.

"Let's roll."

Walking out, the LA air had cooled quite a bit.  Placing my bag between my legs, I threw on my jacket before we proceeded across the street.

Walking into the bar, we found Mully and Tomi in a corner, playing pool.

"Hey Mullz," Niall said, as we approached.

"Finally!" Tomi said, standing upright after her shot.  "Care to play?"

"I'm good, Pool is not my thing," I said.

"Yeah, I'm fine, too," Niall said.  Turning to me, he asked, "You want anything?"

"Yeah, sure, I'll come with you.  We'll grab a table or booth?" I asked, looking at everyone. 

"We've got that booth right there," Mully said, pointing. 

"Oh, great."

We got our drinks and made our way to the booth where Tomi and Mully had placed themselves together on one side, leaving the other side for Niall and myself.

"Inside or outside?" He asked.

"Huh?"

"The booth?" He pointed.

"Oh, um, outside," I smiled at him as he scooted in and I sat down beside him.

"So, Ophelia, what is it you do in your free time?  When you aren't cooking up new drink recipes?" Mully asked.

"Oh, um, I'm in school actually.  A lot of my time is either at the bar or in a classroom or library."

"Yeah, she's always got her head in a book.  It's rare I can get her out especially on a weeknight," Tomi said, laughing a little.

"Ha...ha, Tomi."

"What are you studying?" Niall asked.

"Business Management.  Figured if I was going to open and run my own business one day, I ought to know how to manage it."

"Solid plan," he said, taking a sip of his beer.

"Hopefully."

"How much longer you got?"

"Oh, uh, fingers crossed, one more year.  Graduate next May, is the plan."

"Awesome."

"Yeah."

"Okay, well, we're playing another round of pool.  Sure you don't want to join?" Mully asked, as he and Tomi stood back up.

"I'm fine.  Niall?"

"I'm good."

"Suit yourselves."

As they walked off, an awkward silence fell over our table.  A minute or two passed by, "Seems, they were the talkative members of the group."

"Yeah, sorry, I get a bit awkward in social situations," I said, placing my hands in my lap.

""It's okay, I'm a bit awkward, myself."

"So, Niall, what do you do?"  There was silence on his end.  When I looked at him, he looked a little lost in his own world.

His features furrowed a bit as if he was debating something in his head. His eyes looked down as he lifted his glass to his lips. Something seemed different, different from the Niall I had been talking to all night.